Chemin des villages et hameaux d’Entremont

Liddes-Vichères

A panoramic walk that links a string of charming historical villages on the sunny slopes overlooking the lower Val d’Entremont.

The Val d’Entremont, which leads up to the Great St Bernard Pass, has been an important transit route for thousands of years. The historical villages and hamlets that overlook the valley are beautifully preserved and full of charm. This delightful trail links some of the prettiest: Liddes, Chandonne, Commeire, La Rosière, Chamoille d’Orsières and La Douay.

The oldest and best-known trail through the valley is the Via Francigena historical pilgrimage route from Canterbury to Rome. Our hike, however, follows a higher path through sunny alpine pastures, forest – and sleepy mountain villages off the beaten track.

The hike starts at Liddes, with its 13th-century church and attractive small museum created in 2007. Next comes Chandonne, a hamlet perched on a sunny terrace at 1,454 m: a haven of tranquillity, like all the villages.

They all also boast a rich architectural heritage in the form of traditional alpine houses and wooden barns. Commeire is a special example: a hamlet of barns converted for an innovative sustainable tourism project called «Montagne Alternative». This welcomes holidaymakers and seminar groups and also hosts events focusing on sustainable lifestyles.

The hamlet has another surprise: an underground artillery fort, built from 1940-43 to house up to 140 soldiers to defend this strategic valley. The complex was disarmed long ago, but can be visited by the public – and part is even available for rental.

The next village, La Rosière, attracts pilgrims in its own right as the childhood home of Maurice Tornay (1910–1949), a Roman Catholic priest who served in missions in China and Tibet and was beatified in 1993 by Pope John Paul II. The house in which he was born is open to the public. After passing through sleepy Chamoille, the trail finishes at La Douay, down in the floor of the valley.

Highlights:

  • Beautifully preserved villages – traditional architecture, historical charm
  • Sweeping views – over the Val d’Entremont and to the Mont Blanc massif

Itinerary

Detailed map

Best period to go there

Jan.
Feb.
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Prestations

Linear routeScenicInsider tipRefreshment stops availableCultural/historical interest

Author\s note

At La Rosière, visit the house where Maurice Tornay was born.

 

Directions

From Liddes, follow the path through the fields northwards all the way to the village of Chandonne. Continue climbing steadily across the pastures and then through forest to reach Commeire. The trail then leads northwards once again, largely following the edge of the forest before descending via the hamlet of La Rosière. The path continues zig-zagging down to Chamoille d’Orsières, crosses the road and then turns south-west for the final descent to the valley floor. Cross the bridge over the Drance d’Entremont to reach La Douay and its railway station. To return to the starting point of the walk, take a train (St-Bernard Express) to Orsières, and change on to a postal bus for Liddes.

Getting there

A9 motorway, exit 22 (Gd St-Bernard). Follow signs for Col du Grand-St-Bernard until Liddes.

 

Free parking at the entrance to the village of Liddes (near the school). Follow the car park routeing in Liddes.

 

Train to Martigny; change on to St-Bernard Express, direction Le Châble. Change platform at Sembrancher for train to Orsières. Change on to postal bus for Liddes. At end of walk, travel onwards from La Douay by train (St-Bernard Express). Find full timetable information at sbb.ch

 

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