Weekend in Bagnes

A 17th-century baroque church with a striking white facade and a richly decorated interior. The altarpiece and painted wooden ceiling are worth a close look.

Tip: Pop in during a weekday afternoon—it's nearly always empty. The crypt houses a small exhibition on local religious art.

A short, well-marked trail following the old irrigation channel (bisse) that once supplied water to the valley fields. It runs through larch forest with views of the surrounding pe

Tip: Best in late afternoon light. No steep sections—easy for families. Pair with a stop at the nearby playground in Bagnes centre.

A working alpine dairy accessible via a walking trail. In summer you can watch cheesemaking in the traditional stone chalets and see the cows grazing on the slopes.

Tip: Arrive by 10am to catch the morning milking and cheese production. Bring cash to buy a wedge of tomme or raclette straight from the cellar.

One of the world's tallest gravity dams, built across the Dranse de Bagnes river. The walk across the top gives you vertigo-inducing views straight down into the valley and across the turquoise reserv

Tip: Drive up early morning or late afternoon when tour buses are gone. The path along the reservoir leads to the Cabane de Chanrion hut if you want a moderate day hike.

Small local history museum inside a traditional Valaisan house. Displays cover alpine farming, wood carving, and the 1818 Giétro glacier flood that devastated the valley.

Tip: Entry is 6 CHF, free on the first Sunday of each month. The upper floor re-creates a 19th-century kitchen—look for the cast-iron stove and hand-carved furniture.