Lac de Louvie: A Hidden Jewel in Valais

Escape Busy Verbier

From Verbier, one of the premier ski resorts in Europe, a hike to Lac de Louvie can be a rigorous day hike or a great overnight excursion by staying at the Cabane de Louvie. Either way, the initial objective is to make a quick escape from the ski-resort bustle of Verbier by taking the gondola to Les Ruinettes. From the gondola station exit to your right and follow the ski area utility road for about 15 minutes to a sign on your left advertising the Cabane du Mont Fort. At the sign, take the trail that parallels the road and ascends to the left.

Mont Blanc Views at Mont Fort

Within about 45 minutes you'll arrive at Cabane du Mont Fort where the terrace overlooking the Mont Blanc range offers some wonderful views. Descending from the knoll where the cabane is located and following the signs in the direction of Col Termin, you'll loop around a marshy bowl below and to the west, known as Patiefray, and ascend on a gradual contour along rocky north-facing slopes. As the signs announce, you are now in the Upper Val de Bagnes Nature Reserve, one of the finest protected wildlife areas in the Alps, and the second largest in Switzerland.

Along the Sentier de Chamois

The trail you are on is known as the Sentier de Chamois (the Chamois Trail) and leads toward Col Termin and Lac de Louvie. It's one of the most inspiring belvedere trails in the Alps, and on a clear day delivers sweeping views into the Val de Bagnes. But as breathtaking as the views to the west might be, keep a lookout on the slopes above, paying particular attention to the rocky crags and overhangs that provide habitat for alpine species such as marmots, ibex, and chamois.

Both the ibex, with its overwhelming scimitar-shaped horns, and the chamois, a goat-antelope species with smaller hook-tipped horns, were nearly hunted to extinction in the early 20th century. Today, in protective reserves like the Upper Val de Bagne, populations of both species have rebounded dramatically. Spotting family groups of ibex with a half dozen small kids bounding fearlessly from rock to rock is not uncommon. The chamois, which can ascend 3,000 vertical feet of mountain slope in just 15 minutes, is naturally more elusive, but can often be seen grazing on sheltered patches of grass below the trail.

Descent from Col Termin

Crossing the Col Termin (2648m/8688 ft) you'll have two choices for a route to Lac de Louvie. Take the one in the direction of the Col de Louvie, then at Plan da Gole, directly north of and above the lake, make your descent on the signed trail to Cabane de Louvie and Fionnay. The great benefit of taking this route is that as you approach the lake from the north, you'll be able to explore the two large barns with their miraculously self-supporting vaulted stone roofs. Dating to the early 19th century, these ingenious structures have been beautifully restored and classified as historic monuments.

Cabane de Louvie

Lac de Louvie is a hidden jewel of Valais and an increasingly popular variation on the Haute Route. The relatively new Cabane de Louvie is an excellent place to spend the night where you can stay in one of the four themed dormitories-writers, musicians, painters, and philosophers-and sleep on a mattress labeled in honor or Renoir or Debussy. The setting on a knoll above the serene lakeshore with the glaciated Grand Combin as a towering mountain backdrop is unforgettable. The Cabane de Louvie also has two new private rooms (added in 2016), which cost a bit more, but are well worth it if you're at all uncomfortable sleeping in a large dormitory with 15 other hikers.

Descent to Fionnay

In Lac de Louvie's pristine setting it's easy to imagine yourself being a hundred miles from the nearest soul. But a surprisingly short-and steep-descent along a beautiful route and into the village of Fionnay offers an easy bus return to Verbier and a striking example of how easy it is to find hidden surprises in Valais' age-old alpine valleys.

This hike is occasionally featured on Alpenwild's Chamonix - Zermatt Haute Route and Deluxe Haute Route trips or contact us to talk about a custom or self-guided itinerary.