Trail running course Basso d'AlouLe parcours débute à la plaine des Ecluses. Prenez le petit sentier qui monte à côté de l'Hôtel Nendaz 4 Vallées & Spa en direction de la télécabine. La suite du parcours s'effectue sous la télécabine de Tracouet jusqu'à la hauteur du parking des Clèves. À cet endroit, prenez sur la droite et suivez le chemin de randonnée qui amène jusqu'à Tracouet.
À Tracouet, prenez le sentier qui longe le Lac Noir sur la droite. La montée jusqu’à la Dent de Nendaz se fait par un sentier de montagne. Arrivé à 2’461 mètres, à côté de la croix, prenez le temps d’admirer la vue sur le lac et les montagnes environnantes. La suite du parcours se fait en légère descente sur une arête escarpée avant de remonter jusqu’à la pointe de Balavaux pour rejoindre le col du Basso D’Alou, qui présente quelques passage un peu plus escarpés ou aériens. À éviter si vous êtes sujet au vertige.
Au Basso D'Alou, prendre en direction de Siviez. La descente se fait sur un chemin escarpé qui descend entre les rochers avant de s'engouffrer dans la forêt. Un peu au-dessus de Siviez, le chemin part sur la gauche sur le bisse de Saxon.
Le parcours se termine par quelques kilomètres à plat le long du bisse de Saxon, avec quelques passages étroits à flanc de rocher, puis, après la cabane «La Bourlâ», par une dernière descente vers Haute-Nendaz en suivant les panneaux dédiés au Nendaz Trail.Trail Dent chaussure 2020 (Etienne Bornet)Cabane_du_Bourlâ_Jean Cingria_2016 (Jean Cingria)Dent-Basso d'Alou Etienne Bornet 2019 (Etienne Bornet)1342.9664306641The resort of Haute-NendazThe tourist venture began at the end of the 1950s with the construction of the first gondola in 1958 and the first hotels. Since then, the resort of Haute-Nendaz has continued to develop.
Today, in winter, snow sports reign. The vast choice of ski runs, more than 400 kilometres in total, allows both beginners and experienced skiers to enjoy the snowy slopes of the 4 Vallées.
During the summer season, the resort is popular with mountain bikers and hikers. Nendaz benefits from an absolutely unique network of bisses (8 of which 6 are still in water). The paths along them, which are relatively flat, shady and traffic-free, are particularly popular places to walk. In July, Nendaz becomes the capital of the Alphorn, thanks in particular to its international festival.Haute-Nendaz station hiver vue aérienne 2021 (Florian Bouvet-Fournier)Haute-Nendaz Station Hiver 2018 (Etienne Bornet)Haute-Nendaz station_été_vue aérienne_2014 (Matt Wright & Janire Najera)Haute-Nendaz Station Eté 2018 (Sonia Délèze)2173.4167480469Tracouet LakePerched at 2'200 metres above sea level, the Tracouet Lake also known as the « Lac Noir (Black Lake) » due to the dark colour of the water. It serves as a mirror to the beautiful Dent de Nendaz throughout the summer and, in winter, it freezes and offers a wonderful flat area to host the snow garden.
WHY IS IT WORTH THE DETOUR ?
The Tracouet Lake has a unique ecosystem. Home to a large population of amphibians and exceptional flora, it has been listed on the Federal Inventory of Amphibian Breeding Sites of National Importance since 2001. In 2020, it was classified as a « protected natural site » by the Canton of Valais. You can easily observe red frogs or alpine newts !
ADVICE FROM THE LOCALS
The particular ecosystem and the beauty of the lake are not the only assets of this place. Indeed, you can discover other interesting sights in the surrounding area, such as the Dent de Nendaz, whose summit offers an exceptional viewpoint without forgetting the legendary larch trees of Balavaux of which some are the largest in Europe.Vue aérienne Tracouet été 2021 (Florian Bouvet-Fournier)Lac de Tracouet panorama été 2021 (Florian Bouvet-Fournier)Lac de tracouet été 2021 (Florian Bouvet-Fournier)Lac_de_Tracouet_automne_2019 (Florian Bouvet-Fournier)Lac_de_Tracouet_Famille_Ete_2019 (Florian Bouvet-Fournier)2456.4875488281Dent de NendazThe Dent de Nendaz is a relatively easy summit to reach in summer. From Tracouet, which can be reached by gondola, a marked mountain path (white-red-white) leads you to the top in less than an hour.
You then have the satisfaction of reaching a true summit! Your efforts are rewarded by the incredible panoramic view, between Tracouet and its Lac Noir right at your feet and the whole valley below.
The Dent de Nendaz can be a hiking goal in itself or a first leg before, for example, following high ridges towards the Plan du Fou, descending through the hundred-year-old larch trees of Balavaux or continuing on to Siviez.Dent de Nendaz été 2021 (Florian Bouvet-Fournier)Dent de Nendaz 2021 (Florian Bouvet-Fournier)Dent de Nendaz panorama été 2021 (Florian Bouvet-Fournier)Dent de Nendaz 2019 (Florian Bouvet-Fournier)1732.3540039062SiviezSiviez provides access to the areas of Veysonnaz and Thyon on the one hand, and to Verbier and the Bagnes valley as well as to Nendaz and Isérables on the other. It is also the starting point to reach Mont-Fort, a summit that is easily accessible throughout the summer and the winter thanks to the ski lifts
At the far end of the valley stands the Cleuson dam wall, built between 1947 and 1950. 410 metres long at the top and 87 metres high, it can hold up to 20 million m3 of water.
