Hikes in Ardon

The second stage of the Chemin du Vignoble leads from Saillon to Sion.

The Valais Wine Route leads through the Rhone Valley from Martigny to Leuk. The 66-kilometer long route can be comfortably hiked in about four days.

This leisurely hike is one of the «barrier-free paths» specially marked by SchweizMobil. It leads from the winegrowing village of Ardon to the Valais canton capital Sion.

The second stage of the wine trail leads through the sunny vineyards of the Rhone Valley from the medieval thermal spa village Saillon to the capital city Sion.

Beautiful hike above Ardon with the possible discovery of the Bearded Vulture

From Derborence to Ardon via the east side of Haut de Cry.

Saillon to Ardon, via La Vigne and the Farinet Footbridge

A route that follows the Valais vineyard path

Registration for the guided hike: possible from 21 September 2026 Motto: On golden tracks We start in the book village St-Pierre-de-Clages on an exciting final hike with the motto "On golden tracks". Through the golden yellow leaves of the vines, the path leads to the Passerelle Farinet, where a suspension bridge spans the Salentse Gorge. Here the counterfeiter Farinet left his traces.

The vineyards in Valais cover an area of 5,200 hectares. From Leuk to Martigny, there is an almost continuous stretch of vineyards where not only the main varieties—Chasselas (Fendant), Johannisberg, Pinot Noir, and Gamay, but also specialty varieties such as Petite Arvine, Lafnetscha, Gwäss, and Heida. You can not only see all of them along the 66-kilometer-long Chemin du vignoble, the Valais Wine Trail, but also, of course, taste them. The route can be hiked in sections of any length, preferably in the spring and fall. Here we’ll introduce the western section of the trail, which runs at the foot of rugged mountains and leads you to two particularly beautiful wine villages.> At the Ardon 01 town sign next to the road bridge over the Lizerne, you’ll find the signage for the Chemin du vignoble (No. 36).You’ll then hike alongside the stream for 230 m into the valley until you reach the power plant at the mouth of the gorge, where the Chemin du vignoble turns sharply right and leads uphill toward the Bisse de Champys. The flat walking path follows the mostly culverted watercourse for 500 m between the vineyards and rocky slopes above Ardon, then turns sharply left down into the village and continues to the right on Rue des Vignettes. After 700 m, turn right and walk through the vineyards beneath the rock faces of the Routia (1,318 m)—this is where the Bisse de Champys ends after a section through a tunnel. After a short climb alongside a paved ditch, over which the majestic limestone massif of the Haut de Cry (Pic d’Ardon, 2,969 m) rises, you’ll reach an asphalt road on the left that leads to Chamoson 02 (621 m). 1:30 h. On the western edge of the village, a suspension bridge crosses the Losentse, which frequently causes mudslides. Then turn left toward the cantonal road and, on the other side, follow paved paths through vineyards toward Leytron (504 m). About 500 m before the village, the Chemin du vignoble branches off to the right, crosses the main road once more, and—rising gently—winds through the vineyard slopes beneath the cliffs of L’Ardeve (1,506 m). Below the village of Produit, turn left and head down to Les Moulins 03 along the Salentse (483 m). 1:30 h. After the bridge, take a short right onto a paved path and then turn left; in 20 minutes you’ll reach the medieval wine village of Saillon 04 (509 m), dominated by the Bayartn watchtower. From the church, it’s worth taking a walk around the former castle hill, which surprises with a short “via ferrata” section (additional approx. 30 minutes). The “Gate to Fully,” dating from 1257, opens the way to the western edge of the village. A trail leads through a dry grassy slope, then descends along a wider path beneath quarries to the valley floor. There, turn right onto a paved road. Soon you’ll follow the Canal de Gru toward “Mazembros, Saxé” until, after about 2 km, you turn right onto a paved road. 100 m further on, turn right into the Torrent de Randonne and shortly thereafter left across the stream; then hike up and down through the forest, a steppe slope with cacti, and through vineyards. After 1:30 h, you’ll reach the village of Mazembroz 05 (473 m). Passing through Saxé (468 m) and Châtaignire (472 m), you’ll reach the La Belle Usine power plant and then descend briefly to Fully 06 (504 m). 45 minutes.The final leg of the trail leads toward “La Fontaine, Eulo” up to the enchanting chestnut forest above the village, where you’ll find century-old trees (nature trail). From its western edge, the Chemin des vignes et des guèrites leads to the left through vineyard slopes and the steep basin of the Combe d’Enfer, where countless terraces are stacked one above the other. After passing through a wooded area, you descend to the nearby wine village of Branson 07 (503 m), which has remained quite unspoiled. 45 minutes. There, the Chemin du vignoble ends after a wide loop on a paved surface at the bottom of the Pont du Rhône 08 (462 m, parking lot, bus stop). More scenic is the longer “honor lap” above the village, for which you begin your ascent from the colorfully painted Caveau du Chanton du Clou house toward “Champex d’Alesse” to the vineyards. Shortly thereafter, turn left into the forest and, at an elevation of 620 m, reach grassy slopes where you continue left on the “Sentier des bulbocodes” (Path of the Spring Daffodils) toward “Place des Follatères.” This high-altitude trail offers a fantastic view across the valley before you descend back through the forest. At the next fork, take the left path down to the parking lot at Pont du Rhône 08. 1:00 h.