This summer we popped our camping cherry, staying at the most wonderful campsite in the Swiss Alps. The three of us are more than used to glamping but this was our first family outing pitching and staying in a tent. But it was an epic trip! We honestly couldn’t have stayed anywhere more idyllic and the Valais region exceeded all expectations.
The Swiss Alps are surprisingly accessible from the UK and a great destination for a summer holiday. We took the Eurotunnel from Folkestone to Calais which takes just 35 minutes. Travelling in our own car meant we could take everything we needed, for camping, eating and exploring, along with us. The drive time from Calais to our campsite in Les Haudères was c.9-10 hours so a day and a half each way once you’ve built in toilet/rest breaks, tolls and a stopover in France. We stayed near Dijon on the way there (4 hours from Les Haudères) and just outside Reims on the way back (less than 3 hours from Calais).
Camping Molignon in Les Haudères provided us with easy access to the Val d’Hérens and all it had to offer, but it was also cost-efficient, with spotless facilities and 360-degree mountain views. There’s plenty to do in the Valais region during the summer what with all the paths, cycle trails and alpine walks whether you’re an aspiring or experienced hiker. For the more adventurous, there’s Via Ferrata which involves climbing metal rails or rungs embedded into the mountain. Certainly not a challenge the Doves will be taking on any time soon!
Admire the scenery
Camping Molignon is situated in the village of Les Haudères which is surrounded by the Arolla alpine forest, lush green meadows and snow-capped mountains. It’s where the Arolla and Ferpècle valleys meet to form Val d’Hérens – an unspoilt mountain valley ripe for exploration. Being surrounded by nature, in this wonderfully tranquil setting, was a welcomed sight every morning. For some reason, we’d wake up before our fellow campers so we got to enjoy our breakfast while watching the mist lift from the mountains and the sun hit our valley before hitting the shower. When we returned after exploring, POD would spend some time in the pool before we did much of the same. Taking in the views and watching the hand gliders while we ate. It was so peaceful.
Read more about our campsite here. And find out how we got on with our Vango Winslow 600 tent here.
Take a cable car to the tallest gravity dam
The Grande Dixence Dam is the tallest gravity dam in the world. Built between 1951 and 1965, it retains 400 billion litres of water from the Lac des Dix which is the largest artificial lake in Switzerland. It collects melting water from 35 Valaisian glaciers in the area surrounding Zermatt and up to Val d’Hérens. The base of the dam, near where the car park is located, is 200 metres thick, 695 meters long and 285 metres high. It’s quite something to see the dam when you get out of the car at the base. There’s then just a short walk uphill to the cable car which takes visitors to the top of the dam. The Grand Dixence Dam forms the starting point for hiking trails (2 to 4 hours) or you can go for a short wander take in its enormity and the mountains views that surround it. For those that fancy a challenge, there’s a 700-metre long zip wire across the void!
Read more about the Grande Dixence dam here.
Trek to somewhere beautiful
Our trek to the strikingly beautiful Lac Bleu of Arolla took us through the alpine forest, home to red squirrels, marmosets and chamois (which are goat-like antelope) with breathtaking views aplenty. There are two ways to reach Lac Bleu, either from Arolla on a gentle path via Pramousse (1.5 hours) or a shorter but steeper route from La Gouille. We took the later which was said to be 40 minutes. With a child in tow, it’s at least double this but it’s so worth it. We arrived at Lac Bleu to the sound of a traditional hornblower on a hilltop just above the most beautiful turquoise lake. The Lac Bleu of Arolla sits high in the Val d’Hérens (over 2,000 metres) and it’s stunning. Fed by fast-flowing water from a spring up the hillside, the colour is due to the algae and glacial clays.
See more of our hike to the stunning Lac Bleu here.
Discover a glacier
Ferpècle Glacier, and the Lower Arolla Glacier below Mont Collon, are just two of 14 glaciers in the Valais region of the Swiss Alps. We parked near the Hôtel du Col d’Hérens which is at the beginning of the route to the 4 miles long Ferpècle glacier. There is another car park a little further up but we only spotted this once we’d walked past it. The small mountain road by a river is slightly uphill but after that relatively flat and easy to follow to the base of the Ferpècle Glacier. It’s around 45 minutes each way – unless your eight-year-old daughter is telling a story about marmosets (and reenacting their every move) in which case it will take slightly longer. It’s a nice enough walk with more mountain views, waterfalls and a stream en route. We discovered some boulders a few minutes walk from the Ferpècle Glacier and POD was delighted to find the pools beneath them were full of tadpoles and frogs. While the glacier was incredible, I suspect she was more impressed with the wildlife!
Wander around a pretty town
Evolène is a picturesque village and ranked one of the most beautiful in Switzerland. It’s easy to see why with its wooden lodges, traditional trachten clothing and colourful bunting. The Borgne river flows through the valley with the peaks of Dent Blanch (4,357 metres) visible in the background. It’s a pretty village to take a wander in and forms the base for many a hike. In winter it transforms into a ski resort offering more than 100 kilometres of pistes, skating rinks and ice climbing.
Hike in the mountains
Our hike to Lac d’Arbey (1,780m) started from the pretty village of Evolène. It’s said to take one hour and ten minutes from the forest path and while it took longer than that walking as a family, we’d walked for an hour or so before we got there due to an unintentional detour along the road! The uphill paths alternated between being easy to clambering over rocks. We were out of the sun being in the forest however and the smell of the conifers was wonderful. This trek was hard work at times although we were more than rewarded when we arrived at Lac d’Arbey. The lake itself wasn’t as impressive as Lac Bleu but the views across the valley towards Dent Blanche were breathtaking. And there was a Buvette which sold beer. It’s a glorious spot here what with all the butterflies, bees and lizards. POD even saw a black squirrel although I was too slow to get more than its tail on camera.
Read about our trek to Lac d’Arbey here.
If you’ve not been to Switzerland before, camping is the most cost-effective way to see some of this magnificent country. Having not slept beneath the canvas before, we borrowed most of our camping gear, aside from chairs and an £8 stove! We took food with us which lasted for the duration of our stay and stocked up on essentials like bread and milk locally when we exhausted supplies. There’s a post coming with the camping essentials we did (and didn’t!) need during this trip so do let us know if you have any questions.
