homeCol du Sanetsch/Col de Sénin/Sanetschpass
Col du Sanetsch/Col de Sénin/Sanetschpass Height Climbing height - length
2253m
1762m - 28.7 km (or 27.5, or 26.4) km (Sion)
1761m - 25.1 km (Conthey); 1751m - 24.9 km (Vuisse)
Difficulty Beauty
4-5 (5) 3-4 (5)
How to get there This is a very hard climb on a small road with uneven steepness. Maximum steepness is around 18%, but only for short above Plan-Cernet (1340m). The climb from Sion (491m) via Savièse is the most commonly climbed road up here (I believe), but this road could have some stones on the way (on the flat stretch between Chandolin and Pont du Diable). Even though some maps suggest that it is not possible to go up to the pass from Conthey (492m) on a paved road, this is in fact the main road used these days. One could start up to Conthey where I suggest on the map for the shortest climb via Conthey, but also at the starting place for the third alternative climb up via Vouisse to Chandolin. This last climb (via Vouisse) should be the hardest and probably the nicest. From Gsteig (1184m) on the north side of the pass, there is first a rough road and then only a somewhat difficult (for cyclists) walking path up to the Sanetschsee/Lac de Sénin (2035m) that take hours to walk up. From the lake it is 5.1 km and 217m climbing to the pass. The Conthey road and the road via Chandolin meets up soon after Pont du Diable.
Other comments This is a nice and hard pass. It is perhaps overlooked by many road cyclists as it is not practical to use for continuing elsewhere. It also has a feared, long tunnel near the top, which used to be unlit and dripping. Lately there has been lights installed that turns on by a sensor upon entering the tunnel. (However, the light does not work after 21 pm I learned and had to trace my way back by hand 800m in the dark through the very non-straight tunnel.) There are nice views at the top of the pass. I believe there were water at some place along the pass road. There are hotels and restaurants along the way, but none at the top. Down by the Sanetsch lake there is a hotel and restaurant Auberge du Sanetsch. Auberge du Plan Cernet in the middle of the climb have good accomodation (2004).
[CH-VS-2252, BIG 559]
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