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1.
Dranse valley - Palais des Sports to La Plagnette and
back.
Park outside the Palais des
Sports and cross the footbridge towards the Super Morzine
Télécabine. Turn right and begin marked walk.
Stay on West side of the
river past Pont des Dérèches and follow until
you reach another bridge. At this point (pont?) you can
cross the river and return on the East side or continue a
little for refreshment in the hotel at Pont des
Plagnettes.
Some wild strawberries and
raspberries. Easy walking - gentle gradients. 2 hours
approx.
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2. Circuit of Lac de Montriond via Cascade
d'Ardent, forest route.
Park at the west end of the
lake (plenty of parking). Walk a short way along the road,
past the souvenir shop, and enter the forest following the
signs. You now climb solidly for about half an hour,
initially on a vehicle track. The only possibly confusing
junction occurs about a third of the way up where there is a
fork in the path. The right hand (lower) path goes to some
buildings - take the left hand, steeper option. When you
finally reach a mountain pasture and some buildings (Le
Latay Dessous) you have reached the high point of the climb
at 1274 metres. The next section is mostly downhill untill
you reach a junction near les Albertans. Choose the Ardent
direction, climb the vehicle track for a while then take the
path off to the right (signposted). You will climb slowly to
about 1250m before descending to the Cascade.
Cross the waterfall via the
bridge provided. Stop and go 'Ooh' and 'Aah' as appropriate.
Follow the main path down towards the lake.
Soon after you pass the
first camp area on your right you should see a sign for 'Lac
de Montriond par le forêt' as you reach some
buildings. You need good walking boots for this bit - all
the stuff you will be crossing fell from the cliffs at some
stage in the past so you will meet a variety of earth rocks
and boulders, cross streams and get great views of a
waterfall coming down from the cliffs. Eventually you take a
turning that leads back down to the west end of the lake (if
the weather is good you will hear the sound of people at the
bathing pool). This winds down to the lake and when you get
near you may see many small frogs leaping around in the
bushes!
Approx 3hrs walk. Some long
climbs at start and awkward stuff on the return. Occasional
strawberries throughout.
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3. Les Udrezants towards Prodain - forest
loop.
Start the walk at the
parapente landing site under Pointe de Ressachaux. Follow
the path up to the forest edge and the signpost. This is
quite hard work! Turn left and follow the path which runs
parallel to the Prodains road. When you come to a junction
follow 'L'Acquy'. This section starts with a climb. Just
past the hut at L'Acquy take the right turn to 'Morzinette'
but take the left turn NOT to Morzinette at the next
junction. Follow until you meet a vehicle track and take it
down until a path back to L'Acquy leaves to the left. Take
this path back to the hut then your original path back to
the starting point. If you want to do a bit more continue in
the forest beyond the start point and on to Crepet. When you
reach the road turn right to go towards Morzine
centre.
Forest walk some climbs with
max 300m above start. Raspberries at furthest point. 2½
- 3 hrs.
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4. Morzine - Cascade de Nyon - Le Grand
Pré - Pléney - Morzine
A long one (5 - 6
hours)!
Starting in Morzine, follow
the Dranse south towards Nyon then take the right turn to
the Cascade. Go up by the side of the waterfall then cross
the bridge at the top. Follow the path right around the hill
to a junction - take the right turn into an open field.
Follow this path across and then up the hill until you pass
under a chairlift. There is a footbridge to your right, a
wide grass field coming down the mountain to your left (a
red run in winter) and a narrower one ahead (the blue run).
Take the narrower one until you reach a road (the D354) -
with suitable diversions through the forest if the farmers
have blocked your route! A little way up the road there is a
turn to the left - ignore it and go straight on then right
to the chairlift stations at Le Grand Pré. A good
place for a refreshment stop!
From the lift stations /
snack bar walk to the farm buildings then up between them
towards the forest. You should see a vehicle track heading
straight across to the forest edge and then up the hill
diagonally right. The track will eventually lead you to an
open field up the mountain to your left. This you have to
climb!! The reward is a bank of wild strawberries if you
take the right hand route halfway up... Finally you will
come to a well used track at the top of the ridge (you may
need to cross a low wire fence if you have arrived at an
"unofficial" meeting point). Turn right and follow the track
up to the main Pléney ridge and the borders of the
golf course. After passing a restaurant you can find a right
fork leading down the mountain towards Attray. This track
will lead you down through the forest then round a field to
a few buildings and the bottom of a chairlift. The little
cafe/bar here has a limited menu (mostly crêpes!) but
is the best value on the mountain... so a good place for a
second refreshment stop.
After resting, follow the
track between the buildings to a fairly steep descent
through the trees down to the meadows above Morzine. When
you come out of the trees and meet another path turn left
and across the meadows, eventually leading to the main
Pléney lift station.
Long (5 - 6 hrs), some
fairly steep sections not shaded by trees. Strawberries only
in one spot - but it is a good one!
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5. L'Érigné - Bô Morand -
Chalets de Cuidé
Drive past Nyon towards the
Lac des Mines d'Or. Park at a wide section of road used by
cross-country skiers to park in winter. You should see a
footpath sign pointing to the right - ignore it, you will
come back that way!
Follow the main road up,
across a bridge and through Le Pas. Continue until you find
a signposted footpath/vehicle track off to you right as the
road bends to the left. This is just after a bar/restuarant
with a large car park and great views of the valley to
Morzine, also off to your right.
Take the track into the
forest and up the mountain. It will climb steeply up towards
Vigny and bring you out eventually into a pasture (and maybe
a herd of cows...). Here you will find a right turn leading
up and around the ridge. Follow this up and back into the
forest. In the next valley you will again come out into
pasture and see the little chalet at Bô Morand. Go
through the gate (close it behind you!), rest and take in
the view.
When you have recovered,
exit via the upper gate and follow the track to
Cuidé. This climbs a little before turning right and
taking you around the valley and down to the Chalets. Yellow
paint on rocks marks the route. Cows and horses sometimes
roam freely here so the path may be a bit cut up in
places... Once you reach the Chalets there is a clear
vehicle track leading down the valley. You may even see your
parked car before you get too far down into the trees!
Nearer the bottom of the track there is some denser forest
and you may spot myrtilles growing on the banks of the road.
After you pass through a few houses there is a right turn to
make, near to the main road, that leads you back to your
parked car.
Mostly vehicle tracks (some
steep). 3½ - 4 hrs. Some strawberries,
myrtilles.
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