Leaving the Cabane Aiguille Rouge, this stage starts downhill. First sweeping down a rocky moonscape, past the Lac Bleu, an upward angling traverse, and finally dropping through larch forest into the small town of Evolène in Val d'Hérens. This is the first time since leaving Verbier, that the route descends to reach a town, and then goes right back into the high mountains until arriving at Zinal on stage 5.