The Dynamism of the Val d’Hérens

The 21st century has brought a new energy to the Val d’Hérens: whilst the mountains and the

winter sports continue to attract visitors, the area is becoming a showcase for agritourism and

for sustainable tourism.

The Val d’Hérens has a long and rich history of tourism dating back more than a century – a

success story built not on kitsch and artificial folklore but on genuine history and strong

emotions. Here, the mountains are high and wild: the Dent Blanche reaches 4357m and the

Grand Dixence Dam is the highest gravity dam in the world. Then, there are the Hérensards, the

local people with their quaint customs, proud of their heritage, their unique breed of cows… All

these reasons make a visit to the Val d’Hérens an experience to remember.

In a new and exciting step for the 21st century, the region has been selected as an official

candidate for the title Regional Nature Park (“Parc naturel régional”), granted by the

Confederation to regions with exceptional scenery and nature. As well as mountaineering and

winter sports, the Val d’Hérens is keeping up with changing demand by focussing firmly on

sustainable tourism and agritourism.

Overview

The Heart of the Alps

The Val d’Hérens is ideally placed in the heart of the Valais canton, with easy access from Sion.

- By air (airports in Sion, Geneva, Basel and Zurich)

- By train (direct from Sion to Basel, Geneva and Zurich airports – international

connections to: Munich, Cologne, Hamburg, Brussels, Rome, Milan-Cisalpino and Paris-

TGV)

- By road (A9 motorway – Sion-Est exit)

A bus network from the railway station and the airport covers the whole region. Sion is the capital

town of the Valais and has much to offer (shopping, leisure and culture) yet is only 30 minutes by

car from the most distant Hérensard village. Its location means the Val d’Hérens allows easy travel

towards Lausanne and the Lake Geneva region as well as to the other ski resorts and tourist

attractions of the Valais: Verbier, Martigny and the Fondation Gianadda art gallery, Crans

Montana, Loèche-les-Bains or Zermatt and the Matterhorn.

One Destination, Four Regions

Evolène Region (Evolène, les Haudères, Arolla, La Sage, Villa): the realm of wild, unspoilt, high

mountains, hamlets built of sun-darkened wood, high mountain passes and lakes, pastures and

glaciers, ibex and marmots. In Evolène, a local dialect is still spoken and locals are proud of their

heritage. The cross-country ski pistes and mountaineering opportunities are just some of the

“musts” of this region at the foot of the Dent Blanche.

St-Martin: nine sunlit hamlets where meadows and traditional farming land are home to a wealth

of plant and animal life: wild thyme, meadow sage, sand lizards, warblers… this mountain

commune is known for its achievements in sustainable agritourism, and in 2010 St-Martin won an

award from the European Association for Rural Development and Village Renewal.

Maya-Mont-Noble: Nax, the “balcon du ciel” or “balconie of the sky”, deserves its name with

breathtaking views extending from the Rhone valley to the mountain tops. In autumn, as the

leaves turn golden, the scenery is particularly stunning and Nax capitalises on this by offering a

range of special autumn deals. A short distance from the village centre the “Espace Mont-Noble”

provides year-round choice for relaxation, leisure, sport and adventure (snowpark, snowtubing,

snowshoe trails, Swin Golf, an archery trail in the forest with 3D targets, Museum of Nature and

Agriculture). Also not to be missed is Vernamiège, where the 800 year old larch trees are some of

the oldest in Europe, and the beautiful village of Mase with its meadows, green fields and the

“Ecole de la Forêt” educational walk with mobile phone commentary (i-phone).

Thyon-Région – Vex – Hérémence – les Agettes

Thyon-Région (Thyon 2000, Les Collons, Les Mayens de Sion, les Masses) is dedicated to snow and

fun. This family orientated ski resort is one of the gateways to the Four Valleys ski area (412 km of

piste), one of the largest in Europe. The snowpark freestyle centre is famous throughout the Alps.

The unspoilt villages of Vex and Hérémence, the Euseigne pyramids, weird towers sculpted by

natural erosion, and the Dixence dam complete the picture.

