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Wallis
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Wallis
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Valais : land of contrasts |
9’000 kms of prepared trails invite you to follow in the historic footsteps of the " Walser " people or to stroll beside the " bisses ", these unique irrigation canals that for centuries brought precious water from the mountain torrents to where it was most needed at the time when the Rhône was still only a marsh. If you are out for adventure there are canyoning (Les Marécottes and Massaschlucht), river rafting, bungy jumping or mule-trekking to test your courage. Or you can take to the air with a hang glider or paraglider for a bird’s eye view of the landscape. Enjoy the pure, fresh air on the golf course at Crans-Montana; near Mont-Fort above Verbier; at Riederalp beside the longest glacier in Europe; in the Goms Valley near the Rhône Glacier or down in the Rhône Valley in the sunny town of Sierre or in Sion, capital of the Valais.
Contrasts are harmonious in the Valais. Admire the sight of pristine snow against an azure sky, the icy glint of a glacier under the warming rays of the sun and the towering majesty or more than 50 mountain peaks reaching to heights for over 4’000 metres. Every season provides delights for nature lovers, traditionalists and sporting enthusiasts and, here again, the contrast of ancient techniques and the latest crazes can be enjoyed side by side. Traditional sports such as alpine skiing ( about 2'500 kms pistes) and cross-country skiing (more than 1'000 kms), ice-skating and sledding are carried out alongside fashionable new sports such as snowboarding and much older techniques which are becoming popular again such as the Telemark style or excursions on snow shoes. The simplicity of winter walks through beautiful natural landscapes brings enormous benefits to city-dwellers in need of a chance to relax. |
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