La Fouly: Hiking and Winter Sports in Val Ferret
Accommodation in La Fouly
La Fouly is a village in the municipality of Orsières in the canton of Valais, at an altitude of 1,592 metres at the end of Val Ferret. At the foot of Mont Dolent and Tour Noir, the village lies in the Mont Blanc massif, near the France–Italy–Switzerland tripoint. Named hiking routes, winter sports and its history as a mayen offer different ways to get to know La Fouly as a travel destination.
Hiking and trails around La Fouly
La Fouly is a stage on the Tour du Mont-Blanc and the Grand Tour des Combins. The Tour du Mont-Blanc passes through France, Italy and Switzerland. It crosses seven valleys surrounded by more than 400 snow-capped peaks. This makes it possible to connect La Fouly with both this cross-border tour and the Grand Tour des Combins.
From La Fouly, hiking trails head south over the Petit Col Ferret and Grand Col Ferret towards Courmayeur in the Aosta Valley. Another named route is the Tour du Mont Ferret, which leads to the summit in the Combe de l’A nature reserve. These destinations offer concrete guidance for planning a hike; check local trail conditions before setting out.
The easy mountain bike route No. 192 also loops around La Fouly and passes through the small hamlet of Amônaz. Both the route’s character and its course are specified for planning a cycling trip. Check local route conditions before setting off.
The Charlotte la Marmotte educational trail focuses on La Fouly’s history, natural attractions and wildlife. Along the way, there are questions, games and observation activities. Unlike a simple trail description, the educational trail combines nature topics with activities that draw attention to the surroundings.
On the treasure hunt, answer ten questions using a village map to discover a final code. The adventure starts at the La Fouly tourist office. Check in advance whether this activity is currently running and available.
The Alpage des Ars is the starting point for several hiking trails. At a seasonal refreshment hut, visitors can sample dairy products made from milk from the alpine pastures, including cheese, butter, sérac, yoghurt and fondue mixes. Here, hiking opportunities and local products are two distinct aspects of the same place. Check current opening information before your visit.
Winter sports and cross-country skiing
A small winter sports area lies east of and above the village, with one chairlift and two drag lifts. The La Fouly ski area offers lessons for all levels. The Arpalle lifts provide access to three groomed and supervised freeride routes. As lift and route configurations may change from season to season, check the latest information before your trip.
The La Fouly cross-country ski trail is ten kilometres long and covers the northern and southern sides of the resort as well as the A-Neuve plateau. For cross-country skiing, the trail length is specified; the winter sports area, meanwhile, can be described in terms of its lifts, ski lessons and freeride routes. Check local conditions and the state of the track before a winter outing.
History and village life
Historically, La Fouly was a mayen belonging to the municipality of Orsières and was associated with the seasonal transhumance to the alpine pastures of Val Ferret. Stone chalets served as accommodation for herders, while barns were used to store hay. The two types of buildings tell of different functions in the former life of the alpine pastures: accommodation on the one hand and storage on the other.
The village has a chapel dedicated to Saint Nicholas of FlĂĽe. Another Alpine tradition is the DĂ©salpe de La Fouly, when a procession of decorated herds of cattle passes through the village streets. The chapel and the DĂ©salpe offer different insights into village life: one through its religious dedication, the other through the procession of herds.
Getting there and finding your way
From Martigny, take the train to Sembrancher and continue to Orsières; from there, take the bus to La Fouly. Check the latest timetables before travelling. The access road to La Fouly has been cleared of snow in winter since 1965; since then, the village has been inhabited year-round. This historical information puts the development of accessibility into context, but does not replace checking timetables for your specific journey.
Discover more destinations: Champex, Bourg-Saint-Pierre, Vollèges, Verbier, Orsières, Fionnay, Bagnes, Sarreyer
For the broader travel overview: Entremont.