Accommodation

Visitors can choose from a wide range: 27 hotels, from 3* to the pensions which make up one

third of available beds, a wide variety of holiday accommodation (chalets, gîtes, bunkhouses,

from 8 to 120 places) bed and breakfasts, mountain huts perched at over 3000m, farm gîtes (see

also chapter on Agritourism), and six campsites. There is also a large choice of chalets and

apartments on the rental market.

Tourist Facilities

The Val d’Hérens boasts a varied tourist infrastructure: 3 ski areas with a choice of winter sports

and winter hiking, two ice skating rinks, three swimming pools, two mini-golf courses, a nine hole

Swin golf course, two via ferrata, a cinema, twelve tennis courts, mountain guiding agencies,

paragliding centres, museums, etc.

Tourism in Action

A brief history. Tourism in the Val d’Hérens began in the 19th century with the arrival of British

mountaineers drawn by the beauty of the mountains in the summer season. The winter season

took off with the development of skiing and winter sports. Nowadays most tourists are Swiss,

with Germans, Belgians and Dutch forming the majority of the foreign visitors. The annual total of

overnight stays has reached almost 645000 (2008/2009), with 70% visiting in winter and 30% in

summer.

In the 21st century tourism in the Val d’Hérens is seeking to diversify: sustainable tourism less

reliant on large resorts, “fun” sports and agritourism. There is something for families (farm visits,

walks, agritourism…) as well as young people (sport, mountaineering) and the older generation

(peace and quiet, scenery, fresh air). The title of “Regional Nature park” (“Parc naturel régional”)

and agritourism represent new ways to develop summer tourism and to increase diversity in

winter tourism, complementing the existing ski lifts and established attractions.

The Regional Nature Park (Parc natural régional)

An Opportunity for the Area

The Park boundary. The Regional Nature Park includes all six communes within the valley

(Evolène, Hérémence, les Agettes, St-Martin, Mont-Noble and Vex) as well as the commune of

Grône. The surface area of the park is 437.7 km², equivalent to 1% of the surface area of

Switzerland. The park stretches from the nature reserve of Pouta Fontana in the Rhône plain

(altitude 500m), the last great marshland of the Valais, to the summit of the Dent Blanche at

4357m. 8500 people live within the park boundary.

National Recognition. In 2009 the Val d’Hérens was selected by the Confederation as an official

candidate for the title “Regional Nature Park” (“Parc natural regional”). The region was chosen as

being one of the most representative and best preserved regions in the Valais Alps. A “Regional

Nature Park” is not a theme park or a “region in a display case”, but a living, working region with

an economic, cultural and social plan, supported by the local population. (In the Val d’Hérens the

inhabitants vote in late 2011, this consultation being an obligatory step towards gaining the title)

A UNESCO title? The extraordinary natural and scenic wealth of the Park should make it possible

in the future to work towards the title of “UNESCO Biosphere” should the population and the

valley authorities wish to do so.

Exceptional Natural Richness

The Park boasts exceptional cultural and scenic richness. This is a small inventory of what is on

offer:

Mountain tops of over 4000m, the Euseigne pyramids, glaciers…a spectacular geological

diversity. The Dent Blanche (4357m) is one of the stars of the “Dent Blanche Matterhorn Monte

Rosa region”, part of the national heritage. On the Italian-Swiss border, the Dent d’Hérens

(4179m) is another of the valley’s particularly famous summits. Glaciers and moraines are also

some of the treasures of the Park. The Euseigne Pyramids, towers sculpted by natural erosion

10,000 years ago, stand guard at entrance to the valley. The Fèrpecle and Mont Miné glaciers give

stunning panoramic views over vast fields of ice, moraine and boulder fields.

An alpine civilisation, vibrant culture and traditions with the Hérens breed of cows as an

emblem. Almost everything revolves around this temperamental breed of cows: cow fights, a

natural characteristic unique to these cows, cheese-making, traditional farmland with some 160

farmers still farming with traditional methods, maintaining the appeal of the countryside. The

traditional style of building is also part of the beauty of the Hérensard scenery.

