A sustainable trip through Valais in swisstainable Switzerland

My five-day journey takes the train from Arnhem via Basel to the canton of Valais, called 'Valais' in French. The canton is an elongated l-shaped valley in the Swiss Alps in southwestern Switzerland. The Rhone River flows through this valley from its source the Rhone Glacier in the east to Lake Geneva in the west. Valais offers a great diversity of landscapes; from the highest mountains in the Alps with 45 peaks over 4,000 metres to subtropical spots where even pomegranate trees grow.

In Valais, I visit three very different places: Saas-Fee (in the Saastal valley), a well-known winter sports village, Zermatt, especially famous for 'Toblerone mountain' the Matterhorn and the electric-powered Gornergrat cogwheel railway, and finally the relatively unknown town of Brig and the nearby Simplon Pass. Before heading to Valais, my journey starts in Basel.

In Switzerland's third-largest city, I board a traditional wooden boat, the Weidling. Owners Urs and Irene, while paddling furiously and sweating (unfortunately, I only think of the hashtags #sweatserland and #sweatserland at the end of the trip), talk endlessly about this flat boat type and how important the Weidling was for the development of Basel. So I learn that the Weidling is traditionally manufactured from 10-metre-long pine trees and that the Celts built similar boats more than 2,000 years ago. From the Middle Ages until industrialisation, treks on these boats were very lucrative as Basel was on the main trade route between Venice and the North Sea.

We moor at restaurant Le Rhin Bleu. There, I enjoy the setting sun and watch Basel people combat the stressful commute. Indeed, after work, they swap the tailored suit for a Speedo on one of the little beaches on the shore, jumping into the clear river with their gear in a waterproof bag and then letting themselves be carried away by the current. Somewhere on the other side, at the height of their house, they step out of the water. That's another invigorating and sustainable end to the working day!

The winter sports village of Saas-Fee also turns out to be vibrant in summer. I am lucky enough to get a closer look at the Feegletscher from the Längfluh viewpoint, a rocky spur of the Pennine Alps. As I take the gondola lift up, my guide Enzio and I also pass the chairlifts with the Felskinnbahn where Wham's music video Last Christmas was recorded. As a pallid baking girl, I was a huge fan of this pop duo so I can only just suppress a gurgle at the sight of this film location. By the way, Saas-Fee was the scene for all the elements in the music video; the chalet from the clip is also here. But let me not dwell on this as there are more important things on the agenda. On the Längfluh , close to the aqua blue glacier lake, I look down into the crevasses of the glacier from above, hugging the viewpoint, so to speak. On the other side, I look up against a wall of ice. How impressive.

In the green meadow below the viewpoint, I go in search of Saas-Fee's cutest inhabitants: the marmots. Some hikers wander around armed with carrots and other green food to feed them, me with my telephoto lens. As the sun disappears behind the clouds, the first heads emerge from their holes. And soon the marmots are playing with each other and we hear their occasional whistling (yes really!) sound echoing down the valley.

Just 11 kilometres from Saas-Fee, in Zermatt, I go in search of another typical animal of the region: the Valaisian Black-nosed Sheep. In the alpine meadows surrounding luxurious and pricey Zermatt (this resort attracts the rich of the rich), I meet shepherdess Deborah, who stays there much less posh in a simple little caravan. The main task she has been given by the farmers in the area is to protect the sheep flock of 121 (watch that one, don't lose it ;))) Black-nosed sheep from the wolf that haunts the area. The exact location of Deborah and 'her' flock of sheep can be determined by tourists with the Meet the Sheep concept using GPS. Now just hope the wolf doesn't have a GPS tracker.

Deborah speaks passionately and lovingly about the sheep in her care and her summer job as a shepherdess (in winter she is an artist). I get to hear all the ins and outs. Including why there is no sheepdog accompanying her. She explains that the sheep's wool grows so fast that the animals soon can't see anything because of their long curly fringes and therefore do everything by smell and hearing. They would not perceive the movements of a sheep dog. Moreover, they might be startled by a dog and run away in panic. The wool from the flock can be found in the pillows and duvets of Zermatt's hotels, among other things.

Of course, I also want to consciously take in the Matterhorn with its pyramid shape. So often seen in photos (mischievously called #matterporn by some) but never before in person. Unfortunately, a stubborn cloud lingers around the characteristic mountain peak. Nevertheless, I think this 4478-metre-high mountain is a beauty. I take a picture not only with my camera but also in my head. An image that will remain etched in my memory. 'Making Matterhorn memories.'

My last stop is Brig. A place where I previously switched from train to bus and which caught my eye even then because of the beautiful backdrop of the Glishorn behind the city facades. Now I can stay there longer. The market square with coloured houses is very cosy. The terraces are full. Once a few steps away from the square, in the lee of the alleys surrounding Stockalper Castle, it is immediately a lot quieter. The garden and the columned courtyard are open to the public. The castle was once built by Kaspar Jodok von Stockalper, who amassed a huge fortune from trading in the 17th century.

How did I get to all these special places? With the perfectly regulated Swiss public transport! A real breath of fresh air compared to our public transport or, for example, the delayed trains in neighbouring Germany. The Swiss Travel Pass allows you to use all public transport without having to buy tickets or check in every time. So travel is fast and hassle-free. If you travel with young children, rail travel in Switzerland is a great option because some trains have a special children's compartment with play equipment for toddlers. During bus journeys, stops are clearly marked on illuminated signs. And you might not expect it in the mountains, but journeys from one place to another in Valais go smoothly. While you are driven to your destination, you yourself have every opportunity to be enraptured by the fabulous Swiss views.

Tschüss,

Simone