Location: Grimentz
Top Things to do in Grimentz
Top 10 Things to do in Grimentz, Switzerland
Grimentz is a village in the district of Sierre in the Swiss canton of Valais. An independent municipality before, it merged on 1 January 2009 with neighboring Ayer, Chandolin, Saint Jean, Saint-Luc and Vissoie to form the municipality of Anniviers.
Restaurants in Grimentz
1. Grimentz Ski Resort
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 28 reviews
Reviewed By Rick E - Menerbes, France
Grimentz is like no other ski area, in a good way. If your idea of the perfect ski holiday is of flashy 4 and 5 star hotels, noisy night life, and wide perfectly groomed blue runs served by lift queues, then please, look elsewhere!
A modern gondola up one side, or a recently built cable car up the other, whisk you up to the ski areas without a hint of a queue. The cable car in theory holds 125 people, but typically you will find one third of that. The driver says hello at the start of the journey, and wishes you Bon Journee as you exit. Grimentz is that kind of place - everybody is friendly and laid back.
Up the mountain is a mix of a small number of chairlifts and drag lifts. While there may be a relatively small number of ways to get up the mountain, there is an unlimited number of ways to get down, most of it not for the faint hearted. There is a small number of optimistically rated blue runs, but much of the skiing is steep here, particularly above Zinal. People don't generally come here for the pistes though, and when the powder falls, the fun starts, with rarely any shortage of un-tracked mountainside to play on. Don't be deceived by the fact this is a small area: On a powder day you can ski of the same lift all day, and every run is different!
A truly unique area, best reserved for those of us who want to ski hard during the day, but appreciate the quiet and relaxed alpine charm of the village in the evening.
2. Sentier des Planetes
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 47 reviews
Reviewed By Ali_Hawkins - Melbourne, Australia
This is a scale model of the planets set along a lovely walk near St Luc. It's amazing to see the scale of the planets and the sheer distance between them - then try to imagine this life size! You don't have to walk the whole distance, but take a map with you so if you leave the path to take one of the side tracks you can still get back to the village. The telecabine (cable car) is a handy way to get to the top, or back down to the village too.
3. Sentier didactique de Zau Zoura
Overall Ratings
4 based on 1 reviews
The didactic trail of Zau Zoura is an opportunity for curious walkers to learn more about the specialties of the region. It is located above a small authentic village called Ayer in the Val D'anniviers region. The walk takes you from the village up to the mayen (old farmer building) des Moies and back to Ayer. You will find 15 post that describe the local fauna, flora and history that are spread along the 6km path.
Reviewed By tlhschr
Gemütliche Wanderung, die in einem schönen Walliser Bergdorf startet. Die Fauna und Flora auf dem Themenweg ist atemberaubend, genau so wie die Aussicht von den diversen Aussichtspunkten.
4. Grand Bisse de Vercorin
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 9 reviews
The Grand Bisse de Vercorin dates from the end of the 14th century. This bisse gets its water from the Rèche at an altitude of 1685 m (La Lé) and carries it to Vercorin. Never dry, the Bisse de Vercorin offers a magnificent walk through the Vallon de Réchy (nature reserve) and is the ideal access to one of the last Valleys in the canton that remains inaccessible to cars.
Reviewed By urk1955 - Zufikon
Diese Suonen kann man als Spazierwegbegleitung nur empfehlen. Der Weg ist gut begehbar und weitgehend im Schatten, was ihn bei Sonnenschein angenehm macht. Nach ca 1h30 hat es ein schönes Alprestaurant mit Walliserspezialitäten
5. Barrage de Moiry
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 25 reviews
Reviewed By Plymouthtraveller8 - Plymouth
This Barrage is well worth the drive from the Rhone Valley, as in all Alpine Valleys the roads are narrow and can be a little daunting if you are not used to such roads. However when you drive out of the tunnel and up onto the barrage (or dam) you instantly realise that it was worth the effort to get here.
However, continue driving alongside the man made lake until you come to the end of the road, park your car in the parking area and then walk up to the glacier. It's steep and narrow in parts and involves a a bit of a scramble over rocks but again well worth the effort.
6. Pyramides d'Euseigne
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 34 reviews
Reviewed By moot - Tenbury Wells, United Kingdom
These earth pyramids of Euseigne are one of Switzerland's most important geological sites and are protected monuments. It's worth a detour to get a view of this natural wonder. There is parking above them but also carry on driving down and as the road curves round across the valley you get another stunning view of the rocks. There is a footpath which takes you down to the foot of the pyramids, taking about 25 minutes.
7. Lac Souterrain, St-Leonard- Day Tours
Overall Ratings
4 based on 222 reviews
Reviewed By UrbanDrifter - Melbourne
31 students, 5 staff and we virtually fill up the boat. There were a half dozen other adults on the quick journey and they were patient with our excited teenagers. This trip is by no means scary and in fact, quite beautiful. Of course, as a seasoned traveller I've seen some amazing underground lakes and this was very good but not the best I've seen. But for the meer cost of 10 francs it's worth it for 20 minutes and about 300m. When we got to the end I was like "is that it?" but heck - you gotta make a buck somewhere. Some might find it a tourist trap but we all enjoyed it.