The Rechy Valley (Vallon de Rechy). Hard though it is to believe, there are no cars or houses in

this untouched valley. True wilderness, and those who love nature: walkers, wildlife and bird-

spotters…It’s not surprising that this jewel is listed as a site of national importance, with wetlands,

lakes and waterfalls. The Borgne Valley (Vallon de la Borgne) is another gem of local scenery,

with rocky gorges, hot water springs, pine forests, leafy woods and prairies. It feels almost

Mediterranean…

The Pouta Fontana Marshes. This 30 hectare reserve, a site of national importance, offers

peaceful walks on the banks of the river. The river and reed beds are home to around 160 species

of birds, fish, amphibians, beavers… The Park contains other protected marshland sites: perched

between 2300m and 2500m, above Thyon, are les Gouilles des Essertze and la Tourbière du

Grand Tsa, the highest wetland in the Alps.

Almost 1000 plant species and 1555 animal species! The animal and plant life in the Park are

incredibly varied, reflecting the variety of habitats. The forests which make up one fifth of the

Park’s territory, marshlands, alpine meadows, farmland and rocky slopes are home to much

wildlife: deer, ibex, chamois, golden eagles, wild boar, 14 species of bat (12 of which are

endangered), 190 species of birds spotted in the Pouta Fontana reserve, 70 species of butterflies

and most of the reptiles to be found in the Swiss Alps. Among these plants and animals are

several rare and endangered species to which the Park gives a chance of survival.

A region focussed on development of renewable energy. The Dixence dam, a concrete

masterpiece with a 285m high wall, is an important part of the Park heritage.

Initial Effects of the “Regional Nature Park”

Recognition and tourist appeal on a national and international level. Candidature for the

“Regional Nature Park” title puts the region firmly in the spotlight – Switzerland Tourism and

Valais Tourism have since 2009 been running major publicity campaigns for the Nature Parks.

Under the “Nature Park” label, five new educational activities were launched in the summer of

2010. Aimed at schools throughout French-speaking Switzerland, these trips take school children

to the Dixence dam, walking in the forests or on trips with farmers where they can get a real taste

of the past milking Hérens cows.

The Rise of Agritourism

Agritourism, which is central to the Nature Park, goes from strength to strength in the valley. The

Val d’Hérens is committed to the cause with the support of the Confederation, the Valais Canton

and the Association of the Val d’Hérens Communes.

The Agritourism Industry

The agritourism industry offers farm-based accommodation and restaurants, sale of quality local

produce, the chance to work on a farm or make cheese, or in other words a taste of country life.

There’s no shortage of choice throughout the valley, and in 2011 a map will be available detailing

everything on offer.

The short term plan is to make more beds available in this sector - up from 50 to 70-80. An

increasingly diverse range of activities is on offer: bird-spotting walks or bread making workshops

at the Farm School in Hérémence, The Museum of Nature and Agriculture in Nax, archery and

Geocaching (treasure hunts with a GPS) in Ossona (see below), horse rides, asinotherapy (donkey

therapy)…

The Saint-Martin Model Projects

The St-Martin commune was chosen for a national level pilot project in sustainable low-impact

tourism. The Maurice Zermatten Information Trail (named after the famous writer, who was born

in the village) winds up through grassy hillsides, woodlands, cornfields and alpine meadows on its

way to the Becs des Bossons mountain hut at 3000m. St Martin continues to maintain this

traditional farmland, providing one of the most bio-diverse sites in Europe.

Ossona is a perfect example of renovation in St Martin. Deserted for 40 years, the plateau was

brought back to life in 2008. It’s now home to herds of dairy cows and goats, and two 18th and

19th century houses have been transformed into rural gites. Both the accommodation and the sale

of local produce have been successful. Ossona plans to double the available beds from 16 to 32 by

autumn 2011.

The Traditional Way of Life

Semi-Nomadic Lifestyle

In step with the changing seasons, the Hérensards used to move from their villages to the alpine

pastures with the grazing cattle. This way of life slowly died out with the growth of tourism and

especially with the construction of the Dixence dam in 1950, which created an alternative source

of income for the locals.

