A beautiful route through the wild valley of the Sionne. The Bitailla (contraction of "Bisse" and "Taillaz") is very old. The first document dates from 1307.
The walk begins at the car park of the Anzère cable car, where you must follow the «Tour du Gô» signs and take the «butterfly path» that will take you to the Évouettes water intake. The itinerary continues along the route of the bisse, sometimes canalised, sometimes open air, and ends in St-Romain via Saxonne. Several public establishments are available in St-Romain to satisfy your thirst. To get back to your starting point, take advantage of the Anzère Liberté Pass in summer, which allows you to use free public transport between Grimisuat and Anzère.
The water from the bisse is divided proportionally between Arbaz and Ayent, and then for the different villages. This system of distribution is a magnificent example of water management and its distribution over a large territory.
The Bisse de Bitailla is one of the only bisses to be in water all year round.
The route passes through the Mayens d'Arbaz, near the Étang Long. The lake is very popular with fishermen and has picnic areas with space for barbecues. During the summer months, it is also possible to enjoy a meal on the terrace of the Pascali's Restaurant du Lac.
Characteristics
Length: 8.75km
Duration: 2h20
Ascent and descent: +129m / -650m
Difficulty: easy
Water launch: all year round
At the end of your hike, go to Botyre to discover the history of the bisses at the Musée Valaisan des Bisses. This is located inside the painted house, a historic building dating from the 17th century, where you will find 270m2 of exhibition space that will help you appreciate the decisive role of the Bisses in the development of the Valais region.