A steep curvy road to Cleuson Lake in Valais

# Lac de Cleuson: A Swiss Alpine Adventure

Nestled in the Valais canton of southern Switzerland, Lac de Cleuson sits pretty at 2,186 meters (7,171 ft) above sea level. This stunning high-mountain reservoir is the real deal—the kind of place that makes your heart skip a beat.

Built between 1947 and 1950, the Cleuson dam is seriously impressive. Designed to be practically indestructible (thanks to reinforced buttresses built during wartime), this beast of a structure stretches 420 meters long and towers 87 meters high. It holds back roughly 20 million cubic meters of water from the entire valley. Pretty wild when you think about it.

Now, here's where it gets interesting. The 12.7 km (7.89 miles) drive from Nendaz to the reservoir is not for the faint of heart. You'll tackle a mostly paved road that becomes gravel for the final 3.5 km, with sections hitting a jaw-dropping 30% gradient. Expect plenty of hairpin turns and tunnels carved right into the mountainside. Fair warning: the last stretch is off-limits to regular vehicles, and the entire route closes down from November to May when snow takes over.

But here's what makes it worth the effort—the views are absolutely spectacular. You'll overlook the Valley of Nendaz with the Bernese Alps chain stretching out before you. There's also a hidden gem: the Chapelle catholique de Cleuson, the highest standing chapel in the commune, sitting right on the lake's banks.

If you want an even more adventurous experience, a rough gravel road continues up to the Refuge de Saint-Laurent at 2,492 meters (8,175 ft). Remote, beautiful, and utterly fantastic.