In the heart of the Val Ferret, this route links La Fouly to the small hamlet of Branche d’en Haut.
From La Fouly, you’ll bypass the pretty little hamlets typical of the Val Ferret, through forests and across pastures in a magnificent mountain setting in which you’ll spot the Dalle de l’Amône, well-known to climbers. On the way back south, where the borders between France, Italy and Switzerland converge and the Mont Dolent, which is on the border between France, Italy and Switzerland, the majestic Mont Dolent becomes visible in the background.
Halfway along the route, you’ll reach the hamlet of Prayon. Once here, you have a choice: taking a break at the Dolent café/restaurant, then returning along the same path; or at the junction, remaining on the mountain side of the cantonal road, or getting the bus back from Prayon.
Itinerary
Best period to go there
Prestations
Author\s note
La Fouly and the various hamlets along the way were originally pastures with small chalets (“mayens” in French), used during the spring and autumn for livestock grazing.
Directions
From the centre of La Fouly, take the road north to the Grand Hôtel du Val Ferret. Just after the big car park, continue west along the road that descends to the edge of the water catchment and north to the right and through the forest. Opposite a chalet on the northern edge of the forest, turn east, climb up to the cantonal road and cross it carefully. From there, continue through meadows, over two rivers and through the middle of the chalets at La Seilo.
Now walk to the cantonal road and over the bridge, and then immediately east and north-east through the scattered chalets of Prayon, and continue downhill to the north-west, where you reach the cantonal road, the bus stop and the Café-Restaurant de Prayon.
The first part of the way back is via the same route. After crossing the bridge and the two rivers again, the trail branches off slightly uphill to the south and leads through the forest to the village entrance of La Fouly. Follow the main road to the centre of the resort.
Getting there
Take the 22-Gd-St-Bernard motorway exit in Martigny. Stay on the right, on the E27 to Chamonix/Gd-St-Bernard/Verbier/Martigny-Expo. After the tunnel which bypasses Martigny, follow the signs for Grand-Saint-Bernard/Italy. Turn off the main road in Orsières and follow the signs to La Fouly/Val Ferret.
There is a large, free car park on the way into La Fouly.
Take the train from Martigny to Sembrancher, and then to Orsières. From there, take the bus to La Fouly. Check the timetables here: www.cff.ch.