Moiry - Trophy of the Dams

Sierre
0/10°
Tackle the climb to Moiry dam via Vercorin and Pinsec while enjoying the view of the Matterhorn and the Dent Blanche.
Difficulty
DifficultLength
32.7 kmDuration
3:30 hDescription
Your climb begins in Chippis, a small village situated on the plains at the edge the Rhône river. A narrow road takes you to Brie, passing close to the Bisse de Ricard, then climbs for several kilometres above Sierre and rejoins the main road that leads to Vercorin ski resort. The route runs along cliff sides and through galleries cut into the rock, allowing you to admire the Val d’Anniviers below. From Vercorin, the trail heads towards Pinsec and descends for a few kilometres, passing through the traditional hamlets of Mayoux and Saint-Jean along the way. The Matterhorn and the Dent Blanche form the backdrop to your next climb, which benefits from a broad and flowing initial section. The route becomes more demanding once it reaches the picturesque village of Grimentz, climbing steeply for five or six kilometres and briefly levelling out before two tough final kilometres to Moiry dam. The finishing point at 2,250m in altitude is situated near the top of the dam, overlooking the lake.
Turn-by-turn directions
From the bridge over the Rhône in Chippis, head to the centre of Chippis via the cantonal road. Follow the long bend in the road onto the Route de Chalais, where you’ll find the signpost for the start of the route. 200 metres down the road, turn left onto the road leading to Briey and follow it for 5.7km before rejoining the cantonal road in the direction of Vercorin. Once you reach the centre of Vercorin, turn left and continue towards Niouc, where a downhill section takes you through the villages of Niouc and Mayoux. Once you arrive in Mayoux, the Route de Vissoie-Grimentz begins to climb again. The slope becomes more demanding from the village of Grimentz, levelling out briefly before the final two kilometres of challenging cycling to Moiry dam. The finishing point is situated near the top of the dam, overlooking the lake. The route marked out by the Valais cycle signs allows you to make the climb to the Moiry dam without passing by the busy road from Sierre, Niouc and Vissoie.
Start
Chippis, Edge of the Rhône (526m) (531m)
Destination
Moiry dam (2,249m) (2249m)
Author's recommendation
The interior of the dam can be visited on request.
Technical information
Altitude
2250m
531m
Ascent
+2042m
Descent
-325m
Technique
Stamina
Experience
Landscape
Best time of the year
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Tags
Public transport
Approach
Parking
Source
This activity is brought to you by Valais/Wallis Promotion