Panorama Trail near Ovronnaz, and a visit to Saillon in the Rhône Valley

Wednesday August 25, 2021 -- With our experience from the two days before -- of clouds on the mountain peaks -- we were wary of planning another trip into a side valley at this point, and as the sunshine seemed to be pretty certain in the main Rhône Valley, we had decided to simply discover the hillside directly across from our studio apartment in Saxon, namely another resort village called Ovronnaz, which is accessed along another of those long and zig-zagging roads.

We could see that there was a lookout point on the cliff-top which should give us a view of the Rhône Valley, and which we could access by a fairly easy walk first using the chair lift just above Ovronnaz, also mainly available for winter skiing but open in summer for hiking as well. Internet research informed us that there was a panorama trail up there, which would give us 360-degree views of the entire Diableret mountains as well.

How disappointed were we when we headed out in the morning, that the clouds were lifting everywhere in the valley except exactly where we were headed to! Behind us to the South, in the Verbier Region, the clouds were already gone, but it was too late to head up there. So we stuck to our original plan and hoped strongly that the clouds would lift before we started on our hike... which they did not, unfortunately. We rode the chair lift in the fog, and had little view of the mountains to the North. Nevertheless, by the time we got to the look-out point called "La Grande-Garde", we at least had a fabulous view of the Rhône Valley. 

On our way to our apartment the day before, we had passed a small village at the valley bottom perched on a tiny hill, complete with look-out tower. As we were done our panorama hike and were back on the bus before 3 p.m, we decided to discover this little medieval village of Saillon as well! (This tiny village is home to the "Museum of Counterfeit Money"!) The tower with its very small spiral staircase and dark passages was a hoot to climb, and we even added another 3-km walk through the Valais vineyards and fruit orchards in the cooler evening sunshine. Another full day!

NOTE:  This was like two trips, so lots of photos!

We had already planned our trip for the OTHER side of the valley, but this is looking directly South from our studio apartment in Saxon, at 9 a.m. on Wednesday morning. The sky above Pierre Avoi (that interesting peak) and Verbier behind it looks so attractive, but it was too late to change our plans for the day. 

Across from our rented studio directly to the North is the mountain called La Grand-Garde, and we were so sure that there would be no clouds there, that we didn't even make other plans for the day. The place with the arrow is the look-out point...

Even worse, that thick cloud is sitting right atop the large village of Ovronnaz (which you cannot see from the valley bottom, and which is accessed by a "long and winding road"), from where we needed to take a chair-lift to our chosen hike! That Massif is called "Haut de Cry", and this is the best view we had of it all day. 

We headed out anyway, hoping really hard that all those clouds would have dissipated once we got up there... 

... but it was not the case, as we ascended with the chair-lift through the fog. From the bus stop in Ovronnaz, we had to walk 10 minutes to the lift, which took us up to Jorasse.  

This is the "magnificent" view we had down on Ovronnaz as we exited the chair-lift at Jorasse.  It was very disappointing.... 

We walked for 30 minutes to the farm at Petit-Pré, and lucky for us, from then on heading South some of the clouds lifted so we could see well into the Rhône Valley, which is what we really came for.  To the North, along the Haut de Cry Massif, the clouds stayed most of the day. 

The farm at Petit Pré, where the clouds were dissipating

Heading up toward the panorama trail, this is the view North to the farm at Petit-Pré

To the South, a peek down this valley shows us that we were right after all, the clouds are sitting low on most of the Southern peaks. 

As it turns out, we did end up seeing quite a bit of this valley. So beautiful

At the cross was a look-out point called Seya, where you were supposed to get a 360-degree view, but we didn't bother going up there...

The poisonous Monkshood or Wolfsbane abounds

As we head South, the view East up the Rhône Valley is magnificent, and we can now see Ovronnaz below, as the clouds have cleared there. 

But to the North, the clouds are still hanging in the valley. 

Heading South. Now it is very pleasant to walk

What would any hike be without cows in the meadows...

The black cows are local Eringer (or Hérens) cows, and although they are not aggressive to hikers, we still kept our distance.

A short interesting section

As it turns out, we had a nice view after all

The magnificent view to the Southwest as we got to the viewpoint above the Rhône Valley

And way down below we could see the house where we rented the studio, just five minutes to walk to the train station in Saxon!

This is where we had our picnic lunch...

And then a long long descent back to Ovronnaz. The Haut de Cry Massif ahead of us is still hidden in these low-lying clouds, which hung here until evening (once we were in the valley bottom again, they disappeared!)

Another look at Ovronnaz on our way down the mountain

In these remote places, we often have the bus to ourselves! At the initial bus stop, in any case.

Heading down the hill again from Ovronnaz, through all these beautiful vineyards.  

As it was still fairly early, we changed buses in Leytron to head West to go visit the medieval village of Saillon

This is the intriguing-looking village of Saillon. 

In Saillon, we walked up to the city walls, through the tiny village to the church, then across the hill to the tower. We decided from there to walk through the vineyards and orchards in the pleasant late afternoon. This was another four kilometers after the other 3.5-hour hike we had already done. The village of Saillon is directly below the look-out point of La Grand-Garde, where we were earlier in the day. 

One of the pretty streets in Saillon

Here in this tiny village is a museum called "Musée de la fausse monnaie", or "Museum of Counterfeit Money"!

Heading up to the church

In the churchyard, a look at some VERY old gravestones! Also, they had a very interesting garden here, showcasing plants and herbs which were used widely during the middle ages

From the hill above the church, a look across the fantastic terraced vineyards, and up to Ovronnaz where we had been earlier, and where the clouds/fog have now finally disappeared.

What is that strange structure below! Looks like right out of the medieval times! A machine to scale fortress walls?

And in the other direction, more beautiful vineyards! So beautiful that we decided to continue walking, on that trail down below on the left, another 2-3 km to the bus stop further West. 

Our next stop: The tower. We had a bit of a steep descent to get there. Every spare piece of land is used to plant vineyards here!

First real excitement of the day, besides the look-out point which we accessed earlier: A steep short descent from the church hill, followed by another climb to the tower hill

The tower was the real highlight of the day! It's not often that old towers are freely accessible, and where bridges and narrow spiral staircases have been added to give access to the top!

What a view from the tower in Saillon! Below is the "church hill", then the church, then the village, and way on further is the Rhône Valley to the East!

And on the other side, the Rhône Valley to the West. Every square foot of land on the "Tower Hill" has vines growing here!!!. Below and beyond are apple orchards where we walked through afterwards to get to the bus stop on the main road

Heading back down the tower!

The tiny access was a surprise!

Joining the trail we saw earlier from the hill, we decided to walk for another hour to a bus stop further away. That way we could also look at the "Tower Hill" from the West side

We walked an additional 3 kilometers or so through vineyards....

....and we kept glancing back to see the tower....

... and we walked along the Canal de Gru....

...and we walked through some lovely well-kept apple orchards which reminded me so much of my childhood home and my Dad's beautiful compact apple orchard, for which he got his idea from Switzerland....

The medieval town of Saillon on this very distinctive hill. Visiting here was probably the best part of the day. 

After catching the bus, it carried us back below the village of Saillon, for a look up from below. 

How our "two" hikes of the day look on Google maps. For the first hike we took a chair-lift from Ovronnaz to Jorasse and walked to the look-out point at La Grand-Garde. For the second, we visited the medieval village of Saillon and walked 3-4 more kilometers through vineyards and apple orchards

In the circle is the area of Ovronnaz, Saillon, and Saxon (where we were staying for three days)