Altitude Magazine N° 11.

62 I ntegrating regular physical exercise has become a vital part of one's life. The Haut- Plateau region is known as a hiking paradise. Its "Grandeur Nature" area is a place to escape to and renew one's energy. It's an opportunity to have fun and take a deep breath of fresh mountain air... From the pleasant temperatures of April to the blazing colours and heat of late autumn, the Bénou (Bisse Neuf or de Venthône or de Planige) lends itself perfectly to wandering, poetic thoughts and contemplation. All along the watercourse the nature lover is carried away by the lapping, bubbling sounds of the water, the scents of the resin from the woodlands and the colours that make up this tranquil landscape. The walk unfolds on a carpet of larch needles in an almost Mediterranean environment, arid and hot, until it turns into a wooded gorge where the water intake is located in the Raspille. The hiker becomes a part of the environment. It is not uncommon to come across other hikers along the trail and to enjoy the best conversations. It is possible for the hiker to have their best experiences in this wilderness; when everything is quiet, when the path becomes narrow and the lightness of the butterfly, the swarming and hard-working anthill, the lively and mischievous squirrel, the black woodpecker hammering on the bark of a pine tree, ... the orchid with its singular shapes, appear. This living picture is idyllic and made more so by being so close to the watercourse. The bisse winds its way gently up the mountain while cutting through its steep, rocky slopes. The watercourse was designed in the 15th century by the locals to irrigate their fields and water their livestock. The Benou crosses several streams that contribute to its flow. COME ... SEIZE THE MOMENT AND EXPLORE THE BENOU! nature