14 August 2024
Immerse yourself in the Alpine world, where summer life on the mountain pastures is all about tradition, conviviality and folklore. Find out about traditional cheese making and take part in Alpine festivities, which culminate in the ‘désalpe’, a convivial festival which celebrates the end of the season, and where the spotlight is on cows and cheese.
You have to be an enthusiastic and an early riser to work on the mountain pastures all summer! “From 3.50am every morning, we fetch the cows, milk them and remove the serac cheese from the moulds. Then from 6am, we get down to making cheese with the day’s milk” explains Stéphane.
You need a few people for a day on the mountain pasture. One of them looks after the Hérens cows all day long, because “We never leave them alone; we have to keep an eye on the fights so that we can continually establish the rankings”. Another cleans the cowsheds, turning and maturing the cheeses, while another is in charge of making the cheese that day. According to Stéphane, “Life on the alp is the best in the world”, a real team effort that respects traditions.
Every day on the alp in summer, we milk the cows and make cheese. Because “to make AOP cheese, you have to make it every day” explains Stéphane.
On the Corbyre alp, Stéphane makes his own raclette cheese, an institution in Valais. And when milk production permits, fresh plain or ‘tommes’ (flavoured with cumin, pepper, wild garlic etc.) and sérac are made by hand. The best thing to do is to come and watch the cheese being made (every Sunday morning in summer until the ‘désalpe’) or try it this weekend, at the ‘désalpe’ in the streets of Crans-Montana.
There are a number of festivities on the alp, the main ones are the ‘inalpe’ and the ‘désalpe’.Traditionally, the inalpe marks the start of the season and all the cows from various neighbouring herds are brought together. The cows fight in front of a large crowd of spectators, starting a ranking that evolves throughout the summer. There’s a lively atmosphere,and the sound of the Alphorn in the background, and of course the legendary convivial Valais aperitif!
Throughout the season, festivities are organised on the mountain pastures, particularly at the Corbyre mountain pasture, where raclette parties and folk festivals are held throughout the season.
The ‘désalpe’ is a truly traditional celebration in the Swiss Alps, marking the end of the ‘queen’ fights and the start of the summer cheese sales. This friendly and relaxed celebration brings together young and old, locals and tourists alike, for a moment to appreciate the simple things in life and sharing the moment. The ‘désalpe’ is an opportunity to present the ‘queens’ to the public, the cows are decked out in flowers for the occasion, and the cheese that has been produced over the summer is sold, showing the people and animals that are at the heart of the production process.
It's also an opportunity to share this passion with cow owners, like Luca Aerni, alpine skier and ambassador for Crans-Montana.
Luca took part in the procession for the first time in 2021 alongside his Hérens cow, which he was given by the Municipalities of Crans-Montana in 2017 as a reward for becoming world champion that year. Named ‘Corviglia’ in reference to the ski piste on which he became ski world champion that year, she reminds him of that memorable moment every time he comes to see her on the Corbyre alp where she lives. “I've always loved cows, ever since I was little,” confides Luca. “As a child, when we came to Crans-Montana with my family, I liked to go and help look after the herd next door to where we lived. Now that I have Corviglia, as soon as I can I go to give Stéphane a hand on the Corbyre mountain pasture”.
