Walliser Halbnomadentum - Ein Leben zwischen Berg und Tal
Overview
Intro
We open up buildings, facilitate encounters with residents and eyewitnesses, and treat them to local specialties.
Like the semi-nomads, we make our way from Varen to Siders, where the “Maison du remuage” is celebrating its 300th anniversary.
This form of seasonal migration—semi-nomadism—shaped the rhythm of life for entire families: In spring and summer, people moved down into the valley to the vineyards; in winter, they returned to the mountain village. The Albinerhaus, the Eischlergässi, and La Maison du Remuage are thus authentic examples of a mobility that arose not out of freedom, but out of necessity.
Maison du Remuage in Siders
The communities of the Val d’Annivers are closely linked to the town of Siders. Each village had its own neighborhood in Siders. What makes this semi-nomadic lifestyle unique is that each family had several dwellings, and that the entire village—including the pastor, the teacher, and the whole family—moved twice on the same day: once during Lent and again after the cattle drive down from the alpine pastures, to St. Catherine’s Church.
Living in Albinen, Working in Varen
For generations, families from Albinen owned vineyards in the lower-lying, climatically favorable areas of Varen. Since the daily walk—covering several hundred meters in elevation—was arduous, the winegrowers used simple overnight lodgings right in the vineyards. The Albinerhaus served as their sleeping quarters, workplace, and storage space during intensive periods such as pruning, tending, or harvest.
Note: This text was translated by machine translation software and not by a human translator. It may contain translation errors.
| Contact address |
Naturpark / Parc naturel Pfyn-Finges
Kirchstrasse 6 3970 Salgesch +41 (0)27 452 60 60 admin@pfyn-finges.ch |
|---|---|
| Location |
Bushaltestelle / Arrêt du bus : Varen, Frayen Rebbergstrasse 3953 Varen Switzerland |
| Event Homepage | https://www.pfyn-finges.ch |
| Price |
CHF 49.- per person, including:
· Guided cultural hike
· Local encounters
· Culinary experiences at the 3 locations
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| Opening hours |
Meeting point:
Right next to the large square at the Varen, Frayen bus stop
9:45–10:15 a.m.: Welcome with coffee and croissants
10:30 a.m.: Cultural walk
Albinerhaus open to the public
Eischlergässi open
Maison du Remuage festival
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The content presented here is provided and updated by regional/local tourist offices or event organisers, which is why Switzerland Tourism is unable to guarantee the correctness of the contents.
Event dates
- 17 October 2026
Sierre, Salgesch, and Surrounding Area Tourism, Avenue Général Guisan 6, 3960 Sierre, +41 (0)27 455 85 35, info@sierretourisme.ch, https://www.sierretourisme.ch | Maximum of 50 participants. Registration is required. Registration is handled directly through Sierre Tourism. Registration is open until October 14, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Registration link in German: https://buchung.sierretourisme.ch/walliser-halbnomadentum.html?origine=switchLangue | Maximum of 50 participants. Registration is required.