4 Valleys ski system includes Thyon, Verbier, Nendaz, Veysonnaz and La Tzoumaz One of the largest and highest system in Europe, including Mount Fort 3300m, Mont Gelé 3023m, Greppon Blanc 2700m and many more above 2000 meters. The system benefits from over 400km of piste and over 100 lifts, many of which operate in the summer linking hundreds of kilometres of mountain bike tracks and hiking paths Piste Map http://ski.intermaps.ch/printze/index.swf?lang=fr Virtual visit http://www.4vallees.ch/en/main/virtual.php Webcam http://www.thyon-region.ch/webcams.cfm?webcamurl=http://www.alm.ch/wallis.jpg Sion is the oldest town in Switzerland located in the heart of the Valais which really does offer something for everyone from sun drenched vineyards to snow capped mountains, pure mountain air a place where the sun reins supreme for more than 300 days a year. The area has all the charm that traditional Switzerland can offer, you gaze down over the larch forests with delightful chalets dotted around the slopes and the church spires in quaint villages on the other side of the valley. Valais has over 50 varieties of grapes and wine making tradition which dates back thousands of years. Fendant and Johannisberg are delicious whites along with fruity reds like Gamay, Pinot Noir and Dole, a must to sample along with a raclette, rösti or fondue. The traditional village of Hérémence is 2km below and has all the amenities you would expect including cash point, post office, butchers and grocery store. Les Masses is 0.5km away, it has a restaurant/bar, tourist office and mini supermarket. Les Collons is 8 minutes drive where you will find a couple of good restaurants and bars, ski hire shop, supermarket, tourist office 
Val D’Hérens
Euseigne Pyramids – this is what our group of chalet are names after, if you look out the large front windows and down you will see the road that runs through the Pyramids. They are a strange geological phenomena which appeared with the erosion of the glaciers that when shrinking left behind them a heterogeneous deposits. While the running water has sculpted the moraine the blocks of more compact rock (which sit on top of the columns) resisted erosion The pyramids are between 10-15 meters tall with the stones on top weighing around 20 tonnes, some have already fallen as the erosion continues more will fall and the Pyramids will erode away but hopefully not for several centuries.
Grand Dixence Dam – This is the dam you can see from the chalet - It took over 3000 workers between the years of 1953-1961 and 6 million cubic meters of concrete. We know locals whose relations worked on the dam. The highest dam wall in the world at the time 285m, which holds back up to 400 million cubic meters of water. Visits can be arranged from June-September. The hotel you can see below which is also a block of concrete was housing for the workers know as the Ritz!!, now a hotel Evoléne and Les Haudéres are among the best preserved villages in Valais and the majority of the houses were built between 16-19th Century. A must to visit in the summer, there is a folklore festival held every year dating back to the 1400 where strange creatures called Peluches (soft toys) can be seen made of sacking with scary wooden masks and the old man winter is burnt on a bonfire to mark the end of winter. Hérémence Church – after the old church was demolished in 1971 the new church of Saint Nicholas was built in the heart of the village. Designed by the architect and sculptor Walter Förderer from Basel. Part of the large concrete structure also houses the local school, post office and shop Sion – The secret capital with sothern charm - This medieval city is naturally located in stragic position that can easily be fortified. The first inhabitants settled here in Neolithicn times around 50000BC, which today is the oldest site in Switzerland |
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