The walk starts in the village of Rossinière, which offers some emblematic examples of timber architecture. Among them are the Chalet de la Place and the famous Grand Chalet, considered to be Switzerland’s biggest wooden house, where Balthus spent his final years. The Balthus chapel, which is dedicated to the artist’s memory, stands in the heart of the village and is well worth a visit.

The route climbs up past Lac de Vernex. Along the way, the shimmering mirror of the lake is visible through the trees. The path passes not far from the «old man of the forest», a fir tree selected for its majestic character. After the magic of the forests, the landscape changes to one of alpine pastures and chalets, where the rounds of goat’s cheese and the fa-mous L’Etivaz AOP are made.

From the Corjon pasture, the view over the Dent of the same name and the Gummfluh mountain chain in the distance offers a marvellous panoramic view, typical of pre-alpine regions. The descent to Villaz is steep at first before it levels off. The path continues slightly uphill again to the hamlet of Allières. It sits in a pretty valley divided by the River Hongrin, with a striking relief that is both wild and steep. The Auberge de la Croix de Fer offers tasty, traditional cooking.