Spectacular circular hike in Lower Valais: Tour du Grand Chavalard

The Tour du Grand Chavalard is one of the most impressive circular hikes in the Lower Valais: along scenic high trails, past mountain lakes and huts, the varied route leads high above Ovronnaz around the striking mountain massif. In this blog post, you’ll find out what awaits you on this sporty alpine hike, who it’s suitable for, and all the other important details about the route.

Starting point Ovronnaz

The Tour du Grand Chavalard can basically be started from two points, but one of them is only accessible by car. If, like us, you arrive by public transport, you’ll begin the hike in the charming spa town of Ovronnaz. The post bus goes to the valley station of the chairlift, from where you can reach the Jorasse mountain station at over 1,900 m above sea level in around 15 minutes – the actual starting point of the tour. Right from the first meters of the mountain trail, you get an impressive view down to Ovronnaz and the surrounding mountain scenery of the Lower Valais.

Tough climb to the Fenestral Pass

We start the hike without much delay. The first kilometer goes uphill through wooded terrain toward Petit Pré – that’s where the actual loop hike begins. Just before the turn-off for the loop, however, there’s a short descent. A moment when I would have preferred not to give up any of the elevation I had already gained.

We follow the signpost counterclockwise and climb another 100 meters in elevation on the mountain trail through a wonderfully alpine landscape until we reach the high plateau “Les Grands Prés.” The expanse up here is impressive – and in the distance, we can already see the climb that still lies ahead.

After crossing the plateau, the trail becomes noticeably steeper and winds in tight switchbacks through increasingly rocky terrain toward the Col de Fenestral. The path is consistently well-marked and in good condition – even though it gets quite steep in places and demands a fair amount of stamina.

With Mont Blanc views to Lac Supérieur de Fully

The effort is more than rewarded: at the top of the Col de Fenestral, a spectacular view opens up. My gaze sweeps across Lac de Fully to the Mont Blanc massif. Glorious!

Just a few meters below the pass, the Cabane du Fenestral invites you to linger with cool drinks and delicious homemade cake. The perfect mid-morning snack stop!

We also take a short break here before following the Tour du Grand Chavalard signpost down the valley – always accompanied by the impressive mountain backdrop. For the next 2.5 kilometers, the trail runs along the edge of the slope. Overall, you lose about 400 meters of elevation on this section to the Cabane de Sorniot.

Panoramic section along the southern slopes of the Grand Chavalard

At the Cabane de Sorniot, you have the second of a total of three refreshment stops along the Tour du Grand Chavalard. We decide against another break and continue hiking straight on.

Now, high above Lac Inférieur de Fully, it’s another 100 meters uphill to the turn-off for the white-blue-white marked summit climb to the Grand Chavalard. After that comes – in my opinion – the most beautiful section of this loop hike: the trail winds along the steep southern slopes of the Grand Chavalard, presenting the Rhône Valley to us on a silver platter. The mountain panorama, the flower-filled meadows, and the varied ups and downs – pure pleasure!

Summoning the last reserves of energy

At Lérié, we pass the parking lot that serves as the second entry point to the Tour du Grand Chavalard or as a starting point for hikes to the Cabane de Sorniot. By now, the distance we’ve covered is definitely noticeable in my legs – my energy is fading fast.

On the remaining three kilometers back toward Petit Pré, we still have about 250 meters of elevation gain ahead of us. I definitely can’t tackle these quite as easily anymore. That’s also because this section contains the most technically demanding part of the hike. On a short stretch, it gets so steep that I have to use my hands for support. I’m all the more relieved when the Gîte Lui d’Août appears ahead of us. Finally – a shady rest spot, refreshing homemade iced tea, and a slice of apricot cake made with Valais apricots. That puts me back in a good mood.

Now we return along the same path as at the start of the loop hike back to the Jorasse mountain station – a good moment to draw a conclusion. The Tour du Grand Chavalard is definitely worth a trip to the Lower Valais. Just don’t pick a record-breakingly hot day – I would have felt much more comfortable in cooler temperatures.

Key facts about the loop hike around the Grand Chavalard

Using the hiking map below, you can see the route of the Tour du Grand Chavalard. It’s consistently a white-red-white marked mountain hiking trail (T2/T3). The trail is well signposted throughout and does not include any technically difficult sections. However, some ascents and descents are quite steep in places. If you usually hike with poles, it’s worth bringing them. There are also a few exposed sections – especially along the southern slopes of the Grand Chavalard. At over 15 kilometers in length and with more than 1,000 meters of elevation gain, the tour requires a solid base level of fitness.

Starting point	Jorasse (1,947 m a.s.l.)
Access	reachable by chairlift from Ovronnaz
Distance	15.2 kilometers
Elevation gain/loss	↗ 1,168 m ↘ 1,168 m
Duration	5:50 h – 6:00 h (we took just under 6:00 h including breaks)
End point	Jorasse (1,947 m a.s.l.)
Food & drink stops	3 huts along the route: Cabane du Fenestral, Cabane de Sorniot, and Gîte de Lui d’Août

Practical tips for your hike on the Tour du Grand Chavalard

• The valley station of the Ovronnaz–Jorasse chairlift is accessible by public transport (PostBus stop Ovronnaz (télésiège)).
• The chairlift is open daily from mid/late June to the end of October. You can find more information on operating hours and ticket prices here (ps. Magic Pass holders have free access to the chairlift).
• Since the journey from Northeastern Switzerland (from Zürich HB) takes almost four hours, it’s worth staying overnight. We stayed in Ovronnaz at the Hotel des Muverans (partner link) and paid 350 CHF for two nights in a double room including breakfast at the end of June. The hotel is a 15-minute walk from the chairlift valley station and also has a recommended restaurant.
• You can also stay overnight at the three huts along the Tour du Grand Chavalard. More information here: Cabane du Fenestral, Cabane de Sorniot, and Gîte Lui d’Août. The Gîte Lui d’Août is also easily reachable with children, and the Cabane de Sorniot has a small playground.
• The best time for the Tour du Grand Chavalard is from mid/late June (depending on snow conditions) to mid-October.
• If you’d like to combine the trip to Ovronnaz with another sporty mountain hike, I can recommend the variation of the Sanetsch–Muveran trail described here.