Activity

The Tour du Gros de Vaud is a hiking trail in 5 stages, ideal for exploring the region

This hiking trail is around 70 kilometres long and divided into 5 stages. It runs in a loop around Echallens, crossing landscapes, forests and rural villages. Various paths give you a comprehensive overview of the Gros de Vaud district and its cultural heritage.

Stage 1: Bercher to Echallens

Distance: 16.3 km
Duration: approx. 4 hours 10 minutes
Total ascent: 280 m
Total descent: 290 m
Highest point of the stage: 700 m
Lowest point of the stage: 565 m


Bercher: terminus of the LEB line, this village lies in the heart of the Vaud countryside. As you leave the train, the scenery is quickly interrupted. The huge grain silo of the Landi collection centre and the imposing warehouse of wooden crates for the potato harvest show us that agriculture is king here.

Rueyres: It's only a few minutes' walk from Bercher railway station to the small village of Rueyres. In the central square, we see a beautiful farmhouse covered in ivy and greenery. This magic of the place is perfectly captured in the paintings of Richard Hartmann (1901-2000). This landscape painter taught at the art school in Lausanne between 1964 and 1971. He lived for many years in the village of Rueyres, of which he became an honorary citizen.

Pailly: The road to the village of Pailly leads through a wooded valley where the Sauteruz flows and then along a series of farm tracks to the entrance of the village. Here too, the main road is lined with beautiful farmhouses. Sometimes we can admire some old tractors that are beautifully maintained. After circling the village's old church, we meet paths again that lead us through wheat fields to Vuarrens.

Vuarrens: A few hundred metres before the entrance to the village, we come across an orientation board. At an altitude of 700 metres above sea level, this place slightly towers above the rest of the region. The view of the Alps and the Jura is marvellous.

Villars-le-Terroir: At the end of the forest, halfway between Vuarrens and Villars-le-Terroir, we come to the area of the Ferme Aventure du Petit-Buron. In this secluded area, you can watch the animals on the farm and buy regional products in the self-service shop. This area also offers overnight stays in a tipi or on straw. The village of Villars-le-Terroir is two kilometres further on and can be reached via the Grands Bois. The Catholic church of St-Nicolas dominates the centre of the village. In this predominantly Protestant region, Villars-le-Terroir is one of the few villages with only one Catholic church. However, this building is generously made available to the Protestant community. There are villages in the region, such as Poliez-Pittet or Bottens, which have two churches, a large one for the Catholic community and a smaller one for the Protestant community. This peculiarity reminds us that 200 years ago, these villages were under the supervision of the joint bailiwicks of Bern (Protestant) and Fribourg (Catholic).

Echallens : The last straight that takes us to Echallens passes through a large area of cereal cultivation. It is therefore only natural that the end of the stage takes us to the Maison du Blé et du Pain (House of Wheat and Bread). This visit will give us an insight into the history of the cultivation and processing of these cereals.

The tours are organised by Thierry Duperrut.
Qualified mountain guide
Email: thierry@montagne-rando.ch
www.montagne-rando.ch
In collaboration with Echallens Région Tourisme