Carrière de Bocheresse

Setting off from Bonatchiesse, a path leads to a former soapstone quarry which is open once a week for guided tours if the weather is good. For safety reasons, the quarry is not open to the public without a guide. The Bocheresse quarry is the biggest soapstone quarry in Valais. The rock here is particularly suitable for sculpture and, in particular, for creating the locally named “Bagnard” stoves used to heat houses. At the time, the stones were extracted with tools used for wood, lowered onto sledges and transported to Champsec to make the stoves. The workshop has now been converted into a museum and informs visitors about this extraordinary historical journey.

Exploitation of this generous vein began in 1830, but at the turn of the 20th century, a massive collapse put a temporary end to the adventure. After a few years of neglect, a gallery was dug to allow mining to resume. The end of the Second World War, but above all the arrival of electricity, sounded the death knell for this treasure mine. Aware of the importance of this heritage, the municipality of Val de Bagnes decided in 2010 to secure the site and make it more accessible to visitors.
Bring warm clothes, as the temperature inside the quarry is around 8°C.

For good walkers: allow 2 hours' unaccompanied walking from Bonatschiesse to the Bocheresse quarry. A guide will be on hand. Bring warm clothing as the temperature inside the quarry is around 8°C. The guided tour lasts around 30 to 45 minutes.

Transport to Bonatchiesse is not included (TMR Bus is free with the VIP Pass). Bus timetable and route map are available from the tourist offices. Guided tours are in French only and they will not take place in poor weather.