Twelve Months of Discoveries in Arolla

At 2,070 metres, the year never resembles the one down in the valley. Each month brings its own light, its scent, its appointment — fresh snow, a flower, a village festival, a roasted chestnut. Rather than a guide, here is an almanac: twelve months in Arolla and the Val d’Hérens, as we watch them pass from the windows of the Grand Hôtel & Kurhaus.

Winter: December, January, February

December is a month of pause and cocooning before the bustle of the festive season: we slow down, settle by the fire, and ease gently towards the year’s end. In January, once the celebrations have passed, comes the time to unwind at altitude — to breathe the mountain winter, to walk in the silence of a snow-covered valley, to let the dry cold clear the mind. February brings the masks: the traditional Evolène Carnival, one of the oldest in Valais, fills the lanes with its figures of hide and bells, handed down from age-old customs.

Spring: March, April, May

In March the sun climbs higher and the hotel’s sunny terrace becomes the best vantage point once more: a place to enjoy the first hours of spring skiing, skis on and coffee in hand. April is the month of spring skiing in Arolla, when the area opens its slopes up to nearly 3,000 metres and the dense, luminous spring snow offers its finest descents. In May the region remains alive: it is the month when people come, from the neighbouring villages, to cheer on the competitors of the legendary Patrouille des Glaciers, the ski-mountaineering race that crosses the Valais Alps.

Summer: June, July, August

June is the move up to the alpine pastures: the inalpe, when the herds reach the high meadows and the Hérens cows — a small black breed with a fighter’s temperament — settle the order of the herd among themselves, horn against horn. In July the forest invites you to forage as you walk: meadow flowers, the first fruits, herbs for infusions gathered along the trail. August is the month of mountain huts: the climb to the Cabane de la Tsa, perched facing the glaciers, rewards with a sweeping panorama those who take the time to reach it.

Autumn: September, October, November

September is the month of the Blue Lake: the hike to this small alpine mirror, with its crisp air and low light, makes for a perfect day. October brings the Valais brisolée, shared in the carnotzet — roasted chestnuts, alpine cheeses, cured meats and fresh grape must, an autumn meal as much as a moment of fellowship. November, at last, sets the slopes ablaze: the larch forests turn golden before shedding their needles, the year’s final fire before the snow returns.

Twelve months, twelve reasons to return. Whatever the season you join us, Arolla has something to offer — and we have a seat by the fire or on the terrace waiting for you. #lostintimeinArolla