One of our favourite moments of the day was early morning before any of our fellow campers were up. The three of us would watch the sun work its way down a nearby mountain, hitting the valley just as we devoured the remains of our breakfast. It was a fantastic way to start the day before heading off to explore what the Swiss Alps had to offer.
We adore spending time in the mountains and relish our family road trips, many of which have a mountain theme. Last year was the first time we’d slept under the canvas as a family and we stayed at the most idyllic campsite in Switzerland’s Valais region. The campsite was situated in the village of Les Haudères, a short drive from Evolène, surrounded by an impressive alpine forest, lush green meadows, and snow-capped mountains. Bordered by mountain peaks like the Grande Dent Veisivi, Tsa de l’Ano, and Mont de l’Etoile, the Val d’Hérens valley was ripe for discovery, exploration, and adventure.
We already had fond memories of Switzerland having enjoyed two skiing holidays in Zermatt before “POD” came along. She was born on Christmas Day 2010, the year the UK had the Big Freeze when snowfall hit record levels. We’ve not had anywhere near the same level of snowfall in Surrey since but, as you can imagine, she’s eager to experience deep snow. She’s not learned to ski or snowboard yet but she’s always been a climber (even before she mastered walking!) so we’re sure she’ll take to the slopes with ease when the time comes. POD loves our family travels whether it’s self-catering in mountain regions like Cantabria, Asturias or the Alps, activity holidays with Mark Warner Holidays and Neilson Holidays or catered for weekend breaks in European cities.
The drive from the UK to Calais and through France to Switzerland didn’t phase her at all as she saw it as part of the adventure. Val d’Hérens is a couple of hours’ drive from the likes of Morzine and Zermatt and stretches from the Rhone Valley to the foot of Dent Blanche, Dent d’Hérens, Mont Collon and Mont Blanc de Cheilon. With hiking paths, glaciers and the tallest dam in the world, there are plenty of ways to take in the delights of this unspoiled Swiss alpine valley.
One of our most memorable hikes was to the Lac Bleu of Arolla. The route took us from La Gouille up winding paths through magnificent conifer forests with dramatic scenery and the most spectacular views. Occasionally we’d pass a group of hikers but other than that it was peaceful with just the wildlife, grasshoppers and butterflies for company. It was glorious and the higher we climbed, the more breathtaking the mountain views became. As a family, we always enjoy the great outdoors but being in the mountains takes it to another level and we felt like we were on top of the world. What’s more, we were rewarded at the top with the stunning Lac Bleu and its turquoise waters, waterfalls and an unexpected (but hugely talented) hornblower.
Likewise, our trek to Lac D’Arbey with its views of the magnificent Dent Blanche mountains was especially memorable. The hike took several hours more than it should have done so reaching the summit was especially satisfying. POD showed so much grit and determination, she really did. The summit provided us with 360-degree views and surrounded by bees, lizards and butterflies. We even saw a black squirrel while catching our breath at the buvette which was also home to a few gnomes. Unsurprisingly, the route down was fairly swift although that might have been as we headed cross country having spotted our car in a valley.
Other highlights included exploring the Grande Dixence Dam which is the tallest gravity dam in the world. Remarkably, it retains some 400 billion litres of water from the Lac des Dix which is the largest artificial lake in Switzerland. Melting water is collected from 35 glaciers surrounding Zermatt and up to Val Val d’Hérens. The Grande Dixence Dam is 200 metres thick at the base, 695 metres long and 285 metres wide. The dam can be reached by cable car a short distance from the base. It’s a great starting point for various hiking trails and there’s even a 700-metre zip wire across the void! We also enjoyed exploring the Ferpècle Glacier which is one of around 14 glaciers in the Valais region of the Swiss Alps.
Last summer’s trip to Switzerland was an epic adventure filled with the best kind of memories. We’d planned to take a longer road trip in 2020 with time spent in the French Alps but like everyone else, travel plans this year have been thwarted due to Coronavirus. It’s the first time in four years we’ve not had our mountain fix so we’re continually dreaming of our next adventure, where it might be and when. Our nine-year-old is not quite ready for the Tongariro Alpine Crossing just yet!
This post is in collaboration with AliKats Mountain Holidays and the Dream of the Mountains blogger challenge.
