Top 5 of Autumn in Arolla

Autumn — “the finest season in the Alps,” some will say. The colours come down slowly: from the vineyard slopes at the bottom of the Rhône valley up to the larch forests of the high plateaus, gold gains ground week by week, before the first snows fall. At Arolla, at 2,070 metres, it is a short and precious season — the air sharpens, the light turns low and raking, and the mountain regains its calm after summer. Here are our five favourite ways to enjoy it, all on foot from the Grand Hôtel & Kurhaus.

1. Hike to the Blue Lake

It is the gem of the Val d’Hérens: a small alpine lake of turquoise water, cradled in an amphitheatre of larches. After the bustle of summer, autumn restores its stillness — there are fewer walkers, and silence returns to its shores. Depending on the weather and the light of day, the scene can turn magical: blue water, copper forests and the first snow on the summits. A gentle walk, reachable from the hotel, and still one of our favourite outings of the season.

2. Wander the Kurhaus forest

No need to go far: a path sets off straight from the hotel and into the forest of century-old Swiss stone pines and larches that gives Arolla its character. A few benches line the way, placed there for contemplation — the forest turning gold, the smooth trunks of the stone pines, and, above, the peaks already dusted with snow. This is the walk for quiet mornings, to be done in walking shoes between coffee and lunch.

3. Taste a brisolée

Valais autumn has its ritual: the brisolée. It is a convivial meal of roasted chestnuts, served with alpine cheeses, butter, sometimes dried meat, and accompanied by the orchard fruits of the valley — apples, pears, grapes. It is gladly shared among friends, over a glass of new wine or grape must. For anyone who does not yet know the Valais, it is the best way to taste the season on a plate.

4. Admire the golden larch forests

From mid-October, Arolla turns to gold. The larch is one of the few conifers to shed its needles: before letting them fall, it tints them a deep yellow that sets whole slopes ablaze. At the foot of the glaciers and beneath Mont-Collon, these forests offer some of the finest scenes of the year — all the more striking when the first snow sharpens the contrasts. One to two weeks, no more: you have to seize the moment.

5. Watch the wildlife

Autumn is also the season when the mountain comes alive. Guided excursions (rando-hérens) make it possible to observe red deer and chamois and to learn to read the signs of nature through the seasons. It is the time of the rut: at dawn and dusk, the hoarse call of the bellowing stags echoes through the forests — an experience to be had quietly and discreetly, in the company of someone who knows the ground.

Five experiences, one same season to take slowly. From the hotel, you set off on foot in the morning and return for tea in the lounge, cheeks still cool from the altitude. Write to us to plan your autumn escape — we will gladly point you to the trails of the moment and the best places for a brisolée.