The excursion begins at the Château de Villa in Sierre. Behind the historic walls of the 16th-century patrician house, everything here revolves around excellent ingredients and Valais’s culinary culture. The aroma of regional specialties wafts through the air. Traditional Valais platters are served, with wafer-thin slices of dried meats and flavourful cheese. Meanwhile, steam rises from melted cheese in the fondue pot – or, alternatively, guests can instead enjoy cheese served to their plates in the form of freshly pared raclette.

The Swiss cheese dish enjoys pride of place here. After all, raclette can trace its roots back to Valais. Initially a simple meal enjoyed by alpine herdsmen, it has since become one of Switzerland’s best-known and most highly regarded specialities, appreciated far beyond the country’s borders.

The cheeses served at the raclette tasting are naturally all sourced from across the region, and invite guests to embark on a delicious journey through the mountain canton of Valais. This experience reveals an impressive variety of flavours: Depending on their origin, the cheeses range from tangy and robust to particularly mild and creamy.

These are accompanied by a glass of wine from the in-house wine shop, which has built up a collection of around 780 different fine wines from across Valais. A promising start to a day dedicated to wine, landscapes and a certain joie de vivre.

The wine trail begins just a few steps from the castle. It connects the French-speaking city of Sierre with German-speaking Salgesch. This route, stretching out over around six kilometres, is one of the best-known and probably also one of the most informative wine hikes in Switzerland. Eighty information panels can be found along the trail, each one recounting facts about the life of the vine, the landscape and the local people.
But guests on this trail will never feel the need to check the time or ask how much of the route is left. The landscape and stories along the way are far too impressive to become distracted by such things.

Guests hardly have to walk for long before the view opens up, and they are treated to views of Château Mercier. The historic building stands proudly amidst the vineyards, a reminder of the region’s long-standing winegrowing tradition. The trail continues on through Muraz and Veyras, which have attracted writers and artists alike since time immemorial. And not far from the route, the Château de Muzot can also be found, where Rainer Maria Rilke completed some of his most important works. Even today, the landscape here still seems to radiate the same quiet power that has inspired generations of creative minds.

Vine upon vine, row upon row, plot upon plot. From a distance, the winegrowing region is reminiscent of an artfully woven mosaic of colours, shapes and structures. Along dry stone walls and over narrow paths, the Sentier Viticole leads through a cultural landscape that has evolved over generations.

On a small plot along the route, 34 of the grape varieties cultivated in Valais grow side by side – a symbol of the extraordinary diversity of Valais viticulture. Haste seems entirely out of place here. Instead, colours, impressions and views set the pace.

Finally, the trail approaches the Raspille Gorge. This small gorge has served as the border between the French and German-speaking parts of the canton for centuries. But linguistic boundaries mean little to the vineyards. These connect landscapes, people and traditions on either side of the valley.

As soon as guests to the region arrive in Salgesch, the Wine Museum invites them to delve deeper into the world of Valais viticulture. Between historical exhibits, interactive elements and exciting insights, it quickly becomes clear that wine is seen as much more than just a product here.

For the final highlight of the day, it’s back to the vineyards. The many wine cellars in the region invite guests to discover the diversity of the Valais terroir from the producers directly. While enjoying a fine wine, guests can look out over the vines and reflect on the day’s experiences – the stories along the wine trail, the colours of autumn, and the insights into the local wine culture.

As the sun slowly sinks behind the mountains, and the vineyards are once again illuminated by a golden glow, one thing becomes clear: this trail takes guests right into the heart of the Valais way of life.