CHANDOLIN GRIMENTZ S T- L U C SIERRE VERCORIN ZINAL
Sierre-Anniviers, ... A source of authenticity !
www.sierre-anniviers.ch
One destination, two worlds
Revitalise yourself in a well of nature
Sierre, Salgesch and their surroundings, together with the 5 village resorts of the Val d’Anniviers (Chandolin, St-Luc, Grimentz, Zinal and Vercorin), in Central Valais, offer you attractions as colourful as the varied landscapes : the Rhône plain surrounded by towering peaks, nature reserves, authentic villages, and gastronomic and oenological delights, as well as snow sports, hiking and high adrenalin thrills… In summer and winter, it is the source of authenticity.
Imagine a completely preserved valley, without roads or buildings, which offers limitless possibilities for hikes and wild-life viewing, as well as the chance to admire an exceptionally rich and rare flora : welcome to the Vallon de Réchy. The mid-mountain guides will show you around the area and help you to appreciate its treasures, from the endemic flora to the wildlife with which the area is so richly endowed. Do you know the mysteries of the stag›s call ? Between Sierre and Gampel, the Pfyn-Finges Nature Park is one of Switzerland’s prime spots for bio-diversity. Here too endemic species clash ; this great pine forest is battling for survival against the natural arrival of the oak tree ; here the Rhone is in its natural state and Illgraben, a vast site of active erosion, gives the region its authentically wild mountainscape.
Living traditions
In the old days life was hard in these mountains. The locals have learnt how to transform their culinary traditions into something we can appreciate today. A winery in the snow ? Glacier wine is an oenological legend, necessary in the old days, celebrated today. The principle to this wine is very simple : the barrels are kept at altitude for the coolness of the cellars, they are never emptied and, each year, the new wine is added to the old. The oldest is now more than 125 years old ! Tastings in the Cave Bourgeoisiale de Grimentz.
Gastronomy and wine
Summer in all its states
Winter in the mountains
A stay in any region is never complete if one hasn’t sampled the local flavours and culinary know how... Wine, dried meat and other dry products, traditional rye bread, jams, and liqueurs are just some of the valaisan mountain flavours that you can taste in all our restaurants. For an evening visit to the source of our authentic flavours, the Restaurant et Oenothèque du Château de Villa in Sierre is the ideal place. The oenothèque offers more than 110 valaisan wineries, with a choice of over 600 labels. The restaurant is the top spot for tasting valaisan raclette and other flavours of our region.
What could be more enchanting than a walk at the foot of mountains over 4000m high? The Imperial Crown (Bishorn 4156 m, Weisshorn 4505 m, Zinalrothorn 4221 m, Matterhorn 4477 m, Obergabelhorn 4063 m and Dent Blanche 4358 m) accompanies hikers on the Val d’Anniviers tour - about 5 hours walking per day between the villages over 4 to 10 days. It watches mountain bikers on the 300 km of prepared trails ; and it welcomes every visitor from the moment he enters the valley on an unforgettably panoramic road.
Our 4 ski areas, 220 km of piste and 45 lifts, all covered by one ski pass, attract families and thrill seekers alike. Zinal’s freeride area and Avalanche Training Centre, 3 Snowparks in Grimentz, Vercorin and St-Luc/Chandolin, toboggan runs, winter hiking and snow-shoe trails...
Photo©photo-genic.ch, Damian Cromwell
Sierre and the Val d’Anniviers are steeped in a strong cultural and architectural heritage. The naissance of tourism in the 19th century has left historic traces in each village : the Hotel Weisshorn, perched at 2337 m, built in 1882, the Grand Hotel Bella-Tola & St-Luc ****, built in 1859, the Hotel du Besso *** in Zinal (1893) and numerous characterful establishments, which will transport you back in time.
© Livio Piatta, Worldimages.it
Houses and grain stores burnt black by centuries of sunshine, glacier wine matured in high altitude cellars, cow fights on the mountain pastures, and, to the sound of the local pipes and drums, the procession of the cows up and down from the mountain... here, the ancient traditions are still very much alive.
