© Lonely Planet Publications 117 Valais With the 10 highest mountains in Switzerland – all over 4000m – this scenic canton offers pinnacles of pleasure for those who enjoy the high life. A certain supply of snow plus challenging slopes makes the Valais region one of the most popular in the world for skiing. A series of mountain valleys cuts south into the Alps from the Rhône valley, which slices east to west through the canton, leading to ski resorts as varied in scenery and challenges as they are culturally mixed. Depending on your choice of ski resort, you can ski from Francophone Switzerland into France or German Switzerland into Italy and back in the same day! The Alps are as stunning in summer, offering limitless hiking possibilities for all levels, including the classic Mont Blanc circuit through Switzerland, France and Italy. Long a region of struggling farmers until the advent of Alpine tourism, the canton is dot- ted with delightful high mountain villages and, lower down in the Rhône valley, vineyards that provide some of the country’s best wines – the whites are a perfect accompaniment to a local cheese speciality, raclette, about which you can learn more on p52. The Valais is not just about yomping and chomping. Martigny hosts one of the country’s key art centres and Sion is notable for its medieval core, dramatic castle and museums. Valais is also good for soothing nerves and tired muscles in its thermal bathing centres, notably those of Leukerbad. HIGHLIGHTS Skiing, snowboarding and hiking in the shadow of Switzerland’s emblematic VALAIS Matterhorn ( p135 ), or, for those with the right stuff, scaling it Checking out the world-class art exhibitions at Martigny’s Fondation Pierre Gianadda ( p120 ) Leukerbad Cheering along your favourite bovine in the Sion spring and autumn cow battles in the villages Val d'Hérens of the Val d’Hérens ( p129 ) Fondation Pierre Exploring the medieval centre, castle and Gianadda basilica of Sion ( p126 ) Matterhorn Frolicking in the regenerative thermal baths of Leukerbad ( p132 ) while admiring the massive mountain stone walls around the town POPULATION: 281,000 AREA: 5224.5 SQ KM LANGUAGE: FRENCH & GERMAN VALAIS 118 0 20 km 0 12 miles VALAIS VALAIS To Speiz To Bulle Lauterbrunnen URI (8km) Furka Andermatt FRIBOURG Eiger Pass (2km) (3970m) St Gotthard Stechelberg Grimsel Gletsch Pass To Lausanne A12 Mönch Pass Airolo (16km) (4099m) BERN r Jungfrau e Ulrichen Kandersteg i (4158m) c Münster a To St Moritz Vevey l (172km) G Nufenen Gstaad N19 Aletschhorn h Eggishorn Pass c (2927m) Lake (4195m) s Niederwald Montreux t Geneva e Fafleralp l Fiescheralp (Lac Léman) A VAUD Gemmi Blatten Pass Bettmeralp Fiesch TICINO Lötschental Leukerbad Riederalp Torrenthorn Goppenstein Le Sépey Mörel (2998m) Rhône Bignasco Bosco du Rhône Brig Aigle Leuk Vallée Gurin Montana Salgesch Cevio Crans Sierre Villars N9 Brigerbad A9 Visp Simplon Cimalmotto Chandolin Simplon Monthey Val Tunnel I T A L Y Bex Vercorin Pass Morgins Vétroz Sion Stalden St Luc Troistorrents Ovronnaz Vissoie To Locarno St d'Anniviers Aproz Gondo (55km) Val Maurice Lavey-les-Bains Saastal A9 Hérémence Grächen Val d'Illiez Leytron Nendaz Val d'Hérémence d'HérensGrimentz N9 Champéry Dents Ayer St Niklaus du Midi Lake Camedo (3257m) Rhône Saxon Zinal Mattertal Mont Gelé Moiry Les Saas Grund (3023m) Grande Evolène Domodossola Marécottes Verbier Saas Fee Martigny Dixence Dam F R A N C E Le Châble La Forclaz Sembrancher Mont Fort Lake Les Ferpècle Täsch Bruson (3329m) Dix Haudères Orsières Val d'Entremont Fionnay Champex Arolla Zermatt To Saint Gervais Vichères Mauvoisin Matterhorn Gornergrat (4km); Le Fayet www.lonelyplanet.com (5km) Dam Lake (4478m) (3090m) Dranse Mauvoisin N21 Bourg Grand Combin Val Ferret St Pierre (4314m) Cervinia Chamonix Bourg St Bernard Mont Blanc Tunnel Mont Blanc (4807m) Great Great I T A L Y St Bernard St Bernard Pass Tunnel To Courmayeur To Milan (2km) (71km) Fleuri 6,Sion; 70; www.matterhornstate.com, RuedePré www.wallis.ch; the Swiss Confederation in1815. the SwissConfederation joined intoItaly. theroutes Valais dominate to little manwithbigplanswasdetermined calledbyin1798.The Napoleon Bonaparte parliament. 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Lifts operate from both villages. pop 14,050 / elevation 476m the Chapelle de Notre Dame de la Compassion (Our (see the boxed text Close Cow Encounters, The main town on the French side is Avo- It might be the oldest town in Valais, but Lady of Compassion) is curious for its ex- p129 ). Tickets are around Sfr16 for seats and riaz. Ski passes for a day for the whole area Martigny has a modern and somewhat voto paintings. Perched above the chapel is Sfr10 to stand. cost Sfr55/37/44/46 per adult/child to 16/ muddled feel. While not immediately com- Château de la Bâtiaz (Bâtiaz Castle; www.batiaz.ch in If the idea of watching crunch-tackle cows senior/student or youth. pelling, it does offer a handful of considera- French; h4-6pm Thu, 11am-6pm Fri-Sun mid-May–mid- doesn’t thrill you, there’s sizzling action at Croix de Culet (1963m) affords an eagle’s ble cultural attractions, including reminders Oct). It is worth the climb up the hill for the the Foire du Lard (Bacon Fair) in December. view of the nearby Dents du Midi moun- of the city’s ancient Roman masters, who views over surrounding vineyards alone.