Trient - Catogne - Col de BalmeWalk 8104
Canton - Valais / Wallis - Vallee du Trient
Author - Trient Office de Tourisme
Length - 6.5 km / 4.1 miles
Ascent - 1060 metres / 3498 feet
Descent - 100 metres / 330 feet
Time - 4.00 hours
Grade - moderate
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A hike to the Col de Balme that can be combined with walk 8103 or walk 8105 to provide a good full-day circuit.
Start & End - the village of Trient, 10 km. southwest of Martigny (VS).
From the village of Trient follow the long zigzags of the Vallorcine path that climbs up through the wooded hillside to the Alp of Les Tseppes. Once clear of the trees there are superb views across and along the Trient valley.
The path continues around the northern ridge of the Croix de Fer to reach Catogne where a number of paths meet. Ignore the right hand path climbing to the saddle between the Croix de Fer and Tête de Balme instead following the left hand path. This leads in a large arc to cross into French territory as the path contours around the Tête de Balme to reach the Col De Balme.
From here a number of options are possible including a visit to the summit of the Tête or the Croix de Fer, before returning to Trient by either of the route suggested above.
Suggested Maps
Landeskarte der Schweiz - 1:50000 - Sheet SW 5003 - Mont Blanc - Grand Combin
Recommended Books
Across the Eastern Alps: E5
From Lake Constance in Germany, this guidebook describes walking the E5 trek that runs 600km through a remarkable kaleidoscope of landscapes and culture in Switzerland, Austria and Italy, to its destination at Verona. It traverses the Allgauer, Lechtaler and Ötztaler Alps. There is a good network of alpine refuges and guesthouses on the route.
The Tour of the Bernina
Guidebook describing a 9-stage (119km) route around the Piz Bernina massif in the Alps on the Swiss-Italian border near St Moritz, and the 8-stage (94km) Alta Via Valmalenco exploring the Valmalenco valley, in the shadow of Monte Disgrazia. The Tour of the Bernina is suitable for first-time trekkers but the Alta Via needs some experience.