There are places to discover, such as the Moiry dam, where you can admire the turquoise waters whilst walking around the lake, dominated by its eponymous glacier. The Bishorn (4156 m) could be your « first 4000-er », easily accessible with an Anniviers guide. Do you love thrills ? The via ferrata at Moiry in Grimentz, the Adventure Forest in Vercorin, as well as the Planetary trail, the Vineyard trail and other themed trails which will delight young and old alike throughout your stay.
In the authentic mountain villages, you can make your own rye bread in the village oven, discover our traditional festivals ; be surprised by an extraordinary ambience with a people who are warm and true, in a mountain environment which is 100 % valaisan !
In the Rhone Valley or in the mountain : never miss that
Find your ideal accommodation
Sierre-Salgesch and surroundings
Chandolin – www.chandolin.ch
Saint-Luc – www.saint-luc.ch
www.sierre-salgesch.ch
- Espace Ella Maillart – www.ellamaillart.ch
- The vineyard path between Sierre and Salgesch (a hike of 2 hours) www.museevalaisanduvin.ch - Wallis ‘museum of Vineyard and Wine in Salgesch and Sierre www.museevalaisanduvin.ch - Château de Villa, Temple of raclette and wine bars (600 wines, 114 wine makers) – www.chateaudevilla.ch
- Village of Chandolin, 2’000 m, one of the highest village in Europe inhabited yearly
- Astronomical observations and conferences at the Observatory François-Xavier Bagnoud. Observation of the sun in the day and observation of the stars in the evening – www.ofxb.ch
- Wines, visits and wine tasting in Sierre, Salgesch and its area www.coteauxdesierre.ch
- The Illgraben, erosion site unique in Europe – www.pfyn-finges.ch
- B & B and agritourism Castel de Daval www.collinededaval.ch - Golf club of Sierre – www.golfsierre.ch
In Sierre-Salgesch-Granges : 3 camp sites 16 B & Bs, and 13 hotels from 2 * to 4 * are ready to welcome you.
Photo©photo-genic.ch, Damian Cromwell
In the mountains of the Val d’Anniviers close to 90% of the beds are in chalets and apartments, the rest are shared between 24 hotels from 1 to 4 stars, 8 B & Bs and various gîtes and group accommodation, mountain huts and camp sites in Vissoie and Mission.
- Nature reserve of Pfyn-Finges – www.pfyn-finges.ch - Rainer Maria Rilke’s Foundation – www.fondationrilke.ch
- Fang, small medieval village, guided visit – www.fang.ch In summer - Botanical walks of Chandolin - Ponchet, a range of activities at the pasture and at the chalet www.ponchet.ch - Sarrasins’ bisse, historic walk of 9 km at the departure of Fang www.sarrasins.ch
- At the discovery of the solar system’s planets, along the « path of planets » 6 km – www.ofxb.ch - Hotel Bella Tola, labelled « Swiss historic hotel », since 1859 and « Romantic Hotel » – www.bellatola.ch - Hotel Weisshorn, dating from 1882, it dominated the Val d’Anniviers at an altitude of 2’337 metres. A walk of 1h30 from the upper station of the funicular – www.weisshorn.ch - Bread’s path. May be combined with the rye bread making at the communal oven in St-Luc. In summer - St-Luc mills’ discovery – www.lesmoulinsdest-luc.ch - Maxi Fun & Adventure Park in Niouc, for fans of extreme sports. Bungy jumping of 190 m (the highest one in Europe) and several activities (Giant Swing, Looping, Tyrolean, trampoline, mini-golf) – www.bungy.ch - Bike Park under the route of the funicular www.bikeparkstluc.blogspot.com
DEUTSCHLAND ÖSTERREICH SWITZERLAND FRANCE
Amsterdam Hamburg Strassbourg
ITALIA
München Wien
Valais/Wallis
Basel Zürich
London Bruxelles
Luzern Bern
erg
Lausanne
Sierre
A9 Genève
Lötschb
Paris Dijon
Chur
St-Gotthard
TGV London-Paris Lausanne-Brig
ka
Fur
Brig Si
m
pl
on
Sion
Martigny
Lugano
ard
ern
Lyon Marseille
