- Possible Dates for private tours: Middle of June – End of September
The Trient Valley, source of well-being in the heart of the Espace Mont-Blanc, welcomes you for an authentic hiking experience.
A preserved nature, unique attractions, an exceptional panorama, villages full of history and welcoming people are the major assets of a region ideally located in the immediate vicinity of Martigny (Switzerland), Chamonix (France) and Aoste (Italy).
On our Hiking Tour of the Trient valley you can enjoy breathtaking panoramas on the Mont-Blanc, natural, wild and mysterious gorges, mountain lakes, glaciers and impressive waterfalls: let yourself be surprised and seduced by the grandiose landscapes of the Trient valley.
- Type: loop
- Difficulty: T2 and T3 for good walkers (good physical condition required)
- Duration: 6 days / 5 nights
- Distance: 60 km
- Cumulative elevation gain: 4500 meters
- Cumulative negative elevation gain: 4600 meter
Itinerary Hiking Tour of the Trient valley
Day 1: Mountain lake in a spectacular basin
Martigny – Salvan – Cabane de Salanfe
On the first day, you board the Mont Blanc Express train to the beautiful mountain village of Salvan. From there, galvanized by this beautiful introduction, you climb through the Salanfe gorge, the outcome of which is a delicious dinner at Van d’en Haut. The path that leads to the idyllic lake of Salanfe and its Inn at the foot of the Dents du Midi crosses beautiful alpine landscapes that will amaze you!
- 13km, + 1077m, -186m
- Night and meal at the Auberge de Salanfe
Day 2: Two mountain passes and the world of the Emosson lake
Cabane de Salanfe – Col d’Emaney – Col de Barberine – Emosson – Vertic Camp
Today you will climb two big alpine passes with magnificent views of the Mont Blanc region and the Valais. In the afternoon, you take these beautiful emotions with you as you descend to the turquoise blue reservoir of Emosson and cross two tunnels.
In the evening, you will enjoy the wild environment, in the shelter of a cocoon on a wooden terrace, with an exceptional view on the mountains. The charm of the place is a promise of delicious moments to savor fully…
You live a unique experience, immersed in a preserved nature, comfortably installed in a dome tent at tree height, in the heart of the forest. Listen to the birds and the wind singing in the trees!
- 14km, +1121m, – 1101m
- Night and dinner in the Vertic camp
Day 3: On the trail of the Dinosaurs
Loop Vieux Emosson – Dinosaur Trail – Giétroz
Today, you will follow this panoramic trail full of history, including traces of reptiles dating back 240 million years, as well as two high dams.
In the Vieux-Emosson region, you can see the footprints of reptiles belonging to the archosaur group. For sure, you will be amazed by the exceptional richness of this geological heritage! A great moment is also waiting for you with the descent by Minifunic, the panoramic train and the steepest double-cabin funicular in the world to Giétroz.
- 13km, +780m, – 780m
- Night and meal at the Gîte du Giétroz
Day 4: Between “Contrebandiers” and the Giétroz glacier
Gietroz – Col de Balme – Col de Forclaz
Today you hike close to the French border. You will learn that you are walking in the footsteps of the smugglers who used these paths in the past. Transported in the past as well as yesterday with the dinosaurs, you continue your journey in time during the afternoon along the bisse du Trient.
You will learn that the Trient bisse was built at the end of the 18th century and is located on the old railroad line that used to carry the ice extracted from the Trient glacier to the Forclaz pass. This ice was used in the restaurants of the region and exported to Paris.
- 16km, +983m, – 712m
- Night and dinner at the Hotel Col de La Forclaz
Jour 5: Le Trient et la piscine taillée dans le roc
Col de La Forclaz – Mont de l’Arpille – Les Marécottes
La randonnée du jour offre de larges paysages sur la vallée du Rhône et Martigny, les sommets suisses, le massif du Mont Blanc et la haute vallée du Trient. Depuis le sommet de l’Arpille, vous descendez dans les Gorges du Trient et traversez le Trient sur un pont. Un dernier effort pour les jambes, puisqu’il ne vous reste qu’une dernière montée vers le joli village de montagne des Marécottes. Vous avez maintenant mérité de vous rafraîchir dans la piscine des Marécottes. Etonnante et pleine de poésie, taillée dans le roc, elle se trouve en complète harmonie avec la nature alpine environnante.
• 13km, +830m, – 1423m
• Nuit à l’hôtel aux Marécottes, dîner en ville
Jour 6: Route des Diligences
Les Marécottes – Gorges du Trient – Martigny
Après le petit déjeuner, c’est de la descente qui vous attend: vous engrangez du dénivelé négatif en empruntant la route des Diligences jusqu’à Vernayaz. Chemin faisant, cette route vous dévoile tous ses secrets sur la trace des voyageurs de la Belle Epoque. Construite au milieu du XIXe siècle, la route des Diligences a en effet permis le développement touristique de la vallée du Trient.Parvenu au terme de votre tour, une expérience spéciale vous attend: la visite des Gorges du Trient. Puissant exemple du phénomène d’érosion, elles forment une profonde incision de quelques centaines de mètres de hauteur au fond de laquelle coule le torrent glaciaire. Cette impressionnante faille est traversée par deux des plus hauts ponts d’Europe qui surplombent les Gorges de 200m.Vers 14 heures, vous terminez votre visite à la gare de Martigny, le coeur rempli d’émotions. Place aux beaux souvenirs : la boucle est bouclée !
Map for Hiking tour of the Trient valley:
Price for Hiking Tour of the Trient valley:
- 8 persons: 898.-CHF / person
- 4 persons: 1301.-CHF / person
Included in the price:
Organization, 6 days with a mountain leader, 5 nights in refuges and gîtes/hotels with half board, Alpic Funicular day 3 (descent), entrance to Gorges du Trient
Not included in the price:
Personal insurance, arrival and return to Martigny, train to Salanfe day 1 and train Vernayaz – Martigny day 6, dinner day 5, picnics, drinks, swimming pool entrance day 5
How to get to Martigny where we start our tour
Martigny, an old roman town with a roman amphitheatre and a castle lies in the Swiss rhone valley. It can be reached by train in 1hr30′ from Geneva airport and in 2hrs45′ from Zürich airport. Check your train table here.
More Information about the Trient valley
Please find here more information about the beautiful Trient valley.
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