How to reach the tourist office?
Blog > Discovery of Samoëns in summer > Hikes
With its 650 kilometers of hiking, the valley of the Haut-Giffre seduce all lovers of wild nature and exceptional landscapes. You will be able to take some refreshment at the edge of a lake of altitude, to observe marmots and ibexes in their natural habitat or simply to admire the green slopes of the Giffre mountains. With family or for a sporting outing, for a few hours or several days, take the height and breathe the pure air with our selection of hikes for all tastes.
-Naturalist walk. A hike of discovery particularly playful. A sensory approach will help you to immerse yourself in this abundant nature and team games, in the form of a contest, will allow young and old to understand the natural mountain environment.
-Marmot walk. A walk in the late afternoon, on sites with concentration of marmots, in the area of the neighboring massif of Chablais. The kids will love it!
By night. What is better than a summer sky to observe the sky? This fun hike, from 9pm to 11.30pm, offers a first approach of astronomy. The return of the ride is done with torches.
Discover tasty plants. You do it, but do you know that we can eat them too? Very popular, consumption of wild plants is no less risky. This “botanical-gourmet” stroll, which takes place according to the seasons at the Fer à Cheval circus, the Joux-Plane pass or the Loex plateau, will allow you to identify sorrel, lamb’s-quarters, mushrooms and nettles and to taste them safely.
By doing yoga. At the cirque du fer à cheval or the Plateau de Loaxe, discover the benefits of vinyasa yoga. A gentle day or half-day walk, focused on the discovery of nature, its cycles and movements, punctuated by breath and yoga workshops.
A heritage walk. This circuit under the Bourgeoise mixes at the same time small paths, forests and hamlets and proposes to discover the life of this valley and its traditions. You will pass by the Rutines, with its cottages in the meadows, through the hamlets of Rosière and Chantemerle, on the heights of Samoëns, to enjoy this beautiful heritage preserved. Duration: about 3 hours.
Crossing bostan-golese. 850 m of altitude difference for this crossing of pastures in the neighboring valleys of Samoëns. You will be able to rest and refuel on the Bostan refuges or Golèse, you will cross the plateau of Lagots and cross many herds of cows or horses with, as a bonus, the view of the Grand Massif, the Aravis and the teeth of the South. Duration: about 6 hours.
The classic. From Joux-Plane, at 1700m, the Bourgeoise offers a 360-degree view of the Giffre Valley and the surrounding mountains, lakes and wonders. Duration: 3 h.
The tour of Fiz. This hike offers a summary of what can be observed in the mountains. You can see chamois, ibex, marmots and ptarmigan if you have good eyes! Admire purple and yellow gentians, as well as milkweeds and their bouquets of small starry flowers. Lake Anterne will offer a nice break in the heart of this massif, facing the rock of the Fiz and its impressive 600m cliffs that rise to the sky. Duration: from 2 to 4 days depending on the levels.
The Dents Blanches. A great mountain road between Switzerland and France that offers a nice concentration of Valais and Haute-Savoie, with resort villages, lodgings and shelters, chalets-museums, customs to discover, sports and leisure facilities. The Tour des Dents blanches is a mid-mountain road with paths approaching the high mountains and requiring, depending on the snow conditions, suitable equipment (rope, ice ax, or even crampons for the firn under the ladders of the Ottans) .It is aimed to experienced hikers and able to orient themselves. Calling a guide is recommended. Duration: from 6 to 8 days.
Samoens-Sixt tour. A beautiful hike through the Folly Valley, with a passage through the amazing Lac des Chambres, caught in the ice most of the year. You will pass close to two chasms which are among the deepest in the world: Jean-Bernard (- 1602 m) and Mirolda (-1733). The hike takes you to Vogealle Lake, dominated by white teeth to reach the circus site of Horseshoe, exceptional amphitheater that stands at the bottom of the valley, and in which are thrown about thirty waterfalls, in front of a forest of beeches among the most beautiful in Europe. Duration: a day and a half with night in the refuge of Folly or Vogealle.
Sleep in the nature reserve of Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval, savor a regional specialty on a terrace facing the Tuet or simply take a break in the heart of the mountains. The 10 refuges that welcome you in Samoens and its surroundings offer a wide choice to recharge the batteries. Whether they are a simple stopover or your final destination, rustic or cozy, the shelters plunge you into a typical and convivial mountain atmosphere. We could almost spend the day there!
The 5 refuges of Samoëns:
• Lake Gers refuge (1,533 m).
• The Bostan Hut (1,763 m).
• The Golèse refuge (1,671 m).
• The Chardonnière refuge (1,360 m).
• The Folly refuge (1,558 m).
The Samoëns Trail tour is the must event of June. In a few editions, this trail has established itself in the world of mountain racing and receives each year some 4,000 participants, come for the competition or the pleasure. From 1,980 km of the Vertical Kilometer to 91 km of the Ultra Trail of Haut-Giffre, 6 races starting from the Place du Gros-Tilleul allow to discover the mountain in a sporting way in an exceptional natural scenery.
With a guide: safety and knowledge of the ground
In Samoëns, the professional guides (state graduates) are at your disposal summer and winter to make you discover the valley and its peculiarities. “It’s an experience totally different from what we would have lived alone, explains Hervé Martinez, accompanist at the Bureau des Guides for about fifteen years. These professionals have knowledge of the mountain environment and its various themes, they can for example embellish the hike of anecdotes related to the region. They also bring their experience in security, Hervé Martinez and warns: “Every year we have individuals who tell us that we have approached the disaster for having ventured on hikes without knowing the terrain. With a guide, you don’t get lost! “We go there in a more serene way, we know the key passages and we specify the right equipment “. He will also be able to target your request and will be able to offer you a personalized hike according to your expectations and your physical possibilities.
Download the Vallée du Giffre hikes and tours flyer.
