Gorges du Durnand in Bovernier: a spectacular family walk

A Fresh and Impressive Interlude

Just steps away from Martigny, the Gorges du Durnand invite families to immerse themselves in the heart of a spectacular canyon. One walks on wooden walkways above waterfalls, in a cool and shaded atmosphere that feels refreshing on sunny days. It’s a short but intense outing that leaves a mark on children and fuels their curiosity.

What Your Children Will Love

Children enjoy watching the water flow beneath their feet, counting the steps (there are more than 300), and spotting pools, mosses, and mini-rainbows in the mist. The path is playful and sensory: you can hear the roar of the water, feel the humidity, and touch the cold railings. In terms of learning, we talk about erosion, the force of water, and respect for a fragile natural site.

What to Expect On-Site

• Type of activity: nature walk on walkways and stairs, relatively calm but with a slight sporty side (elevation and steps).
• Duration: 45 minutes to 1.5 hours depending on the pace and photo breaks. Allow a bit more time with young walkers.
• Age: recommended from 5-6 years old to be comfortable with stairs and heights. Younger ones can follow in a baby carrier. Strollers are impossible.
• Safety: sturdy walkways and railings, but stay close to the children and hold hands in narrow passages. Avoid in rainy weather or after a storm: it gets slippery.
• Access and reservation: paid entry on-site, generally without reservation. Prices and hours vary by season: check before you go.
• Equipment: good non-slip shoes, light windbreaker (it’s cool in the gorge), water, and a small snack. In summer, bring a hat and sunscreen for before/after the gorge.
• Accessibility: not accessible by wheelchair or with a stroller due to the steps. By public transport, reach Bovernier and then walk to the entrance.
• Season: open from spring to autumn, depending on conditions. Closed in winter.

Benefits for Your Children

• Motor skills: confidently going up and down the steps, managing their balance.
• Curiosity: understanding how water carves rock, observing the fauna and flora of a wet environment.
• Sense of effort: short ascent, pride in reaching viewpoints.
• Sensitivity to nature: respect for a protected site, attention to other visitors.

Parents' Tips

• Leave early in the morning: calmer, soft light, and less slippery walkways.
• Set a little code: we walk behind the adult, we hold the railing.
• Bring a light change of clothes for children sensitive to humidity.
• Prefer a hiking baby carrier for the little ones.
• After the gorge, treat yourself to a drink/ice cream in the hamlet of Valettes.

Useful Information

• Address: Entrance to the Gorges du Durnand, Les Valettes, 1932 Bovernier (VS)
• Official site: check hours, prices, and opening status before you go
• Opening period: generally from late spring to autumn (variable depending on weather)
• Ideal weather: dry weather; avoid rain and the day after a storm
• Car access: parking at the start of the gorges (limited spaces on weekends)
• Public transport: train to Bovernier (regional line from Martigny), then about 15–25 minutes on foot to the entrance

Why We Recommend It

• A condensed dose of wonder in a short time: perfect with children.
• Well-maintained path that retains the thrill of the gorges without being extreme.
• A beautiful introduction to natural phenomena and safe walking.
• Easily combinable with a visit to Martigny or a walk in Valais.

Want to Go?

The Gorges du Durnand offer an accessible and memorable adventure, to be experienced when the weather is mild. For more ideas for family walks in French-speaking Switzerland, create your Kidora account or subscribe to our newsletter.