Col de la Golette (pass) - Salanfe - Van-d'en-Haut

The Golette Pass connects La Creusaz with the Salanfe basin, offering majestic landscapes and breathtaking viewpoints!

The hike starts at the top station of the cable car in La Creusaz. Simply follow the signposts towards Col de la Golette and Salanfe.

At first, the trail follows a forest road crossing the Marécottes ski area. From the Vélard sector onwards, the climb becomes steeper: a rocky and fairly steep path leads you all the way up to the pass.

Once at the Col de la Golette, the views are truly spectacular! The descent towards Lake Salanfe, via the Golette valley, follows a delightful path through rhododendron fields. Along the way, information panels recount the story of the former gold and arsenic mine, once the second most important in Switzerland after Gondo.

You then reach the shores of Lake Salanfe, where a break at the Auberge de Salanfe is most welcome. Here you can also spend the night by the lake. If your hike ends here, allow about 3h30 from La Creusaz.

Otherwise, the route continues towards the Van valley.

From July to August, a shuttle bus connects Van-d’en-Haut with Salvan or Les Marécottes. Outside this period, allow an additional 1h30 walk to return to either village.