the crans-montana region benefits from magnificent and varied landscapes throughout the year. to enjoy this breathtaking nature, to discover the secrets of our mountains and to recharge one’s batteries, there is nothing better than to walk there. with friends, family, as a couple or alone, discover our mountains. crans-montana offers a very wide network of marked trails for all levels. families will find what they are looking for, as well as the more sporty who are looking for steep slopes and technique.
before starting a hike, it is important to prepare it. for safety reasons, it is mandatory to consult crans-montana website to find out which routes are open to walkers. and to plan your routes in advance and to find your way around the trails, we recommend using the swisstopo application. this application brings together the various maps of switzerland and indicates the paths according to the chosen activity (hiking, cycling, skiing, etc.).
our favourite : chetzeron - cabane des violettes - bella lui - chetzeron
if you want to make a nice hike starting from chetzeron, we recommend you an itinerary that we like very much: chetzeron – violets – bella lui. it is a physically and technically demanding mountain hike and it takes 3h30 of walking time for this loop. during its 9.5 kilometres and its 600 m of positive and negative difference in altitude, this hike offers you a grandiose panorama of the Valais Alps and the Rhone plain.
the route starts in chetzeron, at an altitude of 2’112 m, and leads to cry d’er by the white stony path. from cry d’er, follow the yellow signs to the violet hut. on this section, you will probably see marmots, as they appreciate the greenery and the limestone scree of this area. to see some of them, we advise you to move silently and remain attentive. when you see them, stop, keep a low profile, listen to their warning cries and enjoy the show.
the cabane des violettes is situated at 2208 m altitude and offers a panoramic view of the famous five 4000 surrounding the val d’anniviers. these five peaks, together forming the imperial crown, are composed of the weisshorn (4’505 m), the zinalrothorn (4’221 m), the obergabelhorn (4’063 m), the cervin (4’478 m) and the dentus sanguinis (4’357 m). the cabane des violettes is held by Pierre-Olivier Bagnoud, mountain guide, and Franck Reynaud, cook. it has been recently renovated and is part of the montana-vermala of the swiss alpine club. except during the months of May and November, its hosts welcome you all year round in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere.
from the violets, continue your hike to the Col du pochet, also known as the Col de l’arpochey, which culminates at 2498 m. there you will find ladders to climb, but you can also avoid them by walking around the rock. after the ladders, continue on and you will reach the highest point of this walk, the summit of bella itself at an altitude of 2’548 m. from here, all you have left is the flat and the descent over the ridge. finally, you will find the white stony path that will take you to chetzeron.
According to the rating of the Swiss Alpine Club, this hike is of level T3, i.e. “demanding mountain hike”. to spend a pleasant day and for safety reasons, we therefore recommend that you equip yourself with mountain clothing, i.e. mountain boots, mountain trousers, windcheater, sunglasses and cap. we also advise you to bring sunscreen, enough water and provisions, a change of warm clothing, as well as gloves and a hat in case the wind blows at the summit. finally, if you would like our mountain guide to accompany you, we would be delighted toinform you.
