Anniviers combines village history with routes ranging from a short walk to a multi-day tour. The Val d’Anniviers lies between the villages of St-Luc, Chandolin, Grimentz and Zinal. Vissoie is a medieval village; its preserved buildings bear witness to the past and its rich religious heritage. The sights and tours described are spread across different villages. Choose your base according to the activities you actually plan to do.
Discover village history and cultural heritage
The Val d’Anniviers has 14 Heritage Trails that tell the story of the villages and their inhabitants through buildings and other structures. One specific example is the Heritage Route in Ayer: it passes through a cluster of wooden buildings around the church and includes ten notable sights in the village. In Chandolin, the permanent Edmond Bille Photo Trail, with 24 stops, offers another way to rediscover historical scenes while walking through the village.
The La Lée copper mine also tells the story of the mining industry in the Val d’Anniviers and is considered Switzerland’s only copper mine open to the public. It has 500 metres of tunnels; information boards explain mining work and the formation of the Alps. Access is seasonal and depends on safety conditions. In St-Luc, the Bread Trail brings together two aspects of local cultural heritage: grain cultivation and traditional buildings from an earlier era. The Poem Walk offers a different focus: nine QR codes are located at symbolic places in the village and its surroundings; several poems are recited in the local patois by François Salamin.
Those interested in Ella Maillart’s work can visit the Espace Ella Maillart exhibition in Chandolin, housed in the former Sainte-Barbe chapel. Photographs, drawings, articles, posters, various objects and a video presentation showcase her work. Check visitor information before your trip.
Choose routes to suit your time and interests
For shorter cultural outings, the Route du Remuage offers two routes, each with eleven stops; each takes around an hour and a half. It tells the story of the traditional way of life of the people of Anniviers, who travelled between the mountains and the plains. A longer hiking option is the multi-day Val d’Anniviers Tour. Its stages connect Pontis, Chandolin, St-Luc, Zinal, Grimentz and Vercorin. St-Luc is also connected to a planet trail, while Zinal is considered the starting point for the upper section of the Sierre-Zinal mountain race.
A cycling route offers another way to plan your time: the moderately difficult Val d’Anniviers Weisshorn Bike route is 24.67 kilometres long, takes around four hours and leads to the Hotel Weisshorn above St-Luc. Route details may be subject to seasonal changes. This gives you a choice between a cultural route of around an hour and a half, a multi-day hike and a cycling route of roughly four hours—options for activity days of different lengths.
High-alpine scenery and destinations
The route offers views of five peaks over 4,000 metres: Dent-Blanche, Ober Gabelhorn, Zinalrothorn, Weisshorn and the Matterhorn. Another destination is Lac d’Arpitettaz, a good spot for a family picnic and reachable by a walking trail of around two hours. Weather and season can affect trail conditions. The Tzina-de-Vio footbridge is at an altitude of 2,600 metres, is 45 metres long and spans a river that flows 120 metres below through a cascade. Access in the mountains remains dependent on conditions.
Regional cuisine as part of your stay
Specialities and wines are part of the identity of the Val d’Anniviers and are available in the valley’s restaurants and bars. Raclette du Valais AOP “Anniviers” is a raw-milk cheese made in dairies from October to June according to a time-honoured recipe. Another tradition is Vin du Glacier: it matures in larch barrels, which are topped up each year with consideration for their age. This creates blends of vintages that can contain wine more than a century old. Culture, scenery and local produce offer different ways to shape your trip—useful when looking for suitable hotels in Anniviers.
Discover more destinations: Zinal, Grimentz, Crans-Sur-Sierre, Venthône, Vercorin, Miège, Grône, Chalais Vs.
Go to the broader travel overview: Siders.
