High Altitude Cappuccino

🗺️ Overview Starting point: Chalet Lagole, Pieve di Cadore (Dolomites) Highest point: Parking lot above Chalet Lagole (~700 m) Total elevation gain: ~30 m Total distance: ~1.2 km Total time: 20–30 min (plus time at the lake) Technical difficulty: Easy, family-friendly Download GPS file Il Laghetto delle Tose is definitely a tiny hike — it takes about 20 minutes, maybe 30 if you’re with kids (plus extra time to enjoy the lake, of course). Still, it’s absolutely worth the detour. The trail starts at the restaurant Chalet Lagole , below Pieve di Cadore in the Dolomites. The restaurant itself is excellent, with a fantastic view over the lake, so it’s also worth a visit on its own. From the chalet, the little hike begins by circling a small fishing lake and then heading into the woods behind it. There’s a short, gentle uphill section at the start, and after about 15 minutes you’ll reach a clearing with a river. The river is peaceful and beautiful, forming do...

🗺️ Overview Starting Point : Tiny cable car from Gsteig (Bern side) Highest Point : Hut above the lake (about 2,050m) Distance : 4 km (lake loop) Elevation Gain : ~50m Time : 1h10 walking time – we took 3h with a 4-year-old, picnic, swimming, and photo stops Download GPS file Lake Sanetch is an artificial lake right at the border between Bern and Valais. Even though you cross over from the Bernese side, it is still French-speaking territory, and most people reach it from Sion by road (there’s even a bus). It’s a perfect place for panoramic picnics, whether by the river or along the lake shore, and you can even go for a swim – surprisingly “warm” for a lake at 2000m! We, however, did not come by car. Instead, from the Bern side in Gsteig (which would take several hours by bus), there is a tiny cable car. Be aware: it’s really tiny, with just one cabin and a maximum capacity of 40 people per hour. If you arrive late, you will likely face a wait – we queued almost 40 minut...

🗺️ Overview Starting point:  Carrière des Chamois (1400m) Arrival point:  Refuge de Solacyre (1827m) Altitude gain:  400m Time:  ~2 hour (loop) Difficulty:  Easy Download GPS file We did this hike in winter, and it was a fantastic experience! The paths are well-organized, with sections of the summer road with snow groomed for easy walking (no snowshoes needed) and other stretches through the woods where snowshoes might be necessary, especially after fresh snowfall. You can find the full map  [here] , or clicking on the image below. It will allow you to download a detailed PDF with hike descriptions. The Route Starting from the quarry, take the left-hand path (as you face away from the quarry) and begin your ascent along the summer road. After about 20 minutes, you’ll reach a bifurcation: one route continues right along the road, while the other veers left through the woods. We chose to go uphill via the forest trail and descend via the road—and it was the ...

🗺️ Overview Starting point:  Auberge du Lac de Joncs parking (1,230m) Arrival:  La Corbetta summit (1,401m) Altitude gain:  ~170m Distance:  ~3km Duration:  ~1h30 (with a child of 4) Difficulty:  Easy Technical difficulty:  Minimal (some icy sections in winter) Download GPS file A Perfect Winter Walk It was a sunny February day, so we decided to go on a  family hike . Gaia, now almost  four years old , can walk  up to 4km  on her own, so I chose a short but scenic route:  Lac de Joncs to La Corbetta —just over  3km  in total. We started at the  Auberge du Lac de Joncs parking . Before heading up, we walked around the  frozen lake , writing words on the ice and enjoying the crisp winter air. On the  far side of the lake , the trail begins. It was marked in  pink  as a  snowshoe path , but the snow was  hard-packed . Since we hadn’t expected snow at all, we didn’t bring snowshoes—but ...

🗺️ Overview Starting point:  Les Avants (974m) Arrival:  Sonloup (1,157m) Altitude gain:  ~250m + some ups and downs for a total of 350m Duration:  ~2 hours (loop) Difficulty:  Easy Best season:  June (for peak narcissus bloom) Family-friendly:  Yes (even suitable for young children) Funicular option:  Yes (Sonloup–Les Avants) Download GPS file This hike is a classic for me—one I’ve done many times and make sure to do almost every year. It’s the perfect way to inaugurate my new blog label,  “Classics” —trails that I return to again and again because they never disappoint. The ideal period for this family-friendly loop hike is  June , when the narcissus flowers are in full bloom. During this time, the alpine pastures transform into a breathtaking white carpet of blossoms, making it a truly magical experience. Starting Point: Les Avants The hike begins in  Les Avants , where there’s a parking area in front of the train station. From ...

🗺️ Overview Starting point:  Grande Dixence Dam (2,350m, after taking the lift) Arrival:  Col de Roux (2,780m) – then descent to Cabane de Prafleuri and return Altitude gain:  ~430m (+100 on the return) Duration:  ~3-4 hours round trip Difficulty:  Moderate Best season:  Late summer (to avoid snow) Family-friendly:  Yes, but best for fit hiker-parents, especially if carrying a child Key highlights:  The massive  Grande Dixence Dam , a  flat lakeside section ,  moonlike landscapes , and a  mountain hut stop Download GPS file The  Grande Dixence Dam  is truly  “Grande” —one of the largest  gravity dams  in the  Alps . Visiting the dam alone is already an experience, and for thrill-seekers, there’s even a  zipline  that flies across its front! But our goal was a  hike along the lake , taking in the high-alpine scenery. A Challenging but Rewarding Family Hike This  hike is doable w...