Charles Frédéric Brun, nicknamed the 'Déserteur', arrived in Nendaz in the middle of the 19th century. With his colourful paintings, he brought some cheerfulness to the rural houses with their low ceilings and tiny windows. In return, the villagers offered him a bowl of soup and a crust of bread. He lived as a homeless man in fear of the police, remaining hidden between Nendaz and the Val d'Hérens until his death in 1871.

To keep his memory alive, the 'Déserteur' trail recounts his life and work on a loop through the old quarters of the villages of Haute-Nendaz, Basse-Nendaz and Saclentse.

The trail 'In the Footsteps of the 'Déserteur'', accessible all year round, follows the village tour hike itinerary.