Two trails for the Lac de Taney hike | Switzerland

Swim, fish, eat or chill | Medium return & loop hikes (T1 & T2) | Take a taxi instead of walking

The Lac de Taney hike is a steep 1.5-hour climb, but well worth the effort. Beautiful turquoise waters await you, surrounded by forest, flower-filled meadows and majestic mountains. The lake is also accessible by taxi, making it a family-friendly destination across all ages and walking abilities.

There’s plenty to keep both adults and kids occupied: take a stroll around the lake, swim in the refreshing waters, or even catch your own fish. Eating opportunities abound too: stop for a picnic on the grassy lake shores, claim a grill for a BBQ, or sit back at one of the two restaurants at Taney village, whose sunny terraces are particularly popular.

If you’re feeling more active, then continue on to the summit of Le Grammont for an unparalleled view of Lake Geneva — or even walk all the way to St Gingolph.

Note that parking at the trail head is a major issue due to the hike’s popularity. New measures were introduced in 2021 to limit traffic in the area; see “Getting there & away” for more information.

Two routes to Lac Taney are described below:

►Return hike from Le Flon | 4.6 km on the trail | 5.4 km on the road | 410 m ^↑↓ | T1–T2
►Loop hike from Miex | 10 km | 640 m ^↑↓ | T2

Practical info – Lac Taney

Getting there & away

The Lac de Taney (also called Lac de Tanay) is located in the Savoy Alps in the Lake Geneva region, in the Swiss canton of Valais/Wallis.

Access from Le Flon & Miex
The most popular Lac de Taney hike starts in Le Flon, a small village above the town of Vouvry. You can also walk to Lac Tanay from Miex, which is just before Le Flon on the same road.

You can reach both villages by bus or car. If you plan to come by car, then be aware that:

• The road from Vouvry is narrow and not suitable for large vehicles
• The parking area in Le Flon has only 80 places, which can fill up by 10-11am on a sunny day … after which the road is closed. See below for details on new parking measures introduced in 2021.

►Directions to Le Flon on Google maps
►Directions to Miex on Google maps

Lac de Taney parking
From 3 June – 27 September 2021, the road to Miex and Le Flon will be closed once the Le Flon car park is full.

If the Le Flon parking is full, then you have two options:

1.  Park at the power plant in Chavalon (la centrale thermique de Vouvry), where 140 places are available. From here you can walk to Miex (1 hour) or Le Flon (1 hour 15 min) or take a shuttle bus to Le Flon, which costs CHF17 for the return trip.
2. Park at the Parking du Gros Large in Vouvry. From here you can walk up the old road to Le Flon (an additional 1,000 m climb requiring around 3 hours) or take the bus to Le Flon. Note that the bus service only runs a few times per day.

These new measures provide parking for a maximum of 300 vehicles during the most popular hiking season. The measures may change in 2022.

►Directions to Chavalon parking on Google maps
►Directions to Parking de Gros Large on Google maps

Lac Taney taxi
In summer you can take a taxi from the parking du Flon to the Col de Taney, just above the lake. Certain four-wheel drive vehicles are also allowed to drive up — but cannot go past the col without written permission from the commune. From the col it’s a 10 minute walk down to the lake and small hamlet of Taney, on a wheelchair- and stroller-friendly path.

►Lac de Taney taxi contact details

What to bring

You don’t need any special equipment to do the walks described here in spring, summer or early autumn. You may need snowshoes or mountaineering skis in winter and early spring when there is a lot of snow. Whatever the season, be prepared for sudden changes in weather, take enough to eat and drink, and don’t forget sun protection.

►Packing list | Day hike

Facilities

There are no facilities at the parking area in Le Flon; I couldn’t find any information on restaurants or shops in Miex.

The small hamlet at the lake offers two restaurants where you can also sleep, another auberge where you can sleep, and a small shop. There are also two public toilets and a BBQ area.

►Tourist map of the Lac de Tanay
►Tourist map of Miex & Le Flon
►Refuge du Grammont website (English, French, German, Italian)
►Auberge Refuge La Vouivre website (French)
►La Petite Auberge Baabuk (English)

Fishing

Fishing in the Lac de Taney requires a permit, which you can buy in Vouvry or online.

►Lac Taney fishing permit info
►Buy fishing permit online (French & German)

Dangers & annoyances

The Lac de Tanay hike is not dangerous. Nevertheless, guard against:

• Sunburn
• Heat stroke/dehydration
• Stomach bugs & parasites in lake and stream water

Trail descriptions and maps – Lac de Taney hike

 Nearby mountain fun

Eating & sleeping

You’ll find eating and sleeping options Vouvry, as well as closer to Lake Geneva in Villeneuve, Montreux and Vevey.

Other hiking options

For other trails in the area, see SwissMobility.

One trail of note is the long-distance national “6 Alpine Passes” trail, which includes a section along the Lac de Taney.

Mountain fun near or like the Lac de Taney hike