Upper Rhone valley

Towns and landscape

The Rhone valley floor is wide and flat between Sierre and Brig, and that's where the larger towns such as Visp and Brig can be found. Industrial and agricultural activity concentrates in these areas as well. Each of these towns also has a lovely old town center.

The region from Brig up to Oberwald, called Goms in German, is narrower and at a higher altitude. This is where nature is most beautiful and where the smaller towns like Fiesch and Münster-Geschinen are located. Attractive winter sports and hiking resorts such as Riederalp and Bettmeralp are located on the northern slopes along the valley, offering unobstructed views of the southern Alps as far as the Matterhorn!

The impressive Aletsch glacier is located just north of the eastern Rhone valley. You can enjoy wide views of the glacier from several viewing points to be reached by cable car, like Eggishorn and Bettmerhorn.

From Oberwald, in the utmost eastern corner of the Rhone valley, you can reach the cantons of Uri and Graubünden via the Furka pass and Oberalp pass. The Grimsel pass leads to Innertkirchen and Meiringen in the Bernese Oberland. The Nufenen pass from Ulrichen connects the cantons of Valais and Ticino.

The Rhone valley has many side valleys. Some popular ones are the Matter valley and the Saas valley.