GeoGuide Val d'Hérens

Discover the Val d'Hérens throughout various hikes allowing you to learn how to read the landscape and what's underneath it (Trips A, B, C and E).
This geologically recent landscape (several tens of thousands years) was carved by glaciers. But older rocks can be found which allow to go back in time for hundreds of million years.
This app contains field trips A, B, E and H.

With Field trip A, you will discover different sides of the Val de Ferpècle: from the encountered rock types and the information they may give us on the geological arrangement of the various nappes, to the glacial history of the Val de Ferpècle throughout the different clues left by the glaciers throughout the landscape.

Field trip B will introduce you to the Val d'Arolla and the numerous glacial, periglacial and fluvial morphologies you may encounter but also to some of the typical outcrops of the local geology.
The path is difficult and at some places vertiginous, with at the end the Lac Bleu and its extraordinary blue color as a reward!

Field trip C is more geology oriented. You will cross the Alpine ocean to rejoin the European continent along the left bank of the Val d'Hérens, while enjoying the panorama on the right bank with the different nappes (Siviez-Mischabel, Mont Fort, Cimes-Blanches, Tsaté et Dent Blanche). Beware: this field trip is long (15km, equivalent to an effort of 25km), but it can be done in parts, for example by leaving from Les Lattes or Les Farquès.

Field trip E travels across different sorts of rock outcrops between Villa and Ferpècle. These rocks belong to several tectonic units (nappes) and symbolize the shift between the European continent (Villa, La Sage) and the African plate (Ferpècle). The itinerary is 5.5 km long and has no physical difficulties.

With field trip H, you will discover most of the geologically interesting places of the Val d'Hérens, by car (or bus) and by foot, on one or to days.

More trips will be added to the app in future updates

Content: Gérard Stampfli
Technical design: Sébastien Ruttimann
English translations: Charles Gutowski Show More