If you want to connect more with Switzerland and its customs, the International Alphorn Festival of Nendaz (Festival International de Cor des Alpes de Nendaz) is one of the best ways to do it. A two-day celebration of alphorn music and other traditions, high in the Swiss alps in Valais. It doesn't get more old-school Swiss than this.
The history of the alphorn
The alphorn is part of a lineage of horns that goes back to ancient shepherds across Europe and Asia, but the first description of an alphorn as we would recognise it is from 1555, although they were straight horns at that time.
The horn is a method of communication, telling people to bring in the herds or passing messages from valley to valley. With the right weather conditions, an alphorn blast can be heard up to 10km away!
The first alphorn competition was in 1805, although only two competitors took part. By 1880, it had acquired its signature curved end, but then by the end of the 1800s, it had fallen out of fashion and was at risk of dying out altogether. Luckily, there has been a growing movement over the past century to promote and rescue this most Swiss instrument, and today there are around 4.000 alphorn players in Switzerland.
The International Alphorn Festival of Nendaz
About 100 players come to compete at Nendaz in a range of different competitions. The solo competition is conducted completely blind, with the judges sitting in a tent, unable to see who is playing. This is to guarantee impartiality and fair judgement, which shows how seriously they take the contest.
There is also the OFF competition. This is where alphornists can break with tradition and play pieces that are more modern or otherwise unusual. This round also helps keep alphorn music fresh and relevant, rather than being solely trapped in the past.
The highlight of the festival is always the ensemble pieces. This is where all the alphorn players come together to play, and, as you can imagine, the sound of 100 alphorns at once can be quite something!
While the alphorn is the star of the shows, the festival also takes the opportunity to showcase and celebrate other Swiss folk traditions. There are craft stalls, with hand-made items from across Switzerland, especially showcasing their skills with wood and lace. Flag throwers will put on a show, folk tales will be told, yodelers will yodel and there are demonstrations of different dances and folksongs from the various cantons of Switzerland.
Attending Festival International de Cor Des Alpes de Nendaz
Nendaz is a small village in the Swiss alps in the canton of Valais. Its remoteness makes it a truly beautiful spot for a festival, but it may take a little planning to get there.
To arrive by public transport, Sion is the nearest train station, which is less than two hours from both Geneva and Bern. There are then regular buses between Sion and the Haute-Nendaz station where the festival takes place. If you wish to drive, do consider car-sharing to reduce your environmental impact.