To the Lac de Tseuzier

The incline of this walk is gentle, but the views evolve along the way in epic style.

At first, as the trail leads behind and above the resort of Anzère, hikers enjoy sweeping panoramic views along the Rhône valley and to the snow-capped peaks on the far side. As it leads higher into the valley of La Liène, the path looks out over an increasingly wild, forested and rocky landscape. Finally, the trail emerges at the crest of the Tseuzier dam to reveal a peaceful lake in a magnificent mountain bowl.

The route generally follows the Bisse de Sion, an irrigation channel built from 1901 to 1903 to carry water from a point above the lake as far as the slopes overlooking Sion. Some sections of the bisse now flow through underground pipes; along these stretches, the trail follows a similar route above ground.

The trail ends at the Lac de Tseuzier, an artificial reservoir created by the Tseuzier (or Rawil) dam, built from 1953 to 1957. This captures the waters of the river La Lienne, which originate on the steep mountainsides beyond.

In Roman times and during the Middle Ages, this valley lay on the route of a busy alpine crossing: over the Rawyl Pass (2,425 m) into the Bernese Oberland. There is no road over the pass today, but the trail is popular with hikers.

Near the top of the dam, the Restaurant du barrage de Zeuzier (1,777 m) has a large sunny terrace, and makes a relaxing stop for refreshments.

This walk can easily be combined with the “Tour du Lac de Tseuzier”.

NB Expect to see different names and spellings for the lake (Tseuzier/Zeuzier), dam (Rawil/Rawyl) and river (Liène/Lienne).

Highlights:

From the gondola station, the trail sweeps behind and above the resort, climbing gently to the north-east. For long stretches, the historical Bisse de Sion now flows through underground pipes, but close to the rocky outcrop of Sé des Samarins, the trail turns northward and follows the open-air bisse upstream all the way to Les Rousses.

The last section of the route up to the dam follows the road, which in places leads through tunnels. Hikers can either walk through these tunnels or follow the old route used by the bisse guardians – but note that this features exposed sections, with hand cables and metal ladders, which require a good head for heights. This option is unsuitable for walkers with dogs or young children.

At the end of the walk, return to Anzère by postal bus (change at St-Romain).