The Valais in Switzerland - tourism guide for towns, excursions, traveling and hotels 

Why the Valais is worth visiting

We think a stay in the Valais is wonderful for these reasons:

1. The Valais is home to some of Switzerland’s most spectacular alpine nature. The canton holds several impressive mountain ranges with the country’s highest peaks. There are countless mountain valleys with gorgeous nature.
2. It’s perfect for outdoor activities year-round. Apart from Zermatt and the Matterhorn, the Valais is mainly known as a winter sports area. But we think this wonderful canton is excellent for hiking, mountain biking, and more outdoor activities in other seasons too.
3. There’s something for everyone: from bustling tourist centers (such as Verbier and Zermatt), to quaint valleys with remote villages (such as the Lötschental).
4. The climate is generally sunny, and there’s less precipitation than on the northern side of the Swiss Alps.

Where to stay in the Valais

The Valais is a large region. So the best base town for you depends on your plans and interests. In general, these are the resorts we recommend:

• If you want to visit Lake Geneva and the canton of Vaud too, base yourself in or near Martigny. It’s centrally located: in the west of the Rhone Valley and just 35 minutes by train from Villeneuve on Lake Geneva.
• If you can’t choose from the many beautiful side valleys of the Valais, base yourself in a larger town down in the Rhone Valley. This way, you can make day trips to several mountain areas. Examples are Sion, Sierre/Siders, Visp, and Brig.
• If you want to make day trips to the Bernese Oberland, stay in or near Brig. You can travel north by the Lötschberg Mountain Railway or via the quicker Lötschberg Base Tunnel.
• If you want a winter sports holiday, stay in a high-altitude village. Some of our recommendations are Verbier, Zermatt, Saas-Fee, and the smaller towns in the Upper Rhone Valley. Consult our overview of winter resorts for further tips.
• If you want to be close to the Matterhorn, Zermatt or another town in the Matter Valley is the place to be.
• If you like panoramic views over the Rhone Valley and mountain ranges, base yourself on one of the south-facing villages on the northern slopes of the Rhone Valley. Examples are Anzère, Crans-Montana, Bettmeralp, Riederalp, and Fiescheralp.
• If you’re also interested in Andermatt and the mountain passes of Central Switzerland, base yourself in the Upper Rhone Valley: in Oberwald, or one of the other villages west of it.

What to expect in the Valais

What the Valais is famous for

Most visitors know the Valais from these highlights:

1. The mountain resort Zermatt and the iconic mountain Matterhorn.
2. The cogwheel train ride from Zermatt to Gornergrat.
3. The impressive Aletsch Glacier.
4. The Glacier Express train ride between Zermatt in the Valais and St. Moritz in Graubünden.
5. Switzerland’s highest mountain peak: the Dufourspitze at 4634 m.

But there’s much more to this large and very varied canton!

The Rhone Valley: the canton’s backbone

The river Rhone is the backbone of the Valais. It flows from the east of the canton, near Oberwald, to the west. There it enters Lake Geneva near Le Bouveret.

The western part of the Rhone Valley floor is wide and flat, and that’s where the larger towns and industrial and agricultural activity can be found. Examples are Brig, Visp and Sion. Each of these towns also has a lovely old town center.

The valley east of Brig is narrower, more V-shaped, and at a higher altitude. It’s called the Upper Rhone Valley. This is where nature is most beautiful and where smaller towns are located.

Rugged alpine nature and a sunny climate

When you travel from northern Switzerland to the south, for example via the Lötschberg train route, there’s a dramatic change in scenery. On average, the south is much dryer and rougher.

That’s typical for the Valais as well. There’s less precipitation and a lot of sunshine, especially in the lower, wider valleys. That’s where vineyards can be found.

Mountains of the Valais

The Valais is all about the Swiss Alps. There are several mountain regions. In the west is the area of Les Diablerets, bordering the canton of Vaud and the Lake Geneva region.

At the north are the Bernese Alps with the large Aletsch Glacier. This range marks the northern border of the Valais. The mountain area between the Kander Valley in the Bernese Oberland and Visp/Brig in the Valais is called “Lötschberg”. There are several side valleys of the Rhone Valley in these mountains, such as the pretty Lötschental (“Lötschen Valley”).

