Saint-Léonard – Lac Souterrain - Sion

The hike starts at the Saint-Léonard train station in the Rhone Valley. After a short time, you reach the first major highlight of the tour: Lac Souterrain. This underground lake lies deep beneath the vineyards of Saint-Léonard and can be explored by boat as part of a guided tour. Its discovery dates back to 1943, after a drop in the water level made access to the cave possible.

After visiting the lake, the hike leads up into the vineyards above the Rhone Valley. Here, the route meets the Bisse de Clavau, a historic irrigation channel from the 15th century, which is still used today to water the vine-covered slopes. The trail follows the watercourse through the terraced vineyards and offers beautiful views over the wide Rhone Valley again and again.

The massive dry-stone walls that support the steep vineyard terraces are particularly impressive. In some places, they rise several meters high and strongly characterize this section of the hike. On the way toward Sion, the terrain gradually flattens out while the route continues to lead through the vineyards.

Finally, the path leaves the vineyards and leads down to Sion. To finish, a stroll through the historic old town is recommended.