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The Heritage of Grimentz |
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| Following the floods of 12 and 14 May 1999, the village of Grimentz was in part destroyed. To rebuild it to its original form and to maintain the architectural heritage of the village, the Grimentz Heritage Association was created. A large development and investment project for the reconstruction of the heritage of the old village of Grimentz was thus founded. The association consists of about 200 members, all united by their love for the village of Grimentz. |
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Glacier Wine – A winemaker's legend |
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The mysteries of Glacier Wine are many.
Normally saved for important visitors and special occasions, it is a rare treat. If you ask your favourite wine dealer, he will tell you that it’s impossible to find in wine shops. This rare pearl is found in Grimentz.
A legendary wine coming from an ancient Valaisian tradition, Glacier Wine possesses a character and taste unique in the world of wine, nurtured over more than 5 centuries by the last nomads of Western Europe – The Anniviards.
To sample a glass of Glacier Wine, you have to have earned it. If you don’t know an inhabitant of the Val d'Anniviers who will agree to allow you to taste a glass of his own stock, there’s only one solution: come to Grimentz and make the most of the opportunity given to visitors every Monday in season or on request at the Tourism Office. We will allow you into the cellar of the Bourgeoisie, where large wooden barrels hold some marvellous wines. |
Why continue producing Glacier Wine? Starting from the principle that a nation without tradition is a dead nation… in Grimentz, we are very much alive... as we introduce people to our traditions which we try to keep alive, such as offering a unique wine to the world. Does Glacier Wine have a commercial future? Never. Glacier Wine is an oddity, which requires lots of investment and time. We want it to be the symbol of our traditions and, as for selling our soul, never! How do we drink Glacier Wine? It is a curiosity that should be tasted by itself, without anything other than perhaps a good old cheese. Because of its strong and lingering taste, Glacier Wine must be left to last during a wine tasting. If not, it would spoil the taste sensations of others wines. Finally, it must be drunk at crevasse temperature in summer, in other words very cold - really cold!
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Geraniums and Grimentz |
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Geraniums and Grimentz are linked by a sincere story of love.
The tradition of decorating the balconies with geraniums dates from 1930. It has been passed down from generation to generation. At its origin, the inhabitants harvested geraniums to decorate the church. It was a way of showing their devotion to their religion.
This is no longer the primary motive, but everyone continues to decorate their windows, balconies and other areas with geraniums to bring an infectious joie de vivre to the old village and its sun-darkened granaries.
A visual pleasure to discover without being time consuming.
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The geranium, more than being the summer emblem of Grimentz has numerous unknown varieties, including 34 sweet smelling types, which can be admired and enjoyed along the floral pedestrian street of the old village, by following our« Geranium Trail». With this we offer you a game of discovery based on smell, which challenges you to detect the different scents of geraniums. Free and fascinating, Grimentz's geranium trail will delight you!
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The Hérens species |
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| Valais possesses a species of cow unique to the world: the Hérens species. This robust cow has the peculiarity of fighting in order to establish a herd hierarchy. These cow fights occur naturally. As soon as they are released from their stables, during the first drive up to the mountain pastures in spring, they start fighting each other with their horns, and nature takes its course. The origins of the Hérens species. The Hérens species is probably the remainder of a bovine population, which once populated the Alpine range from the Austrian Alps to the Savoie region. Its cranial morphology places it amongst cattle with large skulls, referred to as “brachycephal”, a characteristic, which is also found on small cows from the Neolithic Age. Its ancestors were present in Valais 3000 years before Christ, as attested by a fragment of skull found at the archaeological site of Sion - St-Guérin (Chaix 1986). The history of the Hérens species The segregation of the species started in Valais in 1860. Between 1835, year of the first parliamentary decree of the Republic instituting the contest of reproductive males, until 1859, the notion of the species was still blurred and these cattle were designated as belonging to the small mountain species. It was in 1859 that the Evolène species, designated from 1861 as the Hérens species, was mentioned for the first time in the competition list. Finally the standard colouring was defined in 1885 (as per the 1884 regulations of the application statement of the Canton of Valais): “ a unique coat, light brown, black or red, with a light stripe on the spine.” This choice was imposed at the time by the necessity to affirm the Hérens species in contrast to other Swiss species after a period of zoological uncertainty and cross-breeding. Since then, the “Panachure” which was a colourful variant of the species, has been eradicated. Since the history of a species never ends, some breeders wish to rehabilitate this colourful variant again. Characteristics of the Hérens species The animals are of medium size and are stocky and short with large, muscular bodies. Their frames are refined and solid. Their heads are short and broad with strong horns, and their eyes bright and expressive, the face straight and the muzzle large. The limbs are short and powerful with dry joints and very hard hooves. Their composure is generally demure and their demeanour both vivacious and casual. The colour of the Hérens species. The colour is uniform and varies between black and fawn (red brick). The mucous membranes, the claws and the horn tips are slate-grey or black. The very broad colour standard allowed by selection has permitted the conservation of various colourful types. Furthermore, a rare characteristic is that the colouring of the young changes after they moult; the body changes from red to black, and the dorsal stripe from black to red. The fighting spirit of the Hérens species. The animals of this species are endowed with a lively and combative temperament that manifests itself in a constant ritual for dominance. The combat which starts as soon as the pastures are open (starting with the ascent to the mountain pastures or during the meeting of two herds) is proof enough. This aptitude is the basis for the organisation of cow fights, which take place every spring. These events bring together over a hundred cows divided into different categories according to age and weight. After several rounds, one of the fighters is declared “Queen” by the jury. The same kind of spectacle is also organised in the Val d’Aoste with animals from the Castana species, and for a few years now there has also been one in the Chamonix Valley. The aptitude to fight is part of the genetic heritage of the species. Although no research has been done to study the heritability, there is no doubt that it is hereditary. The rusticity of the Hérens species Forged by the mountain, the Hérens cow is an excellent walker and moves around easily on difficult ground. This species has preserved a pronounced gregarious behaviour. This allows it to be easily driven over the high mountain pastures where the herd reveals an astonishing cohesion. It is endowed with a developed maternal instinct and experiences very few difficulties when calving. |
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Economic development |
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| For several centuries Grimentz, like many of it’s Anniviers neighbours, was a small unheard of village The people of Grimentz, the ‘Grimentzards’, making a living essentially from agriculture, were nomads, ranging between the village and Sierre: Cattle and grazing on high land and vines in the valley. Each family followed this fixed routine. Economic changes in the 1950’s started to question this way of life despite it being deeply entrenched in the local mindset for centuries. The modernisation of production methods, and the explosion of modern machinery meant that locals' produce was no longer able to compete with mass produced goods. In consequence depopulation of the mountain regions was inevitable. With almost inexistant job prospects, only the locals' strong ancestral attactement to their lands kept some form of life in the village during the winter. The young men had only one choice: exile to town. In the 70’s there were 212 inhabitants in Grimentz. To resolve this regression of the population, there was only one solution: Tourism |
The different economic sectors.
Almost all of the economic activities of the village are related in some way to tourism. However Grimentz has, and this is its major trump card, been able to diversify in the secondary and tertiary sectors, enabling it to offer a great variety of employment, even in qualified jobs. The construction industry has also followed this trend. As for the handcraft sector, it has served as a reminder that art is life and a village must live. Naturally the hotel and restaurant trade provide the majority of work. The ski-lift companies also provide numerous full-time and seasonal jobs, providing work for construction workers during the winter. In 1958, forward looking Grimentz, built the first ski-lift in the valley of Anniviers. This construction, was the result of idealists of that time who did not want to develop mass winter tourism but rather some sporting recreation. In 1968 with the construction of the Grimentz – Bendolla chairlift and the Marais ski-lift, Grimentz, which up to then had been a summer resort, saw the reversal of this tendency. The winter to summer trade ratio is now 2/3 to 1/3. In setting up this first phase of the present skiing domain, and providing work for the younger generation, not only have the local authorities stopped the decline, but the number of inhabitants of Grimentz is regularly on the increase and the average age is decreasing. Today Grimentz has a population of 450. The young people of Grimentz are very aware of their quality of life and for the majority are keen to help in the development and success of the village. The concept of a tourist office was laid out on the 29th of August 1967, and was to be an important date in the growth of tourism in Grimentz. The activities fixed by the tourist office management committee for this office were manifold: dealing with chalet lettings and bookings, hotel room reservations, foreign currency exchange, reservations for the ski school, ski-lift tickets and organised walks for tourists. The 13th July 1969 the tourist office was officially inaugurated. Form this time Grimentz was able to show to advantage its tourist infrastructure. A last word about Grimentz; It is one of, if not the most typically authentic villages of the Valais region. Its history allows it to be called a sports village rather than a tourist resort. A difference of the utmost importance. Resulting from centuries of respect for traditional values and, contrary to a purpose built ski resort, Grimentz is able to offer, in addition to sporting or tourist activities, its soul.
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