The Hérens Cows

This unique breed of cows, dark brown in colour, are renowned for their fiery temperament! The

cow fighting events are extremely popular in the Valais, attracting tourists as well as locals. The

fighting is a natural instinct; the cows lock horns to establish a hierarchy with the winner

becoming “queen” of the herd.

The “Bisses” – Irrigation Channels

The irrigation channels which wind around the hillsides date back to the 14th century. Their

construction demanded incredible ingenuity and bravery – carving channels in to the precipitous,

rocky hillsides, bringing water to the most unlikely places…Several of these bisses have now been

restored and have become tourist attractions.

Historic Villages, Barns, Stables

Two villages, Evolène and Les Haudères, and the hamlet of Lana are listed as historic architecture

of national importance in Switzerland. With barns and stables, grain stores, wooden and stone

water troughs, these old villages are genuine living museums. Guided tours are available to the

forge in Evolène, the villages of Arolla and les Haudères, and the la Sage weaving workshop. In

Nax and Loye, the old sawmills are still driven by water. Nax, Mase, Hérémence and St-Martin

have bread ovens still used to bake valaisan rye bread. In Mase, the old mill has been restored…

The Importance of Religion

The Catholic religion has left its mark on the countryside. Amongst the many churches and

chapels scattered around the valley, three are particularly memorable. The superb bell towers of

Saint-Sylve in Vex, the parish church in Evolène and the church in Nax, each more than 500 years

old, are not to be missed. The Hérémence church deserves a special mention for its contemporary

architecture. Built in the late ‘60s, it is considered a concrete masterpiece amidst the sun-

darkened wooden chalets. Finally, the Longeborne hermitage, deep in the wild Gorges de la

Borgnes, hides a valuable collection of ethnography: nearly 200 ex-voto commemorative plaques

representing local miracles and history are on display.

Carnival Madness

The Evolène carnival enjoys widespread fame. Every year since before records began, the

celebrations begin on 6th January – Epiphany or the Day of Kings. Carrying straw broomsticks and

dressed in costumes of straw-stuffed jute sacks and masked faces, the “empaillés” roam the

streets. Beware also the “peluches” which haunt the village, dressed in animal skins and

extraordinary masks. One month later on Mardi Gras, both locals and visitors meet up to

celebrate the death of “Old Man Winter” on the bonfire.

Dialect, Traditional Dress and Customs

The Evolène region is one of the last bastions of the traditional dialect in French-speaking

Switzerland, and the franco-provençal dialecte is still in daily use. Local traditional dress is still

worn on holidays and fête days.

Museums

The Evolène Alpine museum (folklore, traditional dress, local dialect, etc), the Museum of

Heritage and Culture in Mâche (photos, videos of years gone by, historic artefacts), the Centre for

Geology and Glaciology in les Haudères.

Gastronomy and Local Produce

The Hérens breed of cows is not just known for its horns but also for its meat: dried meat, joints

of beef, etc. The label “Fleur d’Hérens, viande du Valais” bears testament to the great quality of

this meat, whose taste reflects the mountain pastures. The label is a guarantee of quality,

awarded to animals no older than five years which have grazed in high pastures at least 80 days

per year, and with no GM feed.

Cheese

A real taste of the mountains, cheese is made with un-pasteurised milk and flavoured by alpine

flowers. Perhaps the most famous of all, Valaisanne Raclette is both a meal and a cheese and is

nowadays protected by an AOC (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée).

Wine

Many cafés, restaurants, farms and bistros serve speciality foods. A typical Valaisanne meal begins

with an Assiette Valaisanne (local cheese with dried meats and sausages, served with rye bread),

followed by raclette accompanied by Valaisan wines. Fine wines the equal of any, and winners of

many awards in international competition.

The Val d’Hérens in Summer

From short walks to long treks

More than 100km of footpaths weave around the Val d’Hérens. These well-maintained and sign-

posted paths are all shown on the 1:25000 map. There is a huge variety of walks to choose from,

from short pre-dinner strolls to long-distance treks like the Tour of the Matterhorn, which enters

the Val d’Herens via the Col de Torrent, then heads through les Haudères and up to Arolla and the

Arolla glacier and into Italy through the Col Collon.

