The old houses and barns of this unspoilt mountain village, located at 1330 m, nestle snugly around the Romanesque church tower. Vercorin can be reached from the Rhone valley by post bus from Sierre or by cable-car from Chalais. There is a little lane leading directly into the Val d'Anniviers (Eifischtal).
Not far from Vercorin is the unique natural treasure of the Réchytal, an undeveloped valley with virtually no roads or buildings. With its abundance of edelweiss and varied wildlife, this nature conservation area is one of the most unspoilt landscapes of the Central Valais. When Nature slowly begins to prepare for her winter sleep, the stags wake up in the rutting season between September and October, performing a courtship ritual that can be heard from far away.
Summer
In this sunny region you can go hiking on over 250 km of footpaths. The Squirrel Path invites you to discover the virgin forest, while the "Celtic Trail" leads you to special trees which played an important role in the Celtic philosophy of life. Another popular excursion is to follow the alpine trail from Vercorin to Grimentz in the Val d'Anniviers, a walk which follows the tree-line, with no major differences in altitude.
At the middle station of the Crêt du Midi gondola, Alp Sigeroulaz, there is fun for all the family in the "Adventure Forest", on the rope ladders and suspended bridges of the longest course of its kind in the area. And the "Three Suonen Circuit" to the Sarrasin, Briey and Riccard "Suonen" (irrigation channels) will also get your adrenalin pumping, as you go boldly over rope bridges up to 220 metres long, and across overhanging slopes. For mountain bikers, there are about 170 km of attractive trails around Vercorin. For a change you could also hire a scooter from the Crêt du Midi, or visit the rock climbing area, the sports centre or the paragliding school.
Highlights
- Val de Réchy (Réchytal) – a protected valley for hikers and lovers of Nature. Well-known for the roaring of the stags in the rutting season.
- Adventure Forest on the Alp Sigeroulaz – swing, climb and balance from tree to tree in safety in the rope-park above Vercorin.
- Grimentz village – a harmonious blend of hotel chalets and old barns and hay-stores makes up this village in the Val d'Anniviers.
- Sierre – this town is said to have the most hours of sunshine in Switzerland and makes a popular nearby excursion, with its museums and picturesque Old Town.
- Cave lake near St-Léonard – from March to November you can take a boat trip across the underground lake between Sion and Sierre.
Top Events
- International Kite-flying Festival – dancing kites on the Crêt du Midi and a kite-maker's workshop (July).
- Vercojazz – jazz festival with bands from the Valais, the rest of Switzerland and from France (July).
- "Alpabzug" in Tracuit – bringing down the cows from the mountain, with a procession through the village and a folklore festival (September).
1 Comments
Tony Ryce
I am thinking of a ski holiday in early April will there still be sufficient snow mainly by beginners Regards Tony
Sunday, Jan 8, 2012 9:12 PM