Guided hike – Varen, Salgesch, Sierre

For centuries, winegrowing families have lived between the mountains and the valley, shaping the region’s cultural landscape. Immerse yourself in the history, culinary delights and authentic villages of Varen, Salgesch and Sierre.

Just like the semi-nomads, this guided walk follows in the footsteps of the Valais transhumants from Varen to Sierre, where the ‘Maison du remuage’ is celebrating its 300th anniversary.

This form of seasonal migration, known as Valais transhumance or ‘remuage’, shaped the rhythm of life for entire families: in spring and summer, people would move down into the valley to work in the vineyards; in winter, they would return to their mountain village. The Albinerhaus, the Eischlergässi and the ‘Maison du Remuage’ are therefore authentic examples of a form of mobility that arose not out of freedom, but out of necessity.

Living in Albinen, working in Varen: For generations, families from Albinen have owned vineyards on the slopes of Varen, which lie lower down and enjoy a milder climate. As the daily walk involving a climb of several hundred metres was arduous, the winegrowers used simple lodgings situated right in the vineyard. The house in Albinen served as a place to sleep, work and store equipment during busy periods.

As for the Mouling district in Salgesch, many farmers from mountain villages in Upper Valais owned small plots of vineyards there. The inhabitants of Eischoll, in particular, had a strong presence in Salgesch and even gave their name to an alleyway, the ‘s’Eischlergässi’.

The walk ends in Sierre, for the celebrations marking the 300th anniversary of the Maison du Remuage: the communes of the Val d’Annivers are closely linked to the town of Sierre. Each village had its own neighbourhood there. What made this seasonal migration unique was that each family had several homes. The whole village – including the parish priest, the schoolteacher, women and children – would ‘move house’ on the same day, twice a year, during Lent and after the cattle came down from the mountain pastures, to attend services at St Catherine’s Church.

Programme:

9.30 am | Varen – Albinerhaus / Welcome, guided tour and coffee break
From 10.00 am | Cultural walk
• Varen → Salgesch / Historical anecdotes, culinary stops and regional specialities
• Stop-off in Salgesch, Eischlergässi / Guided tour and aperitif
• Onwards from Salgesch → Sierre
• Final stop in Sierre, Maison du Remuage / Guided tour and closing tasting / street stalls, canteen, concerts and social gathering