Val d'Hérens is an

alpine Alpine may refer to any mountainous region. It may also refer to: Places Europe * Alps, a European mountain range ** Alpine states, which overlap with the European range Australia * Alpine, New South Wales, a Northern Village * Alpine National Pa ...

valley in the

Valais Valais ( , , ; frp, Valês; german: Wallis ), more formally the Canton of Valais,; german: Kanton Wallis; in other official Swiss languages outside Valais: it, (Canton) Vallese ; rm, (Chantun) Vallais. is one of the cantons of Switzerland, 26 ...

canton of

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

. It was formed by the Hérens glacier, which retreated at the end of the last

ice age An ice age is a long period of reduction in the temperature of Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental and polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers. Earth's climate alternates between ice ages and gree ...

. It is now the valley of the ''Borgne'' river, a tributary of the Rhone (confluence above

Sion Sion may refer to * an alternative transliteration of Zion People * Sion (name) or Siôn, a Welsh and other given name and surname, including a list of people and fictional characters with the name * Shion or Sion, a Japanese given name Plac ...

) It extends from the

Rhône The Rhône ( , ; wae, Rotten ; frp, Rôno ; oc, Ròse ) is a major river in France and Switzerland, rising in the Alps and flowing west and south through Lake Geneva and southeastern France before discharging into the Mediterranean Sea. At Ar ...

valley to a number of high mountains -

Dent Blanche The Dent Blanche is a mountain in the Pennine Alps, lying in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. At -high, it is one of the highest peaks in the Alps. Naming The original name was probably ''Dent d'Hérens'', the current name of the nearby D ...

Dent d'Hérens The Dent d'Hérens (4,174 m) is a mountain in the Pennine Alps, lying on the border between Italy and Switzerland. The mountain lies a few kilometres west of the Matterhorn. The Aosta hut (2,781 m) is used for the normal route. Naming The mou ...

Mont Collon Mont Collon (3,637 m) is a mountain of the Swiss Pennine Alps in the canton of Valais. Its glaciated north face dominates the view south from the village of Arolla Arolla is a village in the municipality of Evolène in the Swiss canton of ...

Mont Blanc de Cheilon Mont Blanc de Cheilon (also spelled ''Mont Blanc de Seilon'') is a mountain of the Pennine Alps, located in the Swiss canton of Valais. The mountain lies between the valleys of Bagnes and Arolla. Culminating at 3,870 metres above sea level, it is ...

. It is a popular start point for mountain expeditions. The area has two mountain peaks over 4,000 metres in altitude: ''la Dent Blanche'' ("white tooth") at 4,357 m, and ''la Dent d'Hérens'' ("Hérens tooth") at 4,171m. Other noteworthy peaks along the valley include: Grand Cornier, Mt Collon, Pigne d'Arolla, Vouasson, Rosablanche, and Mt Blanc de Cheillon. The Herens breed of cattle is named after the valley. The valley includes the following villages: *

Les Haudères Les Haudères is a village in the Swiss Alps, located in the canton of Valais. The village is situated in the central part of the canton, in the Val d'Hérens, south of Sion, Switzerland, Sion. It belongs to the municipality of Evolène. Les Haud ...

Grande Dixence __NOTOC__ The Grande Dixence Dam is a concrete gravity dam on the Dixence at the head of the Val d'Hérémence in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. At high, it is the tallest gravity dam in the world, sixth tallest dam overall, and the tall ...

* La Sage *

Evolène Evolène is a municipality in the district of Hérens in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. It includes the villages of Evolène, Les Haudères, La Sage, Villa, La Forclaz, and Arolla, the hamlets of Lannaz and La Tour, and the hollow of Fe ...

* Euseigne * Saint-Martin *

Hérémence Hérémence is a municipality in the district of Hérens in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. History Hérémence is first mentioned in 1195 as ''Aremens''. Geography Hérémence has an area, , of . Of this area, 18.0% is used for agric ...

* Thyon Les Collons *

Mase Mason Durell Betha (born August 27, 1975), better known by his mononym Mase (formerly Murda Mase and stylized as Ma$e), is an American rapper and minister. In the late 1990s, he recorded on the Bad Boy Records label alongside its founder Sean ...

Vernamiège Vernamiège is a former municipality in the district of Hérens in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. On 1 January 2011, the former municipalities of Vernamiège, Nax and Mase merged in the new municipality of Mont-Noble. ...

* Vex * Nax Above Les Haudères, the valley separates into the valley of the ''Borgne de

Ferpècle Ferpècle is a dispersed settlement in the upper Val d'Hérens in Valais, Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, ...

'' to the east and the ''Borgne d'

Arolla Arolla is a village in the municipality of Evolène in the Swiss canton of Valais. It is situated at the end of the Val d'Hérens, south of the cantonal capital, Sion. Geography Arolla is situated at 1998 m above sea level, at the foot of ...

'' to the west.

External links

Web site (in French, German and English)
Landforms of Valais Val Dherens Herens {{Valais-geo-stub