I’ve extended the trip and head to Champéry in lower Valais, some three hours away. The final leg of this journey is simply beautiful as we wind around mountains, allowing the scene to unfold through the train’s windows.
Located in the huge skiing area of ‘Les Portes du Soleil’, Champéry in the Val d’Illiez, although resolutely modern, manages to preserve much of its traditional charm. It became the first Olympic Village in Valais, after hosting the curling events for the Youth Olympic Games – Lausanne 2020.
Walking along its quaint picturesque main street after dropping off our bags at the basic but delightful Hotel Suisse was a joy, not least to stretch the legs but to check out the shops, cafes and restaurants. If you’re looking to sample traditional cuisines from this area, I can highly recommend the cosy Café du Nord. Centrally located, it offers simple meals with a focus on cheese.
Adventure awaits the following day as I psyche myself up for my second via ferrata of the trip. Tière Via Ferrata is part rock climbing, part hiking and is a sensational way to explore rugged alpine terrain. We enlist the help of Lloyd Wiltshire, a Brit, who set up his company Experience Champéry in the early noughties. Depending on the season, Lloyd and his team help visitors get involved in various activities.
But we’re here to combat the Tière Via Ferrata which is 460 m long and has an altitude gain of 140 m. Skimming up sheer rock walls that can attain a vertiginous 75° grade. The excitement builds up as we take a leisurely 40-minute hike passing meadows, forests and gentle streams until we reach the departure point of ‘Sous-Scex’.
Unlike the Via Ferrata in Saas Fee, this one is far more challenging and not for the faint-hearted. But Lloyd’s calm nature helps overcome any doubts I have about being able to complete the circuit. I wrongly thought via ferratas were all about upper body strength but I find myself recruiting my entire body. It proves to be a mental as well as a physical challenge as I navigate my way up and around the cliff face like Spiderman.
The juicy part comes when the route crosses over the River Tière in two places using suspension bridges and walking the tight rope. Offering spectacular views of the rushing cascades below, I stop to take it all in. I commit these sights to my memory bank. I’m almost deflated when we reach the end of the via ferrata at 1,190m altitude. I want to do it all over again!
But adventure abounds in Champéry. The town’s iconic red and white cable car takes visitors to an altitude of 2,000m in just five minutes to Portes du Soleil.