Bex between salt mines, vineyards and hiking trails

Bex offers a range of options for your stay: an active salt mine, hiking trails through gorges and terraced vineyards, a garden of alpine plants, as well as art and local history. The trails and visits vary by theme and distance, and some are also seasonal.

Bex Salt Mines and How to Get There

The Bex Salt Mines are Switzerland’s last active salt mine. After an audiovisual presentation, visitors take the miners’ train into the salt mountain, which is part of the visit. A visit by lantern offers a chance to rediscover the galleries in a subdued atmosphere; special formats may change, so it is advisable to check their availability in advance.

Bus route 152 runs from Bex railway station to the salt mines. It operates on Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays and the Monday of the Swiss Federal Day of Thanksgiving, Repentance and Prayer. If you plan to take the bus, check the timetable for the day of your visit.

Hikes of Different Lengths

An easy hike from Frenières, above Bex, to Pont de Nant takes you through the Avançon gorges. Along the way, it crosses a suspension bridge above the gorge. A shorter, more accessible family hike starts in Les Plans-sur-Bex and reaches Pont de Nant in 45 minutes. Both trails lead to the same destination but differ in their starting points and character; check trail conditions before setting out.

For a circular hike, the route from Le Bévieux via Frenières offers a more specific time estimate: 13.2 kilometres and a stated duration of 4 hours and 20 minutes. The route passes through the forest of Monts-sur-Bex and follows the Avançon River and its waterfalls. The starting point at Bévieux can be reached on the Bex–Villars–Bretaye railway; check the current timetable before planning your journey around it.

La Thomasia and the Vallon de Nant

La Thomasia is home to around 3,000 alpine plants, arranged according to their geographical origins. The garden is located at the entrance to the Vallon de Nant nature reserve. A trail through the valley leads to Alp Nant, passing through forests, pastures, alluvial fans and scree slopes—another way to experience the area’s landscape, distinct from a visit to the botanical garden.

From Bex, you can reach La Thomasia via Frenières and Les Plans. From the end of May to the end of September, bus route 152 runs from Bex to Pont de Nant. Outside this period, the bus goes as far as Les Plans; from there, you have another two kilometres to walk. The seasonal bus destinations are therefore important to keep in mind when planning your trip.

Vineyards and Tastings

Bex’s wine-growing area, one of the appellations in the Aigle district, covers three slopes: Le Montet, Chiètres and Le Chêne. The vineyards cover 110 hectares, more than half of which are planted with red grape varieties. The Sentier des vignes trail takes walkers to the terraced vineyard plots and offers the chance to discover their produce along the way. Bex winemakers also open their doors for wine tastings.

Domaine Le Luissalet is a five-hectare family-run estate on Chiètres Hill, managed by Willy Deladoëy. The visitor experience includes a cellar tour with the producer, explanations of the winemaking process and a tasting of four wines from the estate. Booking conditions and tasting details may change; check them before booking.

Art and History in Bex

The Triennale Bex Arts was founded in 1981 as an exhibition of contemporary art and takes place in Szilassy landscape park. As an open-air exhibition, it brings sculptures, installations and performances into direct dialogue with the landscape. This gives it a distinct character alongside the historical themes explored on walking tours in Bex.

The Dufour fortifications are a cultural asset of national importance. They were built from 1830 onwards on both the Vaud and Valais sides of the Saint-Maurice gorge to protect it against an attempted foreign invasion. The fortifications can be visited; check local conditions before your visit.

Around twenty information panels along the Les Panneaux du Patrimoine route tell the story of important places and buildings in the village of Bex. The Balade des Fontaines uses the fountains as a common thread through the town’s history. Another heritage trail with information panels focuses on the history of thermal baths in Bex-les-Bains. Depending on your interests, you can make art in the landscape park, the history of the fortifications or local history the focus of your stay.

Discover more destinations: Frenières-Sur-Bex, Chessel, Ormont-Dessous, Lavey-Morcles, Villars-Sur-Ollon, Les Mosses, Ormont-Dessus, Aigle.

Back to the main travel overview: Aigle.