On the southern side, bordering Italy, are more mountain ranges. They contain some of Switzerland’s highest peaks, including the iconic Matterhorn. This is where the mountain resorts of Zermatt and Saas-Fee can be found.

In the east, the Valais borders the Alps of Central Switzerland. This is the area where many road passes are located: the Grimsel, Susten, and Furka Pass for example.

Reservoir lakes and irrigation channels

The Valais has no large lakes on which boat rides can be made, as in some other Swiss regions (Lake Geneva and Lake Lucerne for example). But there are beautiful mountain lakes, formed by glaciers and snow. There are quite some reservoir lakes too, such as the Lac d’Emosson west of Martigny and the Mattmarksee in the Saas Valley.

Farmers’ lands were, and still are, irrigated by open, wooden irrigation channels. Water flows down from the mountains into the pastures through these channels. They’re called “Suonen” in German and “bisses” in French. Many hiking trails in the Valais follow their tracks.

Authentic villages with wooden chalets

In many of the alpine areas of the Valais, you’ll find charming old Swiss villages. They’re full of chalets that are typical to this area: made from wood that’s sun-burned and darkened over the ages. Some chalets are built on stone pillars that are capped with stone discs.

If you’re lucky, these beautiful buildings will be snow-covered in winter. In summer, many of them are adorned with bright-colored flowers on the windowsills and balconies.

The sub-regions of the Valais

The western Rhone Valley between Martigny and Sierre

The western Rhone Valley is relatively broad and flat. The main towns here are Martigny, Sion, and Sierre (called “Siders” in German). There are wonderful mountain regions and side valleys on both sides of the Rhone Valley.

Examples on the southern side of the Rhone Valley:

• From Martigny, you can reach the reservoir lake called Lac d’Emosson and make trips to the Chamonix-Mont Blanc region in France.
• In the mountains east of Martigny, you’ll find the famous winter sports area Quatres Vallées (“Four Valleys”) with the town of Verbier.
• Other southern side valleys include those of the Grande Dixence reservoir lake, Evolène, and the beautiful Val d’Anniviers. Here are the mountain towns of Grimentz and Zinal, and the reservoir lake Lac de Moiry.

Examples on the northern side of the Rhone Valley:

• You’ll find the mountain region of Les Diablerets, which is also home to Glacier 3000.
• On the northern slopes of the valley are villages like Anzère and Crans-Montana, both well-known winter and outdoor sports resorts.

The mid of the Rhone Valley, between Sierre and Visp

Going further east, the Rhone Valley already gets a bit narrower. Visp is the next main town after Sierre/Siders. In between, there are smaller villages.

This area too has an abundance of pretty side valleys. Worth mentioning are:

• The valley of the famous spa resort Leukerbad.
• The wonderful Lötschental (“Lötschen Valley”) with its authentic villages. It’s a hikers’ paradise.
• The wild Turtmanntal (“Turtmann Valley”).

The eastern Upper Rhone Valley, between Visp and Oberwald

The Rhone Valley itself is prettiest in eastern Valais. This part is called “Goms” in German. In English, it’s mostly referred to as the Upper Rhone Valley. The main larger town in the Upper Rhone Valley is Brig. Further east, there are smaller villages like Fiesch, Münster-Geschinen, Ulrichen, and Oberwald.

Famous resorts on the northern mountain slopes of the Rhone Valley are Bettmeralp, Riederalp, and Fiescheralp. These villages lead to vantage points such as Bettmerhorn and Eggishorn, where you’ll find amazing views of the Aletsch Glacier. Bellwald is another very pretty mountain village.

The Binntal (“Binn Valley”) southeast of Fiesch is worth your attention. It’s a beautiful hiking area, and many valuable gems are found here.

The east of the Upper Rhone Valley provides access to the Furka Pass and the Oberalp Pass, connecting the Upper Rhone Valley with the cantons of Uri and Graubünden. Another major pass road is the Grimsel Pass, leading to Innertkirchen and Meiringen in the Bernese Oberland.

The Matter Valley and the Saas Valley

South of Visp in the Upper Rhone Valley, and bordering Italy, is the Matter Valley. It’s very popular. This goes especially for its southern end, where Zermatt and the Matterhorn are located.

Next to the Matter Valley is the Saas Valley, with another famous resort: Saas-Fee. Lots of winter sports and hiking options are available here.