Throughout Switzerland in September, alpine descents are events that are fun to watch until the cows come home.
Alpine descents: the cows come home
To escape the heat of summer, the cows, goats, sheep, and other animals head to the mountains to spend their days. In the fall across Switzerland, the cows, goats, sheep, and other animals start to come down from the mountains before the first snowfall. The occasion is marked by a celebration in many villages, with the cows beautifully decorated and those famous Swiss cowbells heard ringing throughout.
Many alpine descents occur annually. But there are also some, like the one in Einsiedeln, that holds a “Grosser Alpbabzug” (“big alpine descent”) every 5 years – the next one is 2028.
The villages publish their schedules; some hold parades at a certain time. And for others, it’s throughout the day. The families/groups bringing down the animals adorn the animals differently, so it’s a really nice mix of flowers, bells, crowns, and more. For a list of upcoming alpine descents, see here.
The events are usually held regardless of the weather, and fall weather can be so unpredictable. So just dress accordingly and don’t let the weather stop you! On the sunnier days, there are, of course, more crowds and they tend to start waiting early along the parade routes. But if you are like us