A botanical garden with 4,000 plant species and an underground artillery fort reveal two very different sides of Champex-Lac. There is also marshland, paths along the bisse and seasonal activities on the lake. When planning, you can focus on nature, outdoor activities or history; some offerings are explicitly dependent on the season or weather.
Champex-Lac and Getting There
Champex-Lac is a holiday resort in the municipality of Orsières in Valais and comprises three villages: Champex-Lac, Champex d’en-Haut and Champex d’en-Bas. By train, the route goes via Martigny to Orsières; Champex-Lac can then be reached by bus. If travelling by public transport, check the current timetable before setting off. The three place names help you keep the layout of the resort in mind.
Botanical Garden and Marshland
The Flore-Alpe alpine botanical garden is home to 4,000 plant species from the local flora and mountain regions around the world. Its collection is set among numerous paths and streams in natural-looking habitats. The garden thus brings together plants from the surrounding area and species from other mountain regions—a focus in its own right alongside activities on the lake.
The Marais de Champex-Lac lies west of Lac de Champex. The wetlands include plant communities ranging from fens on the shore to raised bogs in more distant areas. The Champex marsh is the only marsh in Valais where Swiss stone pines grow locally. Nature enthusiasts will find both different types of marshland and a distinctive local feature noted here.
Bisse, Circular Trail and Lake
The Bisse de Champex-Lac, also known as the Bisse du Petit Ruisseau, draws its water from the Durnand d’Arpette at an altitude of 1,650 metres and flows into Lac de Champex after about 1.5 kilometres. The Bisse de Champex-Lac is also described as an easy 1.5-kilometre circular hiking trail between the Champex-Lac chairlift and the Relais d’Arpette. At the Relais d’Arpette, you can try blueberry tart, a local speciality, along the trail; availability may vary.
You can rent rowing boats and pedal boats for trips on Lac de Champex; availability is seasonal. Guided hikes with St. Bernard dogs are also offered seasonally. When conditions are suitable, you can ice skate on the lake’s flat, frozen surface. Different conditions apply to these activities: boat rentals and guided hikes are seasonal, while ice skating depends on the weather and the formation of ice.
Tobogganing, Skiing and Winter Trails
The officially certified toboggan run at La Breya is six kilometres long and descends from the summit of La Breya. It passes through the Vallon d’Arpette and a large forest of firs, larches, Swiss stone pines and pines. Operation depends on seasonal conditions. The Champex-Lac ski area has four lifts and 15 kilometres of slopes between 1,486 and 2,267 metres above sea level; here too, opening depends on seasonal conditions.
A winter trail starts at the chairlift car park, follows the lake and runs through higher parts of the resort before returning to the starting point. Check snow and trail conditions before your walk. For cycling, the Col de Champex route offers a different kind of climb: Champex-Lac is reached after 7.4 kilometres of steady ascent. Mountain weather affects riding conditions.
History Underground
The Champex-Lac artillery fort was built from October 1941 to December 1942 and remained secret until 1999. Its underground network of galleries is 600 metres long. Visitors can explore the labyrinth on suitably arranged tours. Those interested in historic sites will find a clear contrast here with the resort’s botanical and landscape themes: the focus is on military history and underground passages rather than plants and marshes.
Discover more destinations: Liddes, Bourg-Saint-Pierre, Fionnay, Verbier, Vollèges, Orsières, Sarreyer, La Fouly
For the broader travel overview: Entremont.
