The Val d'Anniviers extends south from the Rhone valley at Sierre with the winding road rising to the town of Vissoie at 1202m. Soon after Vissoie the valley splits into the Val de Moiry in the west and Zinaltal in the east. The ski resort of Zinal (1672m) rests in the more eastern arm while the resort of Grimentz (1553m) lies in the western. The two other most visited villages are St Luc (1655m) and Chandolin, one of Europe's highest villages at 1936m, which lie on the sunny southern flank of the main valley above Vissoie.
We first arrived in Val d'Anniviers by chance in June 2014. We were following a suggested motorhome tour of Switzerland which actually missed out this valley in favour of a trip to Zermatt and Saas Fee but as we were searching for a free motorhome aire and one was advertised in Grimentz in our Camperstop guide we decided to give this valley a try. The climb to the aire at Grimentz was our first steep ascent in our motorhome and we arrived so stressed from that drive that we almost left immediately! But, after paying a brief visit to the tourist office to ask about hiking in the area we decided to stay for the night. That first visit turned into 9 days and we fell so much in love with the magic of Val d'Anniviers that we returned again in September 2014 for another 16 nights, this time staying on a motorhome aire in Zinal.
This means that for hiking and nature lovers still wanting to access the highest and most remote peaks it was still possible to get away from all of the ski lifts and most of the crowds to feel a real connection with the Alpine beauty and wilderness.
For example, by catching a bus from Grimentz to the Moiry Barrage and hiking along the reservoir to Glacier de Moiry it was possible, in just half an hour, to leave the busy world completely behind. Or from Zinal you can head due south towards various cabins in the shadow of the “Grande Couronne” (Great Crown), which includes the Weisshorn, Bishorn Zinalrothorn, Obergabelhorn, Matterhorn and Dent Blanche. Then as the sun begins to set return back to civilisation and safety until the next morning.
During our 25 days in Val d'Anniviers we enjoyed some of the most exhilarating and moving hiking experiences we've ever had.
But the total experience was about more than just hiking, majestic views and pretty architecture. The atmosphere of the valley was unanimously friendly from the smiling bus drivers, some of whom we got to know and recognise, to the incredibly helpful tourist office staff. On one occasion a kind lady we had gotten to know in the Grimentz tourist office saw us waiting for a bus and gave us a lift to our motorhome. Just a few days before her husband, a bus driver in the valley, had rescued us from a summer hailstorm and driven us back from Moiry Barrage!
The Val d'Anniviers we got to know in 2014 was a perfect mix of tradition and modernity, accessibility and wilderness, community and anonymity. We could be all alone with just the mountains and our thoughts one day but enjoying a vibrant, colourful village community the next. For anyone looking for a Swiss Alpine escape in summer time it is ideal.
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More details of our hikes in Val'Anniviers
More details of all our hikes in the Swiss Alps
Wow! This is what we call the real beauty! Your blog has stimulated my desire to get my Switzerland visa Appointment ASAP. I cannot wait to explore the picturesque and massive Swiss mountains.
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