After the hike up to Cry d'Er, the path that leads you to the Violettes is covered by limestone scree which is much appreciated by marmots. The hike then continues in the valley below the glacier, crosses to alpine pastures, follows the bisse and ends at the ecomuseum and the Relais de Colombire.

Statistics

3 - 4

hrs

439

m

1,022

m

9

max°

Difficulty

FATMAP difficulty grade

Moderate

Description

Chetzeron is an advanced viewpoint on the resort of Crans-Montana and the Rhone Valley.

To the east you can see the Upper Valais up to the vicinity of the Simplon Pass.

In the South, it is the Valaisan Alps with their peaks reaching more than 4,600 metres.

The range extends to the West, to France where you can see Mont Blanc sur Chamonix with its 4810 meters.

It is the highest point of the entire Alpine massif, from the Danube to the Mediterranean.

At the very bottom of the plain to the west, it is Martigny.

And as you go up to the right, you can now see the Bernese Alps mountain range that separates us from the rest of Switzerland.

Continuing north, you can see the station of Anzère, on the other side of the valley.

At the top of this valley is the Tzeuzier Lake dam where Crans-Montana gets its water supply.

Then, continuing, you have the upper station of the Plaine-Morte funeral cable car located in front of the glacier of the same name.

It is by taking this direction from the North that this hike begins.

You will first climb up to Cry d'Er to take a path along a horizontal line towards the Cabane des Violettes.

The Cabane des Violettes site is also a particular point of view on a series of 4,000 surrounding the Anniviers valley that opens in front of you.

There are five of them with the Matterhorn summit in the background.

Then you will enter the valley where in winter skiers descend from La Plaine-Morte.

What is special about this valley? It is its deep appearance, but without a stream at the bottom.

Indeed, it does not originate anywhere and has only deepened under the erosion of the melting snow of its watershed.

On the other side, you will cross two pastures before reaching the Bisse de Tsittoret which you will follow until you reach the Ecomuseum and relay of Colombire.

Then, you will have to return to the station by getting off at Aminona, from where the bus will take you back to the station. Equipment Good walking shoes. As the weather changes rather quickly at high altitude, it would be better to bring an extra layer of warm clothing.