Valais Holidays

A lively region
Cheap Valais holidays in the south-west of Switzerland sit squarely in lakes and mountains country. Here, you're among nearly 50 4,000-metre peaks, stunning glaciers, gorges and a walking network that extends to 8,000kms. There's plenty to do in this lively region on a Swiss lakes and mountains holiday, especially in summer when you can enjoy mountain biking or hiking or even try a bungee jump in Val d'Anniviers or a Rhône river-rafting trip. You can even get a fantastic panorama on this wonderful Swiss lakes and mountains country with a hot air balloon ride or paragliding experience.

Full of contrasts
Holidays in Valais illustrate the natural contrasts thrown up by the region. Will it be city or country? Classical music or skiing? One sport that's well catered for on a Valais holiday is golf, with five 18-hole courses and four nine-hole courses. But the entertainment on a cheap Swiss lakes and mountains holiday doesn't end there. There are exhibitions for art-lovers, plays and films to suit every culture vulture, and open-air concerts for music fans. Everyone will enjoy the fairs and festivals, and there are mountains to climb, markets to savour, sunshine to be lapped up and glaciers to ski and walk.

Eat, drink, be merry
On a Valais holiday, the climate and Swiss lakes and mountains scenery make for great outdoor sports. But when it's time to refuel, lovers of food and good wine will find a nice line in world-leading gastronomy. On a Valais holiday, join the locals for rice and saffron, buttered chestnut brisolée or a bacon, leek, cheese and potato tart. To wash down this beautiful cuisine, you'll find a range of world-class wines that include Marsanne Blanche, Muscat and Savagnin Blanc.

Valais weather
On a Swiss lakes and mountain holidays, you'll notice that the weather in Valais has its own micro-climate. In summer, you'll experience some fairly Mediterranean temperatures – the mercury reaching 25-35°C in places like Sion, from June all the way through to September. You can also predict around 300 days of sunshine each year. In other places, on higher ground, the temperatures are usually up to seven degrees cooler. Chances are, if the weather's poor in the mountains, you can head to Sion or Lake Geneva where you'll probably be able to sunbathe. In winter, on your Valais holidays, snow appears only for a few weeks in December to early February. Sub-zero temperatures can be expected in Nendaz from December to March.