Going to Valais

What to do in Valais

by Christine Loomis

The Valais, in southwestern Switzerland, counts the Valaisan as well as the Bernese Alps (shared with the Bernese Highlands region) among its impressive physical features. It's filled with 13,000-foot peaks, none more recognizable than the iconic, oft-photographed Matterhorn rising 14,693 feet above Zermatt. The Valais has many of Switzerland's top ski resorts, including four with the Families Welcome label. French is the predominant language, though German is spoken in the Upper Valais.

Sion is the oldest town in Switzerland. Chateau de Tourbillon, built in the 12th century, is an impressive ruin high on a hill with panoramic views over the Rhône Valley. If you visit in May, you can see what may be the area's oddest cultural event, championship cow fighting. The contests are all about who deserves...

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