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1:2 Val d’Illiez

With the Dents Blanches at its head, the rolling heights of the Portes du Soleil to the west, and the Dents du Midi forming its eastern wall, Val d’Illiez is by far and away the most important valley from which to explore the highest and most dramatic section of the Chablais Alps. Since Troistorrents has only limited accommodation, Champéry and Val d’Illiez are the major resort villages, with direct access by railway from Aigle and Monthey.

By road the initial approach is identical to that for Val de Morgins ssss1, but on reaching the junction on the outskirts of Troistorrents, about 4km above Monthey, we branch left and skirt the tall, grey stone church, passing the post office, a bank and a handful of shops. Within the village accommodation is limited to five beds at the Chambres d’Hôtes Helvetia.

A short distance beyond Troistorrents a minor road cuts back to the right to climb in long loops up the hillside on an alternative route to Morgins, while the Champéry road continues above the Vièze to Val d’Illiez (948m), once the valley’s main village. Larger than Troistorrents, Val d’Illiez has some old traditional chalets with projecting gables; there’s a tourist office by the railway station (www.valdilliez.ch), and a choice of accommodation at Hotel Communal which has 31 beds, and the slightly smaller Hotel du Repos with 27 beds. There are also just four b&b rooms (a total of seven beds) available at the Chambres d’Hôtes en Play.