Starting at the lower station of the Champéry-Planachaux cable-car, walk straight up the steep road facing you. At the top, turn right and head downhill, traversing the length of Champéry's picturesque High Street. Pass by the Rumières Spring and the Hotel le White on your left and keep going straight out of town on the Route de Chavalet. The paved road will eventually come to a dead end, and this is where the real fun starts! A steep dirt trail rises sharply in the grassy hillside before you, through the area called Les Revers and up to the Cantine Sur Cou. From this quaint mountain restaurant, you'll have about a hundred easy meters on the paved road to catch your breath before you take the forest path on your right. Climbing relentlessly through the forest, this segment leads to the foot of the Esserts Ridge. Suddenly, the rocky mountainsides and forests fall away on both sides of the trail and the view opens up, providing show-stopping panoramas of Champéry, the Dents du Midi and the Portes du Soleil Ski area. For your safety, the most technical sections of the ridge walk are equipped with chains. When you reach the famous Croix de Culet at 1963m, take the short path down the hillside to the cable-car station.

Area : Val d'Illiez - Suisse