Chemin des Bisses, Stage 2/7

Beautiful picnick area at Taillay near the Bisse de Saxon with waterwheel and warning hammer. Lovingly restored part of the Bisse. En route to Nendaz, the silence of the forest is equally as striking as the splendid views to the Rhone Valley.

The starting point is just a few steps from the La Tzoumaz (télés. Etablons) bus stop. The waymarked hiking trail leaves La Tzoumaz and initially climbs through extensive forest. Meadows and pastures occasionally open up between the trees; the generally gentle ascent reaches the highest point at around 1,780 m after just over six kilometres, near the Pointe de Balavaux.

The route then descends gradually and meets the Grand Bisse de Saxon. For a good three and a half kilometres, the trail follows the watercourse, mostly through shady forest. This tranquil middle section is a defining feature of the roughly 14-kilometre hike and accompanies much of the descent.

Towards the end, the forest gives way to the first houses of Nendaz. The route continues downhill through the residential area to the destination; the Haute-Nendaz (télécabine) bus stop is around 200 m away.