The Hiking Tour of the Val d’Hérens. This tour fits well with the objectives of the “Nature Park”

and of the Agritourism industry. The hiking Tour of the Val d’Hérens is a great success: with 476

visitor overnights in its first year in 2007, this grew to 2’530 overnights in 2010. This five-day trek

leads from Thyon to Nax via the Dixence dam, the Dixence lake, passing beneath glaciers and

crossing the awesome Col de Riedmatten. A package is available including 6 nights full board plus

luggage transport.

Mountain Huts. The Bertol (3’311m), Vignettes (3’157m), Dix (2’928m) and Dent Blanche huts

(3507m), to mention just a few, have helped build the reputation of the Val d’Hérens as a mecca

for mountaineering and are the starting points for many of the famous climbs in the area.

Mountain guiding agencies in the valley can arrange tours of the glaciers or climbs to the summits.

Guided walks and themed trails. The “Ibex Nature Trail” above the Dixence dam, the “Pines and

Marmottes Trail” in Arolla, the Evolène-Region Geology Trail, the Forest School in Mâse, The

Nature Trail in Nax on which you’ll find the legendary “Children’s Rock” (Pierre des Enfants), the

“Lutins Didaludic” Trail in Thyon, which was built by children for children, and of course the trails

which follow the irrigation channels, or bisses, in Vex, Hérémence, Tsa Crêta, Chervex,

Fang…Various themed trips are on offer, led by a qualified walking group leader: for example a

walk around Evolène search of wild life and medicinal plants, or geology trips in the Fèrpecle

valley or to the Arolla glacier.

Outdoor Activities

Mountain biking. The valley has 300km of marked trails on forest tracks, footpaths and 4x4

tracks. Hérémence and Evolène are well known to mountain bikers as start points for the Grand

Raid Cristalp, a world-famous mountain bike race.

Two Via Ferratas (these routes up rock faces are part hiking, part climbing. Users are attached at

all times by a safety harness). The 500m long Evolène Via Ferrata makes its way up a steep and at

times overhanging cliff, gaining 250m of height with stunning views over the village. The

Belvédère Via Ferrata in Nax climbs 200m with fantastic panoramas over the Rhône valley.

Swin Golf in Nax is a nine hole course for children and adults, with rules based on ancient rural

games which are the ancestors of modern golf - The only one in the Valais.

Adventure is also to be found in activities like Alp Trottinette, with five scooter routes from 10 to

20km long in Evolène and Thyon, la danse-escalade (a mix of dance and climbing), archery (with

dedicated forest trails in Ossona and Nax), outdoor paintball with Alp-Paintball, horse riding, mule

treks and trekking with yaks.

The Val d’Hérens in Winter

Three Ski Areas

Thyon-Région comprises Les Collons, Thyon 2000 and les Masses, family oriented areas designed

to give the best possible piste skiing. Thyon 2000 links into the Four Valleys ski area (along with

Veysonnaz, la Tsouma, Nendaz and Verbier) with one single ski-pass giving access to 412km of

pistes and 92 lifts. With skiing between 1250m and 3300m, the Four Valleys enjoys reliable snow

conditions with the back-up of a network of artificial snow machines. With a ski season running

from November to May, this is one of the biggest ski areas in Europe with great piste skiing and

excellent off-piste. Thyon-Région is known as a centre for Telemark skiing, offering lessons and an

opportunity to try the original way of skiing as well as regularly hosting Telemark World Cup

competitions.

Evolène-Région combines high altitude (2000-3000m) winter sports with the charm of traditional

villages. But also a small ski resort with excellent snow conditions all season long and the feeling

to be in the heart of the swiss alps.

Enjoy magnificent ski domains surrounded by glaciers and mountains peaks above 3’500 m.a.s.l.

Nax has 30km of scenic pistes, between 1’495m and 2’640m. The northerly aspect means reliable

snowcover, and the views out over the Rhône valley are stunning.

Zen and Fun

Cross Country Skiing: Evolène-Région is the Valais’ premier cross country centre with 40km of

piste of all difficulties.

Freestyle: Thyon is the pioneer of Freestyle in the Alps with a 100’000m² snowpark.

