The village of Evolène is situated in a river valley, with the main street on one side of the water and green pastures with shepherds’ huts on the other. It’s a place of quiet solitude, soundtracked by the gentle rippling of La Rivière Borge. Listen carefully and you might also catch the tapping of racard-building (stilted grain huts) or the tinkling of cow bells.
The Evolène heritage is strictly protected, with modern chalets built to conform with the wooden cabins of the old town. One of the most prominent features here is La Fontaine Marmotte, a historic fountain that has brought fresh water to the village from the mountains for years.
With heritage at its core, the seasons in Evolène continue to be marked by local traditions: in the spring, cows are crowned in garlands before being led to higher pastures and come summertime, locals and visitors wear traditional costume for the annual summer festival and bi-annual CIME folk festival (Celebrations Interculturelles de la Montagne à Evolène). When the first snowflake falls, villagers head to the slopes or retreat to their homes, which are warmed with log fires made using local wood, to feast on lashings of raclette or sip teas and tinctures made using herbs gathered from the hillsides.