In winter, more than 400 kilometres of slopes await you, as well as several ski touring and snowshoeing routes and a sledge run. The Siviez snow garden allows the very young to discover their first joys of skiing.
In summer, the ski slopes give way to the mountain pastures, which are the preferred holiday destination for the Hérens breed of cows. Numerous hiking and mountain bike trails are also accessible from Siviez.Ebike Siviez été 2020 (Florian Bouvet-Fournier)Siviez Eté Vaches 2016 (Florian Guntern)Randonnée Siviez hiver 2018 (Florian Bouvet-Fournier)Siviez Hiver 2016 (Jean Cingria)1785.6444091797Bisse de SaxonThe Bisse de Saxon takes its source at 1,850 metres above sea level, in the Printse river upstream from Siviez. The bisse begins its journey of no less than 32 kilometres and ends its journey above Saxon. The inhabitants of this village located in the Rhone Valley had to be extremely short of water for their crops to undertake such a daring project.
Work began in 1865, but was interrupted initially for technical reasons and then because of a trial that lasted about ten years. Finally, work was resumed in 1874. Two years later, the Bisse de Saxon was filled with water and it was used for irrigation until 1964.
No less than three guards were needed to keep watch over this long irrigation channel. These men lived in cabins along the bisse. In 1999, an association called "Garde du Bisse" was created with the aim of restoring life to this bisse which holds an important place in the history of the Valais.
A BISSE, WHAT IS IT ?
The bisses were originally irrigation channels that diverted water from the rivers to water the farm land crops growing on the mountain slopes. They are true historical relics and bear witness to the Valaisans' relentless fight against drought. It is their construction that makes them so special. Indeed, these channels had to adapt to the different terrain and environments encountered along the way, giving rise to impressive workmanship, especially when we imagine what the means of construction were at the time. The bisses of our region take their source from the Printse, a river that flows along our valley. Of the eight bisses located in Nendaz, six still have water flowing within their banks and are still carrying out their original task of irrigation.Bisse de Saxon famille 2014 (Arolle)Bisse de Saxon panorama 2014 (Arolle)Bisse de Saxon totem 2014 (Laetitia Scarascia)Bisse de Saxon 2014 (Arolle)Bisse de Saxon ponton 2019 (Elodie Moos)1343.35168457031344.74133300781346.91284179691352.51794433591358.46105957031362.67993164061374.27978515621383.07055664061419.83642578121499.79516601561508.91711425781527.20043945311548.63195800781562.70568847661574.65270996091610.64038085941641.20214843751662.75842285161665.91699218751669.76513671881669.07128906251684.48583984381700.54528808591726.79174804691733.01867675781761.49829101561769.57434082031770.19299316411774.46960449221806.96154785161835.87280273441850.58044433591860.43371582031870.73999023441882.53234863281889.95812988281920.97363281251963.97680664061998.21667480472005.17517089842032.86633300782045.1777343752059.99951171882069.50830078122109.06372070312120.36230468752127.77319335942130.29174804692133.18090820312143.74218752155.2656252178.20483398442170.66674804692173.71777343752174.73730468752175.51708984382185.91870117192231.37646484382241.78198242192265.12524414062275.85986328122305.29370117192309.44067382812312.4843752331.15136718752343.10302734382347.87011718752379.22558593752425.48974609382433.32690429692433.82885742192450.55322265622459.11108398442452.74682617192439.02099609382442.45605468752430.14086914062423.71582031252422.59887695312427.93725585942427.31860351562427.39428710942415.18847656252439.96948242192417.51269531252408.24780273442395.535156252381.28442382812378.62622070312373.12548828122365.06274414062359.59252929692349.63598632812337.02416992192335.88330078122314.03784179692295.82592773442277.26391601562244.74194335942222.85595703122200.29321289062189.05517578122164.25146484382125.64819335942102.71752929692087.1503906252075.12524414062058.12158203122076.62841796882069.76611328122079.89331054692082.51635742192100.55908203122085.80419921882095.50781252083.94775390622085.83154296882086.51123046882073.43530273442077.27270507812072.58520507812053.72680664062038.65844726562031.98742675782030.17346191411998.07714843751982.1152343751976.02307128911971.11596679691951.08605957031936.16772460941925.78332519531914.40930175781902.65258789061891.11499023441860.01867675781844.57214355471823.30932617191813.99365234381820.40454101561830.39685058591838.44653320311827.24316406251809.36450195311827.42626953121821.46984863281831.14538574221832.75415039061830.45849609381840.48449707031832.48352050781827.39990234381826.16967773441828.70947265621822.47766113281820.18420410161822.50683593751820.26977539061818.74511718751820.09838867191824.38598632811818.68701171881823.72387695311820.70825195311824.13952636721814.40368652341826.65734863281820.57153320311805.35217285161803.63500976561803.58898925781803.22290039061802.94873046881814.07678222661814.781251819.25268554691804.78479003911795.25878906251796.27331542971801.26025390621809.21997070311801.84045410161809.81408691411808.24243164061803.70141601561785.75891113281747.84277343751739.90576171881730.72058105471725.38342285161724.46435546881730.83850097661711.14953613281701.72131347661686.14660644531677.96618652341684.48486328121667.34948730471651.542968751652.83740234381643.71154785161594.63513183591596.69653320311593.843751585.13244628911576.31628417971560.87829589841549.42333984381512.00280761721439.65393066411438.45214843751431.67333984381408.06335449221399.87475585941380.16760253911367.96130371091361.25573730471357.121093751358.90576171881366.37927246091368.49682617191374.27978515621362.67993164061358.46105957031352.51794433591346.91284179691344.74133300781343.3516845703