Our journey begins without transition in a stunning setting, the Great Aletsch Glacier, with the summits of the Eiger, the Mönch and the Jungfrau in the background. A deep plunge through the fascinating Aletsch forest, made up of ancient larches and stone pines, leads us to the famous suspension bridge at the foot of the glacier. All these landscapes of exceptional beauty and variety are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Two days follow during which we walk along the bisses, remarkable for their ingenious and courageous design and construction… true gems to discover!
The Aletsch Glacier
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Aletsch Glacier © Gilles Gadani[/caption]
Located in the Valais in Switzerland, the Aletsch Glacier is the largest glacier in the Alps. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001, it stretches 23 km in length over an area of 117 km2. Surrounded by peaks exceeding 4,000 metres in altitude, the Aletsch Glacier moves a mass of ice of around 27 billion tonnes! Its accumulation zone, corresponding to the area of permanent snow, lies in the Jungfrau region at nearly 4,000 metres altitude, while its glacial front (the lower limit of the glacier) ends at around 1,500 metres in the Massa Gorge.
The Aletsch Glacier can reach up to 900 metres in depth at the spot known as " place de la Concorde ". It moves at a speed of around 200 metres per year and, according to calculations, the "age of the ice" at the end of its journey is approximately 600 years.
After reaching a record extent around the mid-19th century, the glacier has been retreating ever since. It has receded by around 3 km, including 800 metres over the last 30 years, at a rate of 50 to 60 m per year.
You will certainly be in awe of the splendour and immensity of the Aletsch Glacier. The beauty of the landscapes is simply breathtaking!
The bisses of the Valais
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Bisses trail © Gilles Gadani[/caption]
The "bisse" is an elaborate irrigation system that captures water at the foot of glaciers or in mountain torrents and channels it to cultivated hillside terraces. The water is conveyed and used to irrigate fields, vineyards and orchards during the warm season.
Their route required significant and heroic engineering works!
Footbridges, tunnels, corbelled passages… all testaments to the boldness and perseverance of their builders — mountain dwellers. These installations speak to the importance of water in this canton of Valais.
The "bisses" are today experiencing a true revival, much to the delight of hikers. Gently sloping and always safe, the paths that run alongside them pass through highly varied settings: beautiful shaded forests, alpine pastures, gorges and panoramic viewpoints.
Accompanied by the sound of lapping water, this spectacle of colours and light will enchant you! A unique and fascinating heritage, the "bisses" will let you discover one of the most picturesque aspects of the Valais.
Mund, the land of saffron
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Saffron © Gilles Gadani[/caption]
Saffron cultivation is a tradition of the municipality of Mund (Upper Valais), where this plant has been grown since the Middle Ages.
Saffron (Crocus sativus) is the most expensive spice in the world. It was probably introduced from Spain to Switzerland around the 14th century. Saffron is obtained by drying and grinding the three stigmas that grow inside the flower. It takes around 180 flowers to produce just one gram of this precious spice. Today, around 3 to 4 kilos of saffron are produced in Mund each year. This small quantity is enough to revitalise a village and put it on the international culinary map.
The touring stay (3 days)
Accessible to walkers comfortable on all terrain, I offer a 3-day touring stay. Over days of 5 to 6 hours of walking, at a leisurely pace, you will discover, among other things, the highlights of the stay:
- The Great Aletsch Glacier and its protected forest
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Suspension bridge © Gilles Gadani[/caption] - The suspension bridge, 124 m long
- The panoramic view from the summit of Belalp (mountain hotel)
- The route of 5 bisses among the most beautiful in the Valais
- A night in the land of saffron, "red gold", whose stamens turn risotto golden yellow
Don't worry! The suspension bridge over the void presents no difficulty for those not prone to vertigo. Some sections along the bisses are vertiginous but sufficiently equipped to allow safe crossing.
Feel free to contact me via my website Traces et Nature or directly for any further information and to book your next hiking trip!
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