Cattle descent from Alpine pastures   Of cows, crowns and culinary delights.

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Intro

When the days get shorter and the nights colder, it’s time for the cattle and the herdsmen to leave the alp and make their way back to the valley. The return of the herds to lower fields is one of the most celebrated Alpine festivals in Switzerland – and one of the most beautiful as the cows, sheep and goats are artfully decorated with twigs and flowers.

Return of the cattle in Spycherberg, canton of Bern.
Return of the cattle in Charmey, canton of Fribourg.
The return of the sheep from the Gemmi Alp down to Leukerbad, canton of Valais.
Herdsmen with cows at the return of the cattle in Schüpfheim, canton of Lucerne.
Cattle returning from the Alp in the main street of Appenzell.

The origin of the ‘cattle homecoming’.

Approximately 400,000 cattle, 200,000 sheep and goats and even alpacas spend the summer up on an alp in the Swiss mountains. The return of the herds and herdsmen has been celebrated as an ancient custom. Originally the festivities were a thanksgiving for a summer season without accidents or losses. Depending on weather conditions, the homecoming is celebrated between mid-August to mid-September.

A crown for the cow. 

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Why do the cows wear flower crowns?

Highlights of every return of the cattle are the colourful flower crowns worn by the cattle. The herdsmen carefully choose the animals which get to wear the crowns for the descent. Especially the cows who gave the most milk or who lead the herd are decorated with care. The design of the flower crowns, the so called ‘tschäppl’, varies from farm to farm. It’s mostly seasonal flowers and twigs that are being used for the decoration, such as sunflowers, chrysanthemum or dahlias. Tissue flowers are used to reduce the weight of bigger arrangements. Depending on the region and custom, it’s crosses, wooden panels, styrofoam crowns, an upside-down milking-stool or directly the horns of the cows that are decorated.

Decorated cow at the cattle descent in the Klöntal valley in the canton of Glarus.
Cow with flower decoration at the Alpine descent in Schuepfheim, canton of Lucerne.
Cow with crown made with flowers out to tissue paper at the festivities in Charmey, canton of Fribourg.
Special crowns at the cattle homecoming in the nature park Diemtigtal in the canton of Bern.

How is the homecoming celebrated?

In many villages, the return of the cattle and herdsmen is celebrated with a festival including market stalls, music and culinary delights. The colourful parade of the cattle is the main attraction of the festivities. Besides the decorated animals, visitors will see local traditional costumes and impressive bells with beautifully hand stitched straps. Yodelling and alphorn sounds are an important part of the festivities too. In any places, guests can find a culinary offering as well as market stalls selling local crafts. Some regions also celebrate the official distribution of the cheese that was produced on the Alp among the herdsmen.

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