Last September, I was fortunate enough to join Lily for a short trip to Europe. She was invited to attend a research meeting in Ovronnaz, a scenic ski village in the western Bernese Alps of Switzerland. My folks kindly offered to watch Silas in our absence so this could be an "adult trip" (i.e. we could be more ambitious with our brief time in Europe and adventures in the Alps).
Prior to departure, using Switzerland's wonderful online mapping resources, I picked out a few adventures to link together during our visit; the ~40 mile Tour des Muverans would be the main entree. From the moment we stepped off the train in Martigny, we got right to it: rather than use an Uber, we set out 15 miles to Ovronnaz by foot via the Chemin du Vignoble along the Rhone Valley.
Due to our late afternoon train arrival (not to mention fatigue from air travel), Lily and I opted to enjoy a pleasant stay at an airBnB in Fully before continuing onward along the Chemin du Vignoble through vineyards and villages to the medieval settlement of Saillon. After exploring a 13th century castle tower, we departed from the valley route and began to climb higher into the mountains.
Soon we crossed the Passarelle Farinet, a memorable suspension bridge swinging high above the Salentse. We continued climbing towards our mile-high destination for the night: Les Bains des Ovronnaz. The peaks of the nearby Bernese Alps loomed a mile higher still. After checking in to our luxurious basecamp for the next few days, I ran over to the market for provisions before it closed.
Come morning, while Lily prepared for a full day of meetings, I set out to climb the highest peak in the area: Grand Muveran. The trek was about 10 miles long and included about a mile of climb. I opted to carry very little so I could run: a water bottle, a snack, a phone and a windshirt. It seemed all the reps of stadiums back in FL paid off as my climbing legs felt fairly strong the entire way.
Past the picturesque Cabane Rambert, the route grew somewhat sketchier and weather questionable with the summit now buried under clouds. I was a bit nervous venturing solo and so light on this occasionally exposed south face. But before I knew it, I was at the summit cross and rewarded with views north towards Lake Geneva as well as some close encounters with alpine wildlife.
After recharging in the thermal baths all afternoon, it was time again to venture out to explore more of this country's beauty the next day. This time I packed more, but still quite light for a two-day clockwise Tour des Muverans starting/finishing from Ovronnaz. Because camping is forbidden, I utilized one of the many huts along the route. Therefore, my pack weighed only a few pounds.
The weather was fantastic. Pleasant surprises were to be found around every corner, including a few memorable views towards the Mont Blanc massif. I made quick time to the Dent du Morcles where I was blown away by the trail's airy traverse above high cliffs. Just as the acrophobia was starting to settle in, I escaped unscathed to easier terrain near La Tourche with stunning views to the north.
Perhaps my favorite view of the day was of the Grand Muveran towering a mile above the Nant Valley as seen from Col des Perris Blancs. It was here that I snacked on salty olives and felt my energy return as I ran down into the valley to rehydrate and race the sun to my planned destination for the night. But the guardian of La Vare was not to be found, so onward over another pass to Anxeinde.
The guardian and family in Anxeinde were quite accommodating despite my unplanned late arrival. I bid them goodbye after breakfast and continued on the tour up and over to Derborence and upwards into the Derbonne. Before climbing back into the alpine world, I enjoyed spotting the unmistakeable golden leaves of aspen, the red berries of mountain ash and the purple blooms of monkshood.
My second day on the circuit was a lot shorter than my first, which was nice as it allowed me to finish early enough to enjoy another afternoon soaking in the thermal baths back in Ovronnaz. Before dawn the next morning, we were aboard a shuttle back to the Martigny train station. I'm amazed by and quite thankful for all that I got to see during this short impromptu trip to Switzerland!
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