t-B
d-S
an
Gr
Anniviers Milano Roma
Torino Genova Firenze
Access Grimentz – www.grimentz-stjean.ch
Vercorin – www.vercorin.ch
Zinal – www.zinal.ch
- Visit of the old village, of the Bourgeoisie and « Glacier wine » tasting
- Agritourism farm of the Arche des Crétillons – Zappellaz Alain www.cretillons.ch
- The historic circuit of Zinal: one book and 17 observation posts
- Rye bread AOC making at the communal oven
- Paragliding (the reference site in Wallis for free flight / take-off all year, take-off possible from the village, with a variation of level of 1’800m with the transport by cable car)
- Claude-Eric Massy, distiller, edelweiss brandy, etc - Stained glass workshop, Christine Crittin-Rion - Hotel de Moiry, wood fire raclette and hunting specialities www.hotel-grimentz.ch In summer - Geranium path in the old village - Via Ferrata (with rope bridge and Tyrolean) www.viaferrata.org
In summer - The Vallon de Réchy (nature reserve of national importance, an exceptional site with a great wealth in terms of flora, fauna and geology, one of the most important site in Wallis) www.vallonderechy.ch - Deer’s bell in Vallon de Réchy - Circuit of the 3 bisses – Stéphane Albasini www.montagne-evasion.ch
- Guided tour of the Moiry dam - Cheese making at the alp of Moiry
Photo©photo-genic.ch, Damian Cromwell
- The Adventure Forest in Vercorin, park in the trees at an altitude of 1’870 m, until the end of October – www.foretaventure.ch - Installation R&Art (realisation of an artistic work encompassing all the old village, work realised by Swiss artists internationally renowned. 2010 : Lang and Baumann / 2009 : Felice Varini. Seen on Euronews and Arte) – www.r-art.ch
Vissoie – www.vissoie.ch - The Anniviers knight’s Tower - The butchers of the Vallée and the Salaisons d’Anniviers, handwork dry meat production – www.salaisons-anniviers.ch - The cheese dairy of Anniviers – www.fromagerie-anniviers.ch
- Madeleine Chalet in Ayer, ancient house of the XVII century remained as in 1960 - Ancient cheese cellar – « Fromage des morts » - Introduction to the myths and legends of Anniviers by the ethnologist Bernard Crettaz In summer - Visit of the copper mine – www.grotte.ch - Visit of the old dwelling house In winter - Discovery of the Zinal’s glacier cave in snowshoes : only in winter (from the end of December until the end of March), every day on request. www.montagne-evasion.ch – www.swissalpineemotion.com - Avalanche Training Centre : in winter every day, contact RM of Zinal. Loan of equipment and a speaker. - Freeride area, the first official freeride area in Switzerland. - Ice Climbing – www.montagne-evasion.ch
Way up, looking down through the blue azure sky over the alpine summits one can see the Sierre Anniviers immediate neighbours : Italy to the South, France to the West, the Swiss-German part to the North. Fast means of transport go through the heart of the Valais, allowing you to reach us easily from any point throughout Europe Sierre is easy to reach by train or car - just twenty minutes from Sion’s Airport, one and three-quarter hours by road from Geneva’s International Airport and three hours from Zurich’s one. It takes less than thirty minutes by car, and an hour at most by Postal Bus to reach the picturesque villages and resorts of the Val d’Anniviers.
Addresses Sierre – Anniviers Marketing Techno-pôle, 1 CH – 3960 Sierre T +41 27 451 71 10 F +41 27 451 71 15 Contact Martin Hannart – Director martin.hannart@sierre-anniviers.ch www.sierre-anniviers.ch
Photo©photo-genic.ch, Damian Cromwell
facebook : facebook.com/sierreanniviers youtube : rmanniviers twitter : valdanniviers Direct booking and information T +41 848 848 027
+41 848 848 027
www.sierre-anniviers.ch