Valais. The Dreamland Of Switzerland

By Author: Winston Morrison
Total Articles: 79
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Switzerland is best known for winter sports, cuckoo clocks and chocolate, but there's a lot more to it than that. Valais, one of the 26 cantons (regions) of Switzerland is an L-shaped valley which borders Italy to the south and France to the west; it was formed when mighty glaciers sliced a path between two alpine mountain ranges.

It is the driest region in Switzerland, and also boasts the most sunshine. A network of irrigation channels (bisses), built in the Middle Ages carry water to most of the valley. Europe's tallest gravity dam is located here Grande Dixence and Hydro-electric dams from this area produce about a quarter of Swiss electricity.

There is a small airport is at Sion but the nearest international airport is at Geneva, from there you can go by road or rail to Valais, but whichever mode of transport you choose, you're sure to encounter some stunning backdrops. Connecting Frutigen and Visp by rail is the longest tunnel in the world, which opened in 2007, the Lotschberg Tunnel. There are also many scenic mountain railways and cable cars.

This part of Switzerland is home ...
... to 298,600 people, of whom 57,000 are foreigners. The main language is French, but some German is spoken in the western parts. Compared to the rest of the country this area, is still one of the poorest Swiss cantons, with a large number of houses owned by foreigners. It is not in the same financial league as the wealthy banking cantons, but it's doing very nicely thank you, through its efforts in the tourist industry and viniculture.

Agriculture is still economically important to this part of the country with cattle breeding in the mountain areas and dairy farming on the plains. There are a large number of orchards here and saffron is also farmed. The wine industry in this area is the largest in Switzerland. The dry, sunny climate renders the valley perfect for vineyards, and some of the best wines in the country are produced here.

The Rhone River starts it life in Valais, from the glaciers in the Swiss Alps, at an altitude of 1,753m, it starts as a torrent running south west through the glacier valley between Brig and Martigny collecting waters from the valleys of the Pennine Alps on the south, these waters come from the large glaciers of Monte Rosa, Grand Combin and Dom. It then turns North West, dividing the Chablais Alps and the Bernese Alps before entering Lake Geneva near the Swiss town of Bouveret.

This part of Switzerland has much to offer with some of the best winter activities in the world, one of its biggest tourist attractions is the Matterhorn. This German name comes from the words Matte meaning ‘meadow' and horn meaning ‘peak'. On July 14th 1865, group of climbers led by Edward Whymper, became the first men to conquer the peak. Sadly, four of the seven men died on the descent. Since then over 500 people have died attempting to replicate Whymper's feat. The faces of the Matterhorn face the four cardinal directions; north, east, south, and west. At 4478 meters high it is not the highest mountain in Switzerland; that honour goes to Monte Rosa at 4634 meters. Apart from climbing, skiing and snowboarding, other activities are popular, including biking and hiking.

There are other mountain regions that are also very popular for winter sports, such as the French-speaking resorts near Verbier and the Evolene and Arolla region. The Pennine Alps, the Bernese and the family-oriented resort of Crans-Montana are also well used. The resorts in the Goms region are less known, but still attract many visitors during the summer hiking season and the winter ski season.

Summertime in this part of Switzerland is ideal for all grades of walkers, mountaineers and mountain bike enthusiasts. With glacier crossings, expeditions, cableways to the impressive sightseeing peaks, it has a great diversity of landscapes, culture, flora and fauna.

With an almost guaranteed supply of snow and challenging slopes, this region of Switzerland is one of the most popular in the world for skiing and a wide range of winter sports. Valais is one of those special places in the world, which offer both active and passive breaks, both to a particularly high standard. Mitch Ablitt writes for Your Holiday Rentals.com, providing worldwide holiday rentals For software downloads Download CyPics - Photo Cataloging | Photo catalog+EXIF+slideshow+export+print+DVD