Description

"Then one bends, already on the height of the village, around a rock corner and stands all of a sudden before a sight as he never and nowhere met me.

One stands at the end of the world and at the same time at its origin, at its beginning and in its midst.

Massive silver frame, closed in semicircle, to the south of snow peaks in an arrangement of inexplicable harmony, to the west of a chain of Gothic cathedral towers.

At first you can only look up there, it takes your breath away." These are the first impressions of the writer Carl Zuckmayer of Saas Fee.

- And truly, he is right.

It is worth staying in Saas-Fee and getting to know this village better. Set a little above the village, the village trail leads along hiking trails, forest roads and village roads without a steep ascent.

It is ideal for families because it offers, apart from the fantastic panoramic view of the mountains and the village, exciting highlights with a historical and cultural background.

Of course, the adventurous and enjoyable experiences are also unforgettable. Vogelwaid: Home of the writer Carl Zuckmayer, where he wrote his last books and spent the rest of his life. Bear trap: Here you can see the particularly beautiful view of the mountains opposite and the villages in the valley.

The name of this place, Bärenfalle, probably comes from the time when bears with traps were caught here.

How long bears lived in the Valais can hardly be ascertained.

The last data source is based on 1830, when a bear tasted the grapes of a vineyard above Sierre and was then shot. Melchboden - Biotope: Sunny and sun-protected resting and picnic areas can be found on this level forest clearing.

For the children, there are nice playgrounds on this small plateau that lies in a hollow.

They also enjoy the water streams or the dammed little lake.

Between the larch trees you have a clear view of the white dome of the Allalinhorn. Memorial stone Carl Zuckmayer: Here you can see one of five serpentine stones.

These stones contain quotations from the writer Carl Zuckmayer, which originate from Zuckmayer's naturalization speech.

In honour of the writer who made Saas-Fee his second home, the Carl-Zuckmayer-Weg was built in 1996.

Carl Zuckmayer walked this forest path almost every day.

Five serpentine stones quote Zuckmayer from his speech on the occasion of his naturalization.

Start: Haus Vogelweid, former residence of Carl Zuckmayer.

Duration 2.5 hours. Hohenegge: Lovely settlement on the western slope above the glacier village with well-preserved houses and barns, which provide a particularly popular and well-known photo motif.

The Hohenegge got its name from the "high corner", where we get a huge panoramic view of the whole Mischabel chain. Weissenflue: The rock in the Saas Valley consists of granite.

This limestone band, this "white rock (flue)", therefore appears unusual for the region. Schaffäriga: Roof-free stables: Until 1963 it was customary that the sheep, which had their pastures on Hannigalp and its surroundings in spring (in summer the sheep stayed in the Mattmark area), were driven down every second Saturday from the heights to these "Färiga".

Each sheep owner then searched out his sheep in this rectangle, brought them to his "Färig", where they then received a mixture of salt and flour.

After half an hour the shepherd led the sheep up to Hannigalp again, until after two weeks the same spectacle repeated itself.

- It's a very elaborate and complicated procedure.

Therefore this ritual was changed after 1963.

From then on the sheep received the delicacies of the Alps.

But still today the "Färiga" are used in the same way, however only 2x in the year, with the early-summer pasture change and with the autumnal return. Avalanche control: In 1955/56 a long and high avalanche protection wall was built here to protect the village hamlets below.

The reason for this safety measure was the terrible avalanche falls of mid-January 1955 - The generous avalanche protection dams were built at two critical points after the enormous avalanche falls of 1981. Water pipe: Perhaps one or the other remembers the film "The holy waters".

The exposed water pipes are typical of the canton of Valais.

They were used to water the grassland.

In the Saas Valley there was a precise timetable so that every owner knew exactly when his land was being washed and used it.

This classification was based on the size of the parcel in question.

Since 1973, however, this old custom has no longer been practiced in Saas Fee. Toboggan run "Feeblitz": A recreational facility that integrates perfectly into the landscape and promises pure fun and adrenaline for the whole family.

Jumps, 360-degree roundabouts and hill curves are the typical features of the Feeblitz toboggan run. Adventure Forest: A truly special experience awaits you here: you will go on original, different species and in complete safety, with ladders, suspension bridges, lianas, tyroliennes and much more from tree to tree.

This is possible in different courses with different levels of difficulty. equipment * Good footwear * outdoor clothing * Weather dependent clothing: always carry a waterproof jacket with you. * Headgear * Sun protection * Water bottle * Binoculars (optional) * Camera * Hiking poles (optional) * Map/ printout of the trail (click on "Print" to download)