Liddes is in the Entremont district in the French-speaking part of Valais, Switzerland. The municipality’s hiking trail network includes around 100 kilometres of marked trails. There is also an extensive nature reserve, historic buildings and traditions that are still maintained today. You can get to know the area through its landscapes, trails and culture.
Hiking trails for different time budgets
According to local trail signs, yellow-marked hiking trails are suitable for hikers of all categories. Individual trails lead to very different destinations: the Parcours Vita runs above the Pallazuit facility along the banks of the Dranse d’Entremont. South of Liddes, the easy N. 5 “Les Daims” trail starts at the Pallazuit hydroelectric power plant and follows the Dranse along the edge of the forest.
The Sentier des Éperviers leads from Liddes, at an elevation of 1,346 metres, to the Cabane du col de Mille at 2,473 metres; the walking time is about three hours and 30 minutes. In the Liddes-Vichères area, an easy hike of 6.1 kilometres to the Cabane de la Tsissette is listed as taking approximately two hours and 50 minutes. That makes the stated walking time around 40 minutes shorter than for the Sentier des Éperviers. If you’d like to combine hiking with a look at the settlements, you can take the Chemin des villages et hameaux d’Entremont: it starts in Liddes and passes through Liddes, Chandonne, Commeire, La Rosière, Chamoille d’Orsières and La Douay.
Winter trails and nature in the Combe de l’A
Liddes has a well-developed network of snowshoe trails with routes of varying lengths and difficulty levels. The Rando-Parc Vichères offers four ski touring routes, from easy to moderately difficult. Together, they cover 19 kilometres and 2,400 metres of ascent.
The Combe de l’A nature reserve lies within the municipality of Liddes and stretches from 1,400 to 3,000 metres in elevation. It provides a habitat for ibex, chamois, deer, roe deer, foxes, badgers, marmots, golden eagles, goshawks and ravens. A trail through the area offers opportunities to observe wildlife; information panels describe geological and botanical features. A hike through the Combe de l’A is described as difficult, is 21.16 kilometres long and takes about seven hours and 30 minutes. This is significantly longer than the hikes to the two Cabane destinations.
Buildings and history
The Saint-Laurent Chapel, built in 1502, stands north of the village. It has the only authentic fresco in Valais painted on the exterior wall of an architectural monument from the early 16th century. Maison Bastian, also known as Maison Massard, is on the main road. Built in 1627, the building has a tower pierced with loopholes on its façade facing the road.
The Mur d’Annibal archaeological site lies above Liddes at an elevation of about 2,640 metres. Finds there have been dated to between 50 and 15 BC; the site is thought to be the highest place in Europe with traces of settlement from this period. The educational trail to the Mur (dit) d’Hannibal can be hiked from Liddes, but you should set aside a full day for the round trip. Bourg-Saint-Pierre and the Cabane de Mille are also starting points. Liddes is first mentioned in the local history in 1177; in 1475, it passed from the Bishop of Sion to the House of Savoy.
The Bisse de la Tour is another reminder of earlier infrastructure. It carried water from the Torrent de l’A to the heights of Vichères along a 3.3-kilometre route; it no longer carries water today. The parish museum gives visitors access to religious treasures that were collected over the years and kept in various locations throughout the municipality. The collection includes reliquaries, Baroque statues, processional crosses, liturgical objects, mass books and ornaments. A particularly notable item is a 1494 manuscript concerning acknowledgements in favour of the parish of Liddes.
Living traditions and getting around
Bread ovens have been preserved in Liddes and Chandonne and are regularly put back into use. Local families bake bread there three to four times a year, following traditional methods. Ask locally for the exact dates. The Laiterie de Liddes offers Bagnes 4, a Valais AOP raclette cheese made from raw milk; check the opening hours before visiting.
Liddes lies on Main Road 21 to the Great St Bernard Pass and is considered the second-to-last village before the pass summit. The Chemin des villages et hameaux d’Entremont is accessible by public transport via Sembrancher and Orsières, followed by a PostBus to Liddes. Check the timetable before travelling.
Discover more destinations: Sarreyer, Verbier, Orsières, Champex, Fionnay, La Fouly, Bagnes, Le Châble.
For the overall travel guide: Entremont.
