Le Rhône walk

With its rich flora and fauna and remarkable historical heritage, the Bois de Finges and the surrounding area offer a wealth of opportunities to explore our past, present and future. The Rhône and its tributaries have always posed a challenge to human society. How do you cross this river? Living on its banks? Reaching other places through the surrounding gorges? These are all questions that have been asked and asked again over the years, but for which there are no definitive answers, because cultural, social and technological developments can change the situation so dramatically.

2024 marks the centenary of the birth of James Baldwin, whose stay in Leukerbad gave rise to an essential text, A Stranger in the Village, the cornerstone of the thinking of this important African-American writer whose work is so relevant today. Like the Bhutanese bridge over the Illgraben, his story shows that although the Valais is a territory with certain aspects that take us back to time immemorial, it is not a place that is frozen in time, cut off from the world. On the contrary, Saint-Maurice and so many stories of crossing the Alps tell us the extent to which it is both a land of anchorage and of passage, of preservation and of innovation.

The people invited to take part will do so according to a common thread: space and time. Space, the space carved out by the Rhône over a period that defies human understanding, but also the space of imagination opened up by the Leukerbad antennae. Bringing together artists and researchers whose work is rooted in the Valais with the viewpoints of people from other backgrounds to build stories that are worthy of such an inspiring place. Mobilising science and fiction to open up new scenarios, respectful of what already exists while having the courage to embark on new paths.

Each day is organised in two parts:
From around 10.00 am to around 6.00 pm, a walk between two locations served by public transport, punctuated by contributions from various guests.
From 6.00 p.m. there will be a debriefing, exchanges and discussions over a drink and more.
The itinerary and programme are designed to make it easy to join or leave the walk and the evening along the way.
Thursday: Sierre
Friday: Leuk
Saturday: L'Illbach
Sunday: Le Bois de Finges