Grimentz
A village of sun-blackened larch chalets hung with geraniums, holding a communal wine cellar with a glacier wine.
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Grimentz is the picture-book village of Val d'Anniviers: dark larch chalets and raccards - granaries on stone staddles - packed along narrow lanes, with red geraniums in every window box through the summer, a combination that has made it one of the most photographed villages in the Valais. Under the old bourgeoisie house is the communal cellar holding the Vin du Glacier, a wine matured in larch casks by a solera-style system in which barrels are topped up rather than emptied, some of them holding wine with fractions dating back generations. It is drunk on village occasions and is not a commercial product. The Moiry valley and its glacier lake climb behind the village.
What you actually see
- Blackened larch chalets - the Valais timber darkened by sun and altitude.
- Geraniums on every window - the summer display the village is known for.
- The Vin du Glacier - larch-cask wine topped up over generations.
- Raccards on staddles - the granaries raised against mice.
When to go
June to September, or the ski season. Half a day.
Honest expectations
The village is small and can be walked in an hour. Cellar visits are by arrangement, not on demand, and the wine is not for sale in shops. Summer weekends bring crowds and parking is tight. Prices are resort level.
Nearby
Lac de Moiry is above; Zinal is in the neighbouring branch of the valley.
What to pack for Grimentz
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.