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2:3 Val de Bagnes

From its headwall backing pastures and old moraines south of the Mauvoisin reservoir, to the confluence of the Drance de Bagnes with that of the Entremont at Sembrancher, Val de Bagnes carves a deep swathe through the mountains east of Val d’Entremont. For the most part it’s a narrow valley, steep-walled on its east flank, less so (except near its head) on the west where a few hamlets are set among meadows and fringes of woodland. A string of small villages and hamlets line the valley bed, and with an area of 295 square kilometres the Bagnes commune claims to be the most extensive in all Switzerland.

Mountaineering interest is concentrated on the great Combin massif, but lesser summits grouped near the valley head have value too, and the Brenay and Otemma glaciers provide routes of access to peaks further east. Skiers working their way towards Zermatt on the Haute Route cross the Combin massif to use Cabane de Chanrion as an overnight stop before heading for the Vignettes Hut, while crowds of downhill skiers flock each winter to the slopes of Verbier. As for mountain walkers, there’s enough to keep enthusiasts happy for many a long day, although some of the routes can be brutally steep.