Ancien Bisse de Chervé and Lac de Cleuson in Val Nendaz

Tuesday August 24, 2021 -- After a good night's sleep in the cute little studio apartment which we rented for three days in Saxon in the Rhône Valley, we took off early into one of the side valleys which we had wanted to discover. The region we were in is called 4-Vallées, which actually refers to a conglomeration of four skiing regions (Veysonnaz, Thyon, Nendaz, Verbier...) which creates the largest skiing area in Switzerland (410 km of ski slopes and 67 ski lifts, some of which are open in summer...). It was one of these regions with open chair lifts which we visited on our first day in the region: Siviez in the Val Nendaz.

Actually, the main reason we chose to hike in this area was a description we had read on the Internet of an ancient irrigation channel (no longer in use, but a well-laid-out hiking trail) high above the dammed reservoir lake Cleuson, which was apparently supposed to offer some "thrilling" sections, not suitable for people with vertigo. As it turns out, there was none of that. It wasn't much different than most of the hikes we do in the mountains, and we have walked some very thrilling irrigation channels.

Nevertheless, the excursion was worth it just for the fantastic colour of this lake, a blue I've never seen in a lake before. It was unfortunate that for most of the day the sun was hidden behind some very thick clouds, but the colour was still fantastic.

Way down below us at the level of the dam was a distinctive chapel (St.Barthélémy) where many people had gathered, and we were serenaded with folk music (normally nice, but not when I want to enjoy the stillness of the mountain landscape). An Internet search showed us that every August 24th, the people of the area celebrate the "blessing of the alpine cheeses" at this very chapel. So I guess that's what it was... (la bénédiction des fromages des alpages). By the time we walked around the lake and got to the chapel, the main festivities were finished but there were some people eating raclette!

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The direct route from Sion to Siviez in the Val Nendaz is only 16 km, or about 25 minutes by car, but the bus first goes all the way up into the villages of Basse Nendaz and Haute Nendaz to the cable car there, where most of the passengers on our bus were going. From there we had to board a separate bus to the back of the valley, altogether over one hour on the bus alone. Here are a few photos from the bus ride:

Passing through Basse Nendaz, high above the Rhône Valley

Looking down over Basse Nendaz to Sion below in the Rhône Valley

Looking straight across the valley to the North of the Rhône River into the Vallée de la Lizerne, an exciting bus trip we took a few years ago to Lac de Derborence at the back, and then we walked out of the valley (photos are HERE)

Once we got to Siviez, we took a chair lift up the hillside to Combatseline, where there is a restaurant, but we headed out on our hike right away, going South (to the left on this photo). These chair lifts are mainly for skiing in winter, but some of them run in summer as well.

Before heading South toward the lake, a nice view North into the Rhône Valley, and the whole hillside which is Nendaz, where we had to pass through by bus before coming into the Nendaz Valley

This 12-km hike is about 3.5 hours of pure walking. The first half or so along the mountainside is almost level, with a slight incline out of the valley, which usually indicates an old irrigation channel used to operate here, capturing water from the back of the valley and bringing it out to water the pastures futher down the valley.

These wooden beams were the only indication we had that there used to be an irrigation channel here (mounted high on the rock wall, apparently).

The trail was not difficult at all. We expected something much more exciting!

A nice place to sit.

Near the top of the chair lift the trail was a bit difficult, as parts of it seemed to have been washed away. But here at Chervé, about half-way to the back of the lake, we expected the trail to really become vertiginous...

This was about the hardest part of what we had to walk on the trail!

Ah, the first glimpse of Lac de Cleuson and the dam. But from here on, the sun was mostly hidden by clouds... (later we descended along the dam from the far side).

There is no way this trail can be considered vertiginous!

A look down at the dam and the small chapel (on the far side, half hidden behind the trees). Apparently you can park up here. Looks like the people are headed home after "blessing the cheese"!

Changing view of the lake as we head South. This blue was a fabulous blue, which I had never seen before!

Perhaps the lack of sunshine on the lake made the colour more intense!

Even in this section the trail is not difficult, nor particularly high

Panorama view of the entire lake. It is not a large lake.

A perfect spot for our picnic lunch!

Heading toward the back of the valley for our descent (you can just glimpse the road in the middle, we descended on that road).

Another panorama view of the lake

Not far now, and then we descended to the back of the lake

Down at lake level, and finally some sunshine!

We walked along the west side of the lake to the dam. On the East side is a road, and that's not as much fun to walk on

Some fantastic reflections on the lake. It looked better, though, with sunshine

Reflection on the lake, with some sunshine this time.

Heading to the dam along the West side of Lac de Cleuson.

A whole hillside of flowers which look like the Lorax's trees! (Dr.Seuss)

Isn't this the absolutely most stunning colour of blue?

Near the dam, a view of the lake to the back.

Theoretically, we should not have walked along the West side of the lake. We discovered a sign that said the trail was closed due to falling rock. It was a perfectly fine trail, though, and many people were using it.

I headed out on to the dam to see the view down the Nendaz Valley

Here's a look North down the Nendaz Valley to the Rhône Valley. From here we are walking back to Siviez below, to catch the bus back (same way, via Nendaz on the hillside further below).

The little chapel where they were blessing the cheese earlier, and eating raclette now!

Our trail continued over parts of the dam

Admiring the fantastic dam structure

Urs encourage me to do this!

As we continued down the valley toward Siviez, we often looked back behind us at the Cleuson Dam

Waiting for the 4 p.m. bus in Siviez, which is a skiing center. Way at the back you can see the dam

Our hike as it looks on Google Earth maps

The following photos are from the bus ride back out of the Nendaz Valley and back to Sion, from where we took the train back to our rented studio. It took 1 hour 30 minutes to get back to the studio. We would not have been able to do this excursion as a day trip from our home in Northern Switzerland.