Icogne: Bisses, Lakes and Village History

Get to know Icogne through its bisses, hiking trails and village history. When planning, it is worth distinguishing between route details and timeframes: some descriptions give the distance, elevation gain and duration, while others focus mainly on the landscape and route. Depending on your interests, you can choose a waterside trail, a longer route connecting different places or the village’s cultural heritage.

Bisses and waterside trails

The Bisse des Miriouges runs between Lac d’Icogne and Lac des Miriouges, with much of its route open to the sky. A wide path suitable for pushchairs follows the bisse; check local access after adverse weather. The trail passes through a chalet area and a forest before reaching Lac des Miriouges. It combines a clearly defined landscape route with the lake as its destination.

The Grand Bisse de Lens focuses on the historic water channel. The bisse was built in the 15th century to carry water from the Lienne uphill for irrigation. Fed by the Lienne, it irrigates meadows and vineyards in Icogne, Lens, Montana and Chermignon. A restored section has been fully replenished with water. Larch-wood channels and footbridges allow the public to walk the route around the Christ-Roi hill; the Grand Bisse is also known for sections along steep cliffs.

Compare routes by distance and duration

The hike along the Grand Bisse de Lens runs from Icogne to Chermignon-d’en-Bas. Both endpoints are accessible by public transport. In Valais, the route is described as a moderately difficult hike covering 16.4 kilometres. Check the distance and difficulty in advance against current trail conditions. For comparison, the brochure lists the Trail d’Icogne as 8.7 kilometres long, with 545 metres of elevation gain and descent and a duration of two hours. Conditions may also change for this route.

The Chemin des Contrées connects Mollens to Icogne via Diogne and is 15 kilometres long. It can be walked in stages; seven interpretive panels with QR codes describe the sections. Forests, scree slopes, mountain streams and viewpoints characterise the route. On the Chemin des Contrées to Icogne lies Le Boup, a 140-hectare cirque formed by glacial retreat. Water-rich schist and gypsum create multicoloured rock formations there. Foxes, roe deer and wild boar live in the area; sightings depend on the season and are not guaranteed.

Village history and culture

The Chapelle d’Icogne was built in 1678 under the patronage of Saint Gregory of Nazianzus and blessed on 9 June 1680. It was badly damaged by the 1946 earthquake and rebuilt as a new building in 1948. Its stained-glass windows by J. Le Chevalier depict saints venerated in the region. Two old millstones at the village entrance are a symbolic reminder of the village’s historic abundance of water. As early as the 15th century, numerous mills and sawmills flourished on the left bank of the Lienne.

The IcogneJazz Festival is also part of the cultural life of the village and region. It was founded in 2007 to promote jazz and enliven cultural life. The festival offers free concerts for jazz fans and the general public. Check concert dates and the programme for the relevant season.

Local products and visits

La Fermette à Didi sells its products directly from a self-service farm shop in Icogne. The range includes goat’s cheese, goat and pork, seasoning blends for cooking, goat’s milk soaps and eggs. The product range may change.

L’Essencier organises guided distillery tours on request; advance contact is required, and arrangements may change. Products available for direct sale include essential oils, hydrosols, room sprays, plant oils, infusions, cosmetics and related gift items. This range may also vary. For an outdoor break, the La Scie picnic area offers a covered space with a plancha, two grills, and benches and tables for 50 people.

Discover more destinations: Crans-Sur-Sierre, Sierre, Grône, Venthône, Saint-Luc Vs, Chippis, Ayer, Anniviers.

See the main travel overview: Siders.