The guides ask what languages we spoke so they could cater for all of us. It's nice in cool inside but we were there in June but I wonder if it's open in the colder months and what it would be like.
The lights they have to illuminate the water and you can see the very large fish is wonderful. Even the lighting on a dinghy is something special (see my pics).
As we were travelling with a choir group I asked them to sing and they sand a beautiful classical piece that had the other tourists in tears. The acoustics were wonderful. They sang one more and when we got off the boat they applauded us.
The gift shop got a hammering from the students who bought so many things such as bracelets, rocks, pocket knives as well as soft drinks and ice cream. The owner shut the doors after we left because I think she'd made alot of francs that day.
We caught a train from Sion to this destination. Pretty easy to do and a 20 minute walk from the station to the start of it. You may need a map or get the Google machine to show you the way.
Toilets are good. Food good. Drinks cold. There is a Seating area outside as well.
8. Church-Fortress of Valere
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 142 reviews
Reviewed By OneWayVancouver - Vancouver, Canada
It's a stiff climb to the top of the high knoll where the Château de Valère is perched, but when you look over the stunning view of the Rhone Valley and its surrounding Mountains, it will have been worth every step.
Of course, you have to go inside the basilica to see the world’s oldest working pipe organ (dating back to1435 A.D.).
This is a must-see attraction while visiting Sion.
Overall Ratings
4 based on 382 reviews
Stretching from the Rhone valley (altitude: 500m) to the Plaine Morte Glacier (altitude: 3,000m), Crans-Montana is a sunny region with a breathtaking view over a string of mountain peaks that unfold from the Dufourspitze to Mont Blanc via the Weisshorn and the Matterhorn. With its lakes, Forests, glacier and vineyards, the region has something to offer every nature lover. Sports fans, too, will be delighted to discover a large array of amenities dedicated to sporting activities, whilst cultural devotees will enjoy the wide range of museums, events and festivals. In fact, Crans-Montana combines all the benefits of the urban lifestyle within a mountain setting, with a wide selection of eateries ranging from mountain huts to award-winning restaurants, numerous boutiques and shops, a wellness centre, a variety of entertainment and a vibrant nightlife.
Reviewed By FormerCaliBoy - Zurich, Switzerland
Crans and Montana are neighboring communities connected and shared by the little mountain lake. There are nice little outdoor cafes, restaurants with sidewalk Seating and this place was rather hectic during our fall visit. There was a show horse event in town during our stay, which was free and open to the public so we went down briefly to check it out.During the Swiss National Holiday there were fireworks set to music over the mountain lake.
The place is even more popular during the winter season as the skiers take over the town. The ski lifts are very close and within walking distance and once at the top there are more connecting trails along the ridges and a large lounge with openair patio.
Crans-Montana is a somewhat exclusive resort town for those that love to ski and/or love to be pampered. .
10. Cabane de Moiry
Overall Ratings
4 based on 18 reviews
Reviewed By MsMonkeyGirl - Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Don't believe the hype. Unfortunately, Cabane de Moiry tends to rest on its laurels: its view is spectacular, and the building itself is fantastic (unless you're sitting near the windows at dinnertime, as then it's an inferno), but the staff are not particularly friendly/efficient or forthcoming about information both with regard to the cabin or the area. For instance, after we left, we were told by another guest that they had been giving away free lift passes to get down (which would have saved the knees!), which older friends had needlessly paid for. And, this guest knew only because the local people at his dinner table told him: none of the English-speaking guests had been notified. We were also disappointed with CdeM's food because we had been looking forward to it for months. Many of the people we met along the Haute Route later complained about the poor offering. On the night we stayed, we had onion soup that tasted like dishwater. (We joked that they had simply added more water to the broth when they found out more people were expected for dinner (as some hadn't prebooked).) The main meal, served on one tray for ten people, was a cut up sausage with the stringy green end of leeks and green beans. More food was brought out later, but I think people only ate it because they had been hiking all day (the walk to the cabin is a bit strenuous) and were starving. The dessert was not memorable. Bring your own water as they claim the bathroom water is non-potable, but you can fill your bottle there with a warm 'red' drink that's found in a large green drum near the door (I was told by another guest the next morning). Most other food items are rather expensive, so bring your own snacks (a soda, for example, is 14 CHF!). The breakfast is fine, but the coffee is disappointingly instant. I appreciate that all their supplies have to be brought in by helicopter (from the car park), but there is no need to gouge guests, especially when the food is not exceptional. The CdeM is expensive, but it's in a stunning location. So, if you do go, bring lots of money and also remember to bring snacks, a sheet liner, and ear plugs, especially if you're in the dormitory (in the old building).
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