Built between 1951 and 1965, the Grande Dixence Dam in the Swiss Alps is the tallest gravity dam in the world with a width the equivalent of two football pitches. The dam retains a whopping 400 billion litres of water collected from 35 Valaisian glaciers in the area surrounding Zermatt and up to Val d’Hérens.
The drive up to the car park by the dam’s base is beautiful up quiet winding roads through the forest. JD even caught sight of a marmoset en route albeit briefly, then again this is one of the places you can expect to see them. Arriving near the dam’s base, although we knew it was huge, we were still taken aback by its enormity. The dam is 285 metres high, 695 metres long and 200 metres wide at the base – narrowing to 15 metres wide at the crest.
Walk along the crest
The dam can be reached by foot (45 minutes walk) or by paying for the Grande Dixence cable car. Both start five minutes walk from the car park. Tickets to the crest of the dam via the cable car include entry to the “Au coeur de l’histoire de la Grande Dixence”. This exhibition provides insights into the history of the Grande Dixence and how epic a project it was. There are guided tours available (1.5 hours) if you want to see inside the dam.
The dam is quite remarkable offering 360-degree views which include views of the snow-capped mountains. The crest is the starting point for several hikes including the Ibex Trail, the Cabane de Prafleuri, the Cabane des Dix and the Cabane de la Gentiane. There are two sensory trails running along the crest and Lake Dix, which are designed for families with children aged 4 to 12 and include stations with games.
There are two routes to take from the crest of the Grande Dixence dam providing visitors with the opportunity to discover more of the Dix Valley. The trail follows the Col des Roux pass road (2,800 metres) and can be walked in both directions. Either along Lake Dix to Cabane de Prafleuri (2 hours 30 minutes) or by following the Combe de Prafleuri valley (1 hour 30 minutes).
The Ibex Trail
The Ibex Trail takes approximately 4 hours with various sights en route. If you’re lucky, you might even come across some ibexes which are wild mountain goats that live in the Alps. The Cabane de Prafleuri lodge is at the foot of the Rosablanche Mountain, around 1.5 hours from the crest of the dam through the Vallon de Prafleuri valley, and where you can grab a drink (it’s also possible to stay overnight).
The longest zip line in Western Switzerland
For the more adventurous, the Grande Dixence dam is home to the longest zip line in Western Switzerland. At 700 metres long, it provides thrillseekers with the ride across the void of the dam alongside the concrete colossus. We saw a group zip lining while we were there and oh my word – they were brave!
Whatever you decide to do at the Grande Dixence dam, there’s plenty to keep you occupied even if you just take a wander along the crest and take in the magnificent views nearby.
