Autumn in Derborence – hiking at Lac de Derborence

I had been dreaming of a trip to the Derborence for a long time. It was made palatable to me by one of our university professors, who accompanied all his case studies with pictures from the Derborence. Derborence is home to the youngest natural mountain lake in the Swiss Alps. It was created in the 18th century, when two immense rockfalls broke away from the Diablerets. For a long time, the lake was considered cursed. This, together with the poor accessibility of the valley, ensured that nature was able to develop unhindered for decades. Today, the valley is protected. The old forest, which is located on the rubble, is considered one of the last “primeval forests” in Switzerland. An absolutely fascinating landscape, where the mighty forces of nature can be admired up close.

Adventurous journey to the Derborence

I was told that autumn is the best season to visit the Derborence. Since last Saturday’s weather forecast was crying out for a mountain trip, we wanted to seize the opportunity. While preparing for the trip, however, I was shocked to discover that the post bus service of this route (Sion-Aven-Derborence) had already ended its season on the second weekend in October. Well, how to get to the Derborence without public transport and without your own car? Normally, everything in Switzerland is accessible by public transport, so this news was very surprising to me.

We were left with the following options:

Taxi: too expensive
Hiking: too far (Aven to Derborence at least 8 hours for the round trip)
Mobility: missing membership card

After a short research, it turned out that a Mobility car can also be rented without a membership card. After a short phone call with the Auberge du Godet, where I struggled with my French (why do you forget languages so quickly?!), we had also learned that the road was still open and the first snow had already melted again. So it was decided that we would drive up from Sion by car.

For those who visit the Derborence, the journey becomes a destination. Because even the outward journey is unique. The serpentine road winds its way along the rocks, passes under rocky outcrops and surprises with new views behind every bend. Crossing two vehicles is only possible at selected points. Nobody goes up much faster than 30 km/h.

Beautiful Autumn Colors

Once at the top, our decision to visit the Derborence in the second half of October is rewarded. The larches present themselves in a bright golden yellow, which results in a ravishing overall picture. Our hike takes us through this fantastic mountain landscape in a leisurely 2.5 hours. The wild beauty that I find here inspires me. Since the hiking trail leads across the debris fields, mountain streams without bridges have to be crossed in between and massive boulders have to be mastered. Good footwear is a must here.

Hike around the Lac de Derborence

The map shows our route. The route is about 7 km long, includes an ascent of 410 meters and a descent of about 420 meters in altitude. It took us just under 2.5 hours (without a longer stop). The starting point is the parking lot in front of the Derborence (at the post bus stop).

Please note: Postbus service is only seasonal (until mid-October). The narrow mountain road (crossings not possible everywhere) is open until 1 November. For information on road conditions, contact the Auberge du Godet. More exciting information about the geology, flora and fauna can be found here: Derborence.ch

Starting point	Godey
Reachability	Only seasonally accessible by public transport
Length	6.5 kilometres
Elevation gain	↗ 320 m 320 m ↘
Duration	2:05 p.m.
Destination	Godey
Refreshment stops	Auberge du Godet