On foot · Val d'Hérens · August 2026
Evolène, Col de Meina and Pic d'Artsinol
The guaranteed fine day of the week, Magic Pass in pocket, off to Evolène for a little loop. Little? Over a thousand metres of climbing.
- Date
- August 2026
- Distance
- 12.7 km
- Elevation gain
- 1,082 m
- Walking time
- 4 h 32 min
- High point
- Pic d'Artsinol · 2,998 m
The route · indicative
The climb
Sheepdogs and 4000ers
From the chairlift we started by descending two hundred metres, so as to finish downhill rather than climbing in the afternoon furnace. A huge pasture, the pass in plain sight, clouds over the glacier, and the Dent Blanche letting the Matterhorn peek out shyly.
A flock of black-nosed sheep and their guard dogs to skirt with as much composure as possible, then the Col de Meina at 2,702 metres and the view down onto Lac des Dix.
The summit
Two metres short of 3000
Christian has an idea in mind: the Pic d'Artsinol. Emmanuelle climbs at her own pace to the col, discovers the white rock and the splendid Dixence, while a small yellow figure makes his way along the ridge.
He comes back happy, if slightly miffed: the peak couldn't even be bothered to reach three thousand metres. Two thousand nine hundred and ninety-eight. Back down the rolling scree and an antique chairlift, then the Euseigne earth pyramids on the drive home.