Other winter activities: Pisted and signposted winter footpaths, snowshoe trails, sledging pistes,

dog sledding, ice skating, ice climbing, ski touring, torchlit night-time ski descents…

Flying

The leading French Paragliding magazine recently classed the Val d’Hérens as one of the top 60

European paragliding venues, saying “If you could only visit one valley in Switzerland, it would

have to be the Val d’Hérens”. The paragliding school in Evolène offers lessons and tandem flights.

Not-To-Miss Events

Sporting Events

La Patrouille des Glaciers: Taking place every 2 years, this world class ski-alpinism race attracts

4’200 competitors from all over the world, completing in teams of 3 on two courses: the long

course (110km) from Zermatt to Verbier, the short course (50km) from Arolla to Verbier.

The Grand Raid Cristalp: Reputedly the toughest mountain bike race in the world…4’500

competitors on a course from Verbier to Grimentz via Nendaz, Hérémence and Evolène make this

annual event one of the biggest sporting events of the summer.

Le Raid Evolènard: After the Grand Raid, this annual race is the biggest mountain bike event in

the Valais.

Thyon-Dixence: A combined event with top-level running race which can also be entered by

walkers

Le Collon Trek: a biannual event linking Arolla via Col Collon to Bionnaz in Italy, organised in

collaboration with the Italian region of Valpelline.

La Petite Trotte de Vernamiège: This event celebrated its 21st birthday in 2010. With 3 different

course from 1 to 15.2km, there is something for everyone from children to top-class runners.

Cultural Events

The CIME festival (Intercultural Celebration of the Mountains) in Evolène: in a biannual event

next taking place from 11th-15th August, 2011, Evolène hosts a celebration of mountain folkore

and culture from all over the Alps, and further afield.

The Evolène Carnival. Starting on January 6th, the “Day of Kings”, and ending a month later when

“Old Man Winter” is burned on the bonfire. (See Carnival Madness above)

La Fête de la Rose (Festival of the Rose) in Nax: A celebration of the Nax Rose, a rare plant which

flowers every year in Nax but until recently was almost unknown to biologists.

The “Inalpes” and Cow Fights. In June the cows head up to the summer pastures – the “inalpe” -

and the event is celebrated with colourful festivals. They come back down in September – the

“désalpe”. The Hérens cows fight to establish hierarchy within the herd, and these fights are

organised into big events every summer.

The Evolène Mid-Summer Festival. Without doubt the high-point of the summer, and an

opportunity to see every aspect of traditional – and modern - life in the village. Traditional dress,

the Mountain Guides’ festival, a procession of decorated floats through the village, paragliding

flights, helicopter rescue demonstration…

The USP (Unique Selling Points)

The Dent Blanche (4’357m). This almost perfect pyramid is a strong symbol of the valley.

Cow Fights. The fighting cows of the Hérens breed, along with the St Bernard dogs from Grand St

Bernard, are synonymous with the Valais canton. Organised “Combats de Reines” are hugely

popular both for locals and tourists.

The Dixence Dam. The world’s highest gravity dam: a 285m high dam wall, 195m wide at the

base, 32km of tunnels… its dimensions mirror its beauty. A masterpiece of modern engineering as

wide as the Great Pyramid of Cheops and twice as high. Every summer, Audio-visual presentations

and guided visits inside the dam attract 100’000 visitors.

The Euseigne Pyramids. The road to the Val d’Hérens actually passes through these amazing

towers, around 15m high and each capped with a balanced boulder, carved by natural erosion

around 10’000 years ago from glacial moraine.

The Ferpècle Glacier. A 6km long river of ice beneath the Dent Blanche. Glacial lakes, boulder

fields and lichens create a lunar landscape. Traces of an ancient packhorse trail can still be seen,

dating from Roman times when this was a route to Italy.

The Pouta Fontana Nature Reserve. On the banks of the Rhône, this 32 hectare reserve of reed

beds, wetlands, forest and marsh is home to a wide variety of animal and plant life.

The Rechy Valley. Another national heritage site, this wild and – a rarity in the Alps –

uninhabited valley hides an unspoilt landscape of mountain lakes and wetlands.