View of the ridgeline from Dent de Nendaz across to Plan du Fou

Link to detailed route page and map click on route title 

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Dent de Nendaz

  • Distance 12 km
  • Time 3 h 4 min
  • Speed 4.0 km/h
  • Min altitude 1397 m
  • Peak 2460 m
  • Climb 572 m
  • Descent 1368 m
July 18, 2018 8:32 pm
JS2018
Perfect day for hiking so we dehjcided on one of our favourite hikes up to Dent de Nendaz (via the Tracouet gondola) and then along the ridge to Plan du Fou.

Looking back down to Tracouet

The Peak

Since we were last here in the summer the gondola from Siviez up to Plan du Fou has been opened and it is evident that the path is much more used now than in the past, it has also been improved which I think is all to the good as it makes it more accessible.

We noticed near Plan du Fou that some new Avalance barriers have been put in on the Siviez side of the ridge and it looks like snow making machines have been put in along the Alou basin. Wonder if there are plans to open this basin up??

Had a coffee at Plan de Fou, nice that Panorama Cafe is now open before heading down the black ski run in the bowl above Prarion (there is an alternative route down a zig zag path) where we had our picnic lunch. Easier walking down the bowl than we thought it would be and lovely walking down through all the wildflowers, which I expect will soon be past their best.

From the top of the pomma above Prarion we contoured along the dirt road to Cabane de Balauvard for a very welcome beer. Mike keeps reminding me that we are on holiday and mountain cafés are all part of the experience! I say mustn’t get too used to it!

Although we had return tickets on the cable car as we were feeling good decided to hike back down to the apartment. My left knee was a bit sore by the time we got to the bottom, one of the perils of getting old, but really enjoyed the hike down through the forest to the ski runs just above Nendaz.

Addendum Wednesday 18th

Woke to perfect weather and so Mike and Bob decided to do this hike.  As the photo by Plan du Fou shows Bob is a true ‘yoig’. They then fed their inner souls with apple tart and coffee at the Panorama cafe before heading down to Cabane de Balauvard for a couple of beers enjoying the views and afternoon sun. Alas I was unable to join them as I had hurt my Achilles tendon so had a rest day. Remembered that the Wednesday market was on so after watching Geraint Thomas win todays TdF stage in a really thrilling uphill show of power we wandered down to the town center and had a bottle of very nice local red wine, Gammerat whilst we chatted and listened to the Alpine horns.