Customs
Evil spirits and pugnacious animals
Over many centuries, the people of Valais have learned to celebrate in style and seize every opportunity they can to get together and socialise. As a result, many Catholic holidays are accompanied by their own regional or local traditions.
On Corpus Christi, for example, processions make their way across fields and open countryside all over Valais. During carnival season, characters such as the “Tschäggättä” provide a guaranteed spectacle as they roam the streets and courtyards to drive away evil spirits. The people of Valais also have a long-established tradition of celebrating cow fights and the annual cattle drives up and down the mountain. Once you experience them, you’ll understand why cows are the queens of Valais.