Valais

Valais in the south of Switzerland stretches from the source of the Rhône to Lake Geneva. The region is a popular destination due to its glaciers and the imposing four-thousand-metre peaks, especially the Matterhorn and car-free Zermatt.

Wonderful excursions and ideal conditions for winter sports will be found in the Saas Valley with Saas-Fee and the Aletsch Arena. You can get up close and personal with nature in the Binn Valley with its landscape park, enjoy wellness and pampering in Leukerbad on the Gemmi Pass and ideal cross-country skiing conditions in the high valley of Goms.

Valais has over 40 4,000m peaks: Switzerland’s most famous landmark is the Matterhorn (also known as Cervin or Horu), the highest point is the Dufourspitze at 4,634m. Whether you choose a mountain tour by car or a mountain railway ride: enjoy the fresh air and the majestic beauty of the Valais Alps. Top vantage points include the Gornergrat and the Rothorn.

The sun-drenched Rhone Valley carries the lifeblood of Valais. Fruit trees, vines and alpine meadows flourish here – all irrigated by centuries-old bisses, or irrigation channels. Visit Sion, the regional capital, with its castle-topped hills, or Martigny with the Mont Blanc Express to Chamonix in France. In Brig, you can marvel at Stockalper Castle and venture into northern Italy via the Simplon Pass.

Take a steam train ride into the Uri Alps on the Furka Pass mountain route, passing the Rhone Glacier. At Gletsch, the Grimsel Pass leads to the imposing man-made lakes of the Bernese Oberland. On the Jungfraujoch you can enjoy magnificent views of the eternal snow that feeds the Aletsch Glacier. Another welcome destination is Vaud with Montreux, Chillon Castle and the UNESCO-protected terraced vineyards of Lavaux.

Ask about the guest card for visitors who stay one night or more. This will give you benefits such as free travel and many discounts. The Matterhorn Gotthard Pass gives you free travel by train and bus on two, three or five days within a month, plus a 50% discount on cable cars and mountain railways and activities in the Upper Valais.