Val-D'illiez: Mountains, mountain lakes and hiking trails

Val-d'Illiez lies at the foot of the Dents du Midi. The highest peak in the massif reaches 3257 m. The Vièze flows through the Val d’Illiez and rises in the Dents du Midi massif. This landscape can be explored in many different ways: on a hike to a high-altitude lake, on a circular trail to a waterfall, or along historic traces between villages.

Mountain Lakes, High Altitudes and Protected Flowers

Val-d’Illiez is also known as the «Valley of Orchids»: more than 30 orchid species bloom here, including some that are very rare. Rare flower species are protected by federal and cantonal laws and must not be picked. The name is therefore also a reminder to leave the flowers along the trail undisturbed.

Lac de Soi lies at 2247 m within the municipality of Val-d’Illiez, below the Dents du Midi. It is snow-covered for more than eight months each year. The small mountain lake offers views across the valley and stands out for its unusual stone structures. It can be reached on foot from Plan de Soi on the Route des Rives in 2 hours 55 minutes. The hike to the lake is classified as difficult and is listed as 10.9 km, with 1075 m of ascent and descent each.

The Lacs d’Antème lie at 2032 m at the foot of the Dents du Midi. They form a high-altitude limestone cirque below the north-west face of the Haute Cime; the ascent takes several hours. The lake destinations therefore differ not only in altitude, but also in the stated effort required to reach them.

Hikes with Different Time Requirements

A circular trail leads from the village of Val-d’Illiez to the Cascade de Frassenaye waterfall and back. The route is listed as a moderately difficult hike: 8.6 km, with 730 m of ascent and descent each, and a stated duration of 3 hours 45 minutes. Its difficulty rating and distance provide a specific comparison with the hike to Lac de Soi, which is classified as difficult. Check trail conditions and signage before setting out.

The Tour de la Vallée d’Illiez takes more time: its main route is over 60 km long and requires three to five hiking days. The places along the route include Champéry, Champoussin, Morgins, Les Crosets, Val-d’Illiez, Monthey and Troistorrents. Before setting out on a multi-day hike of this kind, check the route conditions and its seasonal accessibility.

A hike is also described for winter: the Randonnée des bains passes typical chalets of the Illiez Valley, going through Val-d’Illiez to Thermes Parc and then crossing the Vièze. Access to the thermal facility should be checked separately. This means there is a choice of longer mountain hikes, a circular trail to the waterfall and a winter route.

Village History and Trails to Champoussin

The Eglise Saint Maurice was built in 1687 by Jean Axeri and Jean Geomina from Novara. The present-day sanctuary is the third to have been built on this site. Another kind of historic trace can be found on the trail from Val-d’Illiez to Champoussin: it is lined with dry-stone walls dating from the early 20th century and passes an oratory dedicated to Saint Thérèse.

Les Vieux Greniers includes an old village granary that serves as a museum for temporary exhibitions. The granary was formerly used to store Sunday clothes and military equipment; the exhibitions feature local collections and preserved objects. Les Vieux Greniers is temporarily closed. Check access before planning a visit.

Getting to the Region

Route 21 connects Monthey with Val-d’Illiez and Champéry via Troistorrents. From Aigle, the AOMC regional railway (Aigle–Ollon–Monthey–Champéry) continues to the villages of the Dents du Midi region and connects the cantons of Vaud and Valais. For travel by car, the stated journey time applies to the villages of the Val d’Illiez as a whole: they are about 20 minutes from exit 18 at St-Triphon on the A9.

Discover more destinations: Champoussin, Champéry, Vouvry, Port-Valais, Saint-Gingolph, Monthey, Morgins, Torgon.

Back to the main travel overview: Monthey.