Canton Valais
Apricot festival in Saxon
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Canton Valais | Pays du St-Bernard
A centuries-old summer tradition:
The Swiss national dog has returned to the Great Saint Bernard. The St. Bernards of the Fondation Barry in Martigny, Valais, will remain on the top of the pass until the beginning of October. Visitors can see them there every day. A special experience is offered there until the end of August with the 90-minute hikes accompanied by St. Bernards. Easy walks with the good-natured four-legged friends are also offered in Martigny - an experience particularly suitable for families.
The Alpine procession of St. Bernards takes place every year in mid-June. 15 dogs have been in their high alpine home on the Great St. Bernard Pass since then. They will all spend the summer in the home of their ancestors. The kennel at the top of the pass is open daily between 10 am and 6 pm. The visit of the dogs is coupled with the entrance to the Hospice Museum. Visitors thus not only meet the descendants of the legendary rescue dog "Barry", but also learn many exciting things about the pass and the hospice in the museum. Those who want to experience the St. Bernards up close on the pass can accompany them on a one-and-a-half-hour hike through the dreamlike alpine nature in July and August.
The only museum in Switzerland dedicated to St. Bernards is located in Martigny. There, visitors to the "Musée et Chiens du Saint-Bernard" will not only encounter a highly interesting exhibition, but also real St. Bernards. This summer, the Fondation Barry is once again organizing 90-minute walks accompanied by St. Bernards. The walks offer visitors the chance to see the lovable four-legged friends in action. And it's not just kids who are excited to cuddle a Fondation Barry dog. Because the tours follow a flat forest path, they are especially popular with families with children. "Our St. Bernards take every heart by storm," knows Ruedi Thomann, General Manager of the Fondation Barry.
More than 350 years ago, dogs were already kept on the summit of the Great Saint Bernard Pass. However, these four-legged friends did not have much in common with today's St. Bernard. In order to cope with the extreme conditions at an altitude of 2500 meters, the dogs had to be primarily robust and easy to care for - their appearance did not yet play a major role. Only with the introduction of the breed standard 130 years ago, the St. Bernard has also become distinctive externally.
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