At an altitude of 935 metres, Panex sits on a promontory between the valleys of the Grande Eau and the Bondet. The village and its surroundings offer a variety of things to discover: the Sentier du Sel and its salt-making history, the wooded Creux d’Enfer and the Village of Insects. If you choose Panex as a destination for a stay focused on hiking and nature, you can plan your itinerary around these highlights.
Hiking trails with different themes
The Sentier du Sel runs from Salins through Panex to the Saline du Bévieux. Educational signs along the trail explain the history of salt and are suitable for children too. This route therefore focuses on learning about a specific subject. Bus route 145 can be used to reach the starting point of the Sentier du Sel or to return after the hike; it connects Ollon railway station with Plambuit via Panex. As the timetable varies by season and day of the week, check the connection for your travel date.
Another hike follows the Villars–Les Ecovets–Panex–Ollon route. It passes through varied landscapes and the village of Panex. From Les Ecovets, it initially follows the road, then continues along a forest path towards Panex. When planning, you can distinguish it from the Sentier du Sel by its different route, as the signs and salt-making history are the focus of that trail.
The Sentier de Provence also heads towards Panex: after the section through the vineyards, it continues in this direction from the hamlet of Verschiez. Along the way, you can stop at a winegrower’s for a tasting of local wines. A gravel route also passes through the hamlet of Panex. Its sections run through the vineyards above Ollon, with views of Grand Muveran. Here, the vineyard setting and views are the main attractions; the Sentier de Provence also offers the option of stopping for a tasting.
Creux d’Enfer and insect hotels
Creux d’Enfer is a wooded sinkhole in the Sainte-Marie forest, near the entrance to Panex. At its upper edge, it is about 150 metres in diameter and at least 63 metres deep. It is also known as the “Grotte aux Fées” (Fairies’ Cave), a name associated with local legends. Creux d’Enfer can be reached from the Panex, Village bus stop after a walk of about ten minutes. One access route starts at the entrance to Panex from the direction of Ollon: a small road towards Salins runs for about 600 metres to the edge of the forest.
The Village of Insects in Panex has frequently used insect hotels on numerous façades. They provide habitats for wild bees, solitary wasps, white-tailed bumblebees, ladybirds, ground beetles and earwigs. The Village can be visited during the day; check the visiting arrangements before you arrive. This allows you to plan the visit as a separate highlight alongside the hikes and geological site, without confusing their distinct themes.
Panex in the wider regional setting
The wider region around the municipality of Ollon features a range of agricultural landscapes at different altitudes: arable farming and fruit growing in the Rhône plain, vineyards on sunny slopes and sweet chestnut forests. At higher elevations, dairy farming, livestock rearing and extensive alpine pastures are also found. This regional perspective complements the specific destinations in Panex. When choosing what to focus on, you can therefore consider whether you are most interested in the salt trail, Creux d’Enfer, the insect hotels or the different hiking and vineyard themes.
For the broader travel overview: Ollon Vd.
