Multi-stage route
Wine trail
Long Distance Hiking
-
Hikers on the Wine trail in FullyPhoto: David Carlier, CC BY-ND, Valais/Wallis Promotion
4-day hike from Martigny to Leuk through the vineyards and winemaking villages of Valais, with countless opportunities for visits to wine cellars and tastings along the way.
Distance 65.5 km
19:39 h
1,752 m
1,590 m
832 m
460 m
The Chemin du Vignoble (“Vineyard Trail”) leads through the sunny winegrowing regions along the north side of the Rhône valley, linking picturesque winemaking villages that have given their names to prestigious Valais wines. There are three versions – for motorists, for cyclists and for walkers – each with a slightly different route. The hiking trail (SwitzerlandMobility Route 36) comprises four stages totalling 66 km. The first stage leads from Branson near Martigny to the medieval village of Saillon, via the chestnut grove above Fully. The second stage links the spa resort of Saillon with Sion, capital of Valais. From Sion, the third stage leads to Venthône near Sierre, following the historical irrigation channel of the Bisse de Clavau and passing attractive vineyard restaurants. The final stage links French- and German-speaking Valais, and takes in medieval villages, the Pfyn-Finges Nature Park, the “Espace Terroirs” visitor centre in Miège and finally the historical town of Leuk.
Author’s recommendation
The hike is particularly recommended and impressive in autumn, when the vineyards become a sea of red, yellow and gold, and numerous wine-related events take place.
Author
Delia Inniger
Update: September 25, 2018
Highest point
832 m
Lowest point
460 m
Track types
Forested/wild trail
30.7 km
Road
34.3 km
Unknown
0.4 km
Safety information
Use of the trails and the information on this website is at hikers’ own risk. Local conditions may entail changes to routes. Valais/Wallis Promotion accepts no liability for the accuracy and completeness of information on this website.
For all hikes:
- Bring a map. Download full description of this route including large-scale map by clicking on “Print” icon, top right of this page.
- Use marked trails only, and observe all signposting – for your own safety, to safeguard grazing animals and to avoid disturbing wildlife.
- Close gates after passing through.
- Please be considerate to other trail users, and to the plants and animals.
- Do not leave any waste in nature.
For mountain hikes:
- Take extra care protecting yourself from the sun at altitude. UV radiation can be exceptionally strong, even in cloudy weather.
- Plan hike carefully: take into consideration fitness level of each participant, weather forecast and season.
- Weather conditions can change quickly in the mountains, without warning. Appropriate clothing is therefore essential, along with adequate supplies of food and water. In uncertain weather, turn back in good time.
For high-altitude hikes:
- Inform others of the route you plan to take. Whenever possible, avoid going alone.
- Do not venture onto glaciers without a mountain guide.
- Take note of the warning signs that point out the constant danger in river beds and along watercourses below dams and reservoirs: water levels may rise rapidly without warning.
Tips and hints
More information about gastronomie & wine:
Start
Branson (Martigny) (462 m)
Coordinates:
SwissGrid
2'572'744E 1'108'236N
DD
46.125066, 7.086033
DMS
46°07'30.2"N 7°05'09.7"E
UTM
32T 352132 5109724
w3w
///fools.tamed.continued
Destination
Leuk
Turn-by-turn directions
Discover the stages of the Wine Trail:
- 1st stage: Branson – Saillon
- 2nd stage: Saillon – Sion
- 3rd stage: Sion – Venthône
- 4th stage: Venthône – Leuk
Coordinates
SwissGrid
2'572'744E 1'108'236N
DD
46.125066, 7.086033
DMS
46°07'30.2"N 7°05'09.7"E
UTM
32T 352132 5109724
w3w
///fools.tamed.continued
Arrival by train, car, foot or bike
Equipment
We recommend:
- good footwear
- clothing suitable for the weather: always carry a waterproof jacket
- hat or cap
- sunscreen
- bottle for water
- picnic
- camera
- binoculars (optional)
- hiking poles (optional)
- printout of this hike (click “Print” icon, to download)
For certain walks:
- Swimwear
Distance
65.5 km
Duration
19:39 h
Ascent
1,752 m
Descent
1,590 m
Highest point
832 m
Lowest point
460 m
Statistics
2D
3D
Maps and trails
- 4 Stages
Hikes
· Fully
Chemin du Vignoble: Branson - Saillon (stage 1)
recommended route
Difficulty
moderate
Stage 1
Distance
12 km
Duration
3:30 h
Ascent
223 m
Descent
176 m
The first stage of the long-distance Chemin du Vignoble leads from near Martigny to the pretty medieval village of Saillon, through ancient ...
from Delia Inniger,
Valais/Wallis Promotion
Hikes
· Valais
Chemin du Vignoble: Saillon to Sion (stage 2)
recommended route
Difficulty
moderate
Stage 2
Distance
21.7 km
Duration
6:45 h
Ascent
716 m
Descent
655 m
The second stage of the long-distance Chemin du Vignoble («Vineyard Trail») leads from the pretty medieval village of Saillon to the capital of ...
from Corrado Wyssen,
Valais/Wallis Promotion
Hikes
· Sion
Chemin du Vignoble: Sion to Venthône (stage 3)
recommended route
Difficulty
moderate
Stage 3
Distance
18.7 km
Duration
5:38 h
Ascent
492 m
Descent
244 m
The third stage of the Chemin du Vignoble (“Vineyard Trail”) leads from Sion to near Sierre, along a scenic “bisse” irrigation channel and past ...
from Corrado Wyssen,
Valais/Wallis Promotion
Hikes
· Valais
Chemin du Vignoble: Venthône – Leuk (stage 4)
recommended route
Difficulty
moderate
Stage 4
Distance
12.8 km
Duration
4:00 h
Ascent
306 m
Descent
493 m
The final stage of the Chemin du Vignoble («Vineyard Trail») links French- and German-speaking Valais, and takes in medieval villages, a vast ...
from Delia Inniger,
Valais/Wallis Promotion
Distance
km
Duration
: h
Ascent
m
Descent
m
Highest point
m
Lowest point
m
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