Page 109 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Switzerland

37 CUSTOMS OF THE LÖTSCHENTAL
Brig
The Lötschental is a remote valley just east of Leukerbad.
! D5 £ n Bahnhofplatz 1; For centuries the valley’s inhabitants were isolated from
www.brig-simplon.ch the outside world during winter, and they have retained
many ancient rituals, customs
Built over a Roman settle­ and tra ditions. One such custom
ment, Brig is the major town is Tschäggättä, a festival that
in the Upper Valais. It lies at lasts from Candlemas until
the crossroads of the main Shrovetide. Young bachelors
al pine routes leading over the don sheepskin coats, with
Simplon, Furka, Grimsel and the fleece on the outside
Nufenen passes and through and cowbells strap ped to
the Lötschberg Tunnel. their waists, and wear
Located on the Rhône, the gro tesque masks (left).
bridges that span the river at Masked proces sions are
this spot give the town its held during the last
name. During the 17th cen­ week of the carnival.
tury, the trade route to Italy,
leading over the Simplon
Pass, was controlled by the towers crowned by cupolas Leukerbad (Loèche­les­Bains
Stockalper family of mer chants. Caspar, Melchior and in French) is one of the
Kaspar Jodok Stockalper von Balthazar. The palace has an highest spa resorts in Europe.
Thurm gave Brig its finest arcaded courtyard and a The thera peutic prop erties
monument, a Renaissance­ chapel dedicated to the Three of its hot springs, which are
Baroque palace built between Kings, with an ornate silver rich in calcium, sulphur and
1658 and 1678. The building is altarpiece made by Samuel gypsum, have been appre­
set with three tall square Hornung of Augsburg. ciated since Roman times.
Leukerbad has several
pub lic spa complexes, with
All around the 38 pools and many other facilities,
village, in winter Leukerbad including treatments and
rehab ilitation programmes.
or in summer, are Above the resort, and
vistas of mammoth ! C5 @ n Rathausstrasse acces sible by cable car, lies
8; www.leukerbad.ch
glaciers and steep the breathtaking Gemmi Pass,
crevasses. Lying at the head of the found on the hiking trail to
Kandersteg (p99) and the
Dala valley, at an altitude
of 1,400 m (4,595 ft), Bernese Oberland.

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