Swiss Wine + Wellness: Soak Up Well-Being In The Mountains And Valleys Of Valais

Home to the iconic Matterhorn peak and its famous basecamp town of Zermatt, the Valais canton, or state, in southern Switzerland offers much more than just those celebrated landmarks.

With 5,000 hectares (over 12,000 acres) of vineyards, Valais is the largest winemaking canton in Switzerland. The region boasts more than 55 different grape varieties, some unique to the area, 80,000 plots of vineyards and 370 cellars, producing one-third of all Swiss wine.

Alongside the rich history of viticulture in Valais is a deeply-rooted lifestyle of wellness. Much like the thermal springs found throughout Colorado and the Rocky Mountains in the United States, the hot water that bubbles up from beneath the Swiss Alps has offered locals and visitors rejuvenation and healing for centuries. The thermal mineral water is known to relax muscles, stimulate circulation, alleviate joint pain and also offer community locales for families and friends to gather.

Photos by Kim Fuller.

SIP

Surprisingly, only about 1% of Swiss wine is exported. The Swiss are not shy in admitting that this is because they prefer to keep their wine to drink themselves. The domestic demand is such that there isn’t much left to send beyond Switzerland’s borders, so to enjoy Swiss wine means to plan a visit there.

While more familiar red varietals are grown in Valais, including pinot noir, gamay, merlot and shiraz, some local grape varieties are those most may not recognize — for red wines, cornalin and humagne rouge, and for white wines, fendant, known in Valais as chasselas, petite arvine and heida.

A stop at Les Celliers de Sion makes for a lovely afternoon of tasting local wine, learning about the local winemaking traditions from director David Héritier and the opportunity to traverse through the vineyards. Sion is the capitol of Valais and the heart of the country’s wine heritage. Sion has a sunny and arid climate, creating an ideal environment for cultivating wine grapes. In addition, the region’s geological dynamics, including upheavals, receding glaciers and alluvial deposits from the Rhône river and Alps torrents, contribute to a rich diversity of soils. This unique combination of factors enhances the potential for producing exceptional wines.

It’s no surprise that Swiss wine pairs beautifully with Raclette cheese and Swiss fondue, and a lunch of beefsteak tartar at Les Celliers de Sion with a cornalin red wine pairing cannot be topped.

SOAK

Up above the Valais valley floor are towering Swiss mountains, and right beneath them is the town of Leukerbad, where 3.9 million liters (over 1 million gallons) of thermal water bubble up daily from 65 springs, making it the largest deposit in Europe.

Thermal spas are a destination and pastime for Valaisans, and they all have different qualities. Walliser Alpentherme & SPA in Leukerbad is a more intimate oasis where guests can peacefully soak beneath a mountain panorama. Leukerbad Therme is the largest thermal bath in the entire region with 10 bath areas, slides for families and a sauna. The indoor pool has a therapeutic circuit of underwater massage jets, and the natural stone grotto with an unfiltered thermal water and steam generator is great for a cleansing sweat.

STAY

Time spent in Sion can be based out of Hotel Bains de Saillon. There is a large thermal spa on property, and guests can also venture to the ruins of Saillon Castle and up to Bayard Tower in between wine tastings.

In Leukerbad, Hotel Les Sources des Alpes has a quaint thermal spa with tremendous views of the towering cliffs of the Gemmi. Breakfast and dinner are wonderful in the hotel at La Malvoisie, and enjoy an authentic Swiss lunch at Restaurant Lounge 1411.

There is a direct flight from Denver to Zurich on Edelweiss Air, making a trip to Switzerland and the canton of Valais smooth and convenient.

It’s easiest to arrive in Valais by train via the railway station at Leuk, and then ideal to move throughout the region with a car. If extensive travels around Switzerland are planned, the Swiss Travel Pass is the way to go.

Learn more about Valais and plan your stay at valais.ch.

Originally published in the Fall 2023 issue of Spoke+Blossom.