Valais, Switzerland

The Valais is an idyllically beautiful mountainous region in the Swiss Alps, impressive for its extremely varied landscape and wonderful mountain scenery. The Valais canton lures the eye with glistening blue glaciers, fragrant forests, and is famous for the country's most recognisable peak, the Matterhorn. The Valais and the surrounding area are a year-round magnet for skiers, hikers and nature lovers. In summary, the Valais has over 120 winter resorts, offering the richest choice of skiing experiences and thrills in Switzerland. Hiking tours are organised in this region amidst some of the most magnificent alpine landscapes.

The name of the Valais canton comes from the walsers, the name of a people of Germanic origin that settled in the highest inhabited areas of the Alps. The Valais is the place in the Alps where about a third of all Alpine peaks over 4,000 m high are located. The backbone of the Valais is the Rhône River, whose wide and fertile valley is dotted with attractive and welcoming towns rich in art and history.

The Valais is a sunny region - there are 300 days of sunshine a year, making it the sunniest region in Switzerland. Small Valaisian villages are nestled like postcards in the side valleys of the Rhône, dotted with dark brown and weather-worn wooden barns and huts. The villages are cut off from each other by pompous resorts like Verbier, Zermatt and Crans-Montana. As illogical as it sounds, these towns are home to some of the world's most luxurious mountain hotels and restaurants. They also offer a rich cultural programme and lavish traditional entertainment.

Verbier is a resort in the Valais which, together with neighbouring Thion, Veysona and La Zuma, form the Four Valleys. It is one of the most extensive high-rated ski areas in the world and boasts the most modern facilities and infrastructure possible - cable cars and gondola lifts. As well as its challenges for skiers, Verbier is also renowned for its entertainment, restaurants, bars and clubs, among which stand out famous Alpine 'institutions' - the Mont Fort Pub and The Farm Club.

The western half of the Valais is entirely French-speaking and its deep valleys are steeped in history and art. The first sign of its historical heritage is found in Martini, the first significant town in the direction from Lake Geneva to the Valais. It is impressed by the castle of Batiise towering above it. Overall, Martini is not particularly impressive, but its strategic position on the border between Switzerland, France and Italy, leaves an extremely rich historical legacy from distant times. "The Pierre Janada is Martini's most important cultural institution and is a group of museums and galleries at the southern end of the town. The heart of the "Pier Giandada" beats in the Gallo-Roman Museum, next door to which is the Automobile Museum. Another interesting museum is the San Bernard Dog Museum, which tells the story of the Gran San Bernard Pass, its hospice and its legendary rescue dogs.

The Valais is also famous for another extensive ski area, the Gates of the Sun. Its network of lifts and ski slopes was created in the 1960s by a group of friends living in 14 different neighbouring French and Swiss villages. Their idea was that everyone could go skiing from one valley to the other without the international border being an obstacle. Today, locked in the foothills between the Don de Midi and Don Blanche peaks, the Gates of the Sun offers 650km of marked pistes, making it the largest international ski area in the world.

In the Lower Valence region lies the oldest town in Switzerland, Sion, which together with Sierre are the two main towns in the Rhône Valley. Sion is the capital of the canton and the cultural centre of the Lower Valais region. You must also visit the Old Town Church, the Church of Our Lady of the Valais, the History Museum and the Art Museum. And in the town of Sierre, the Renaissance chateau of the Château de Villa, which houses the Valaisian Museum of Vine and Wine, is a must.

The Haute Valais is the region where Switzerland's highest peaks, longest glacier and highest vineyards are located. The area is characterised by a jagged mountain landscape, above which rises the most thrilling and awe-inspiring of all peaks, the Matterhorn. Its picturesque villages range from the glamorous and expensive Zermatt and Saas-Fee to the modest and small resorts in Gom. All, however, equally attract tourists and skiers all year round.