Évolène: the art of snow

If less than forty-five minutes are needed to reach the village of Évolène by road from Sion, the journey is to be enjoyed as a foretaste of the splendors to come.

The reward is there, on arrival: nestled at the bottom of the Val d'Hérens and opening onto an immense panorama, Évolène has retained a warm authenticity and a gentle tranquility.

The Dent Blanche, which from its top of its 4,358 meters overhangs the village with benevolence, surely watches over its tranquility.

Here, the snow comes in all its nuances, offering itself to all desires.

Those of skiing, with 100 kilometers of slopes for both downhill and cross-country skiing - we say there are the most beautiful in central Valais!

Fans of new experiences will try to climb an icefall.

And, to reconnect with nature, what better than a snowshoe hike or skating on a frozen lake?

Never short of ideas, Évolène offers a thousand additional activities, such as torchlight descents in the moonlight, first flights in a helicopter, initiation into biathlon or even paintball.

An open-air museum

Ice sculpture in Evolène Switzerland Tourism / Silvano Zeiter

Better yet, Évolène can pride itself on welcoming a magician capable of transforming crystals and flakes into fantastic creatures, even into dream homes ... well habitable! Originally from the Paris region, Marcio Morais chose the Val d'Hérens twenty years ago. Since then, his entire existence has been placed under the sign of snow: employed at the Évolène ski lifts, this talented self-taught man cultivates at the same time a passion as spectacular as he is generous for snow art. Letting himself be guided by instinct and by the moment, he sculpts grandiose works, including an ice palace, where the fondue organized for the departure of seasonal workers, a giant lizard or even an American truck took place! But their majestic beauty is matched only by their transience - theMarcio's art being in essence ephemeral. We must therefore hurry to come and admire his achievements embellishing the domain of Évolène ... And come back the following winter to discover what his fertile imagination and new flakes will have inspired him.

To find out more about Marcio Morais' ice sculptures:

myswitzerland.com

Discover winter in Switzerland:

suisse.com/hiver

Find accommodation:

suisse.com/hotels

Getting there:

TGV Lyria offers several return trips per day between France and Switzerland (tgv-lyria.com).

At an international station, a fast-paced and dense network allows you to reach your destination (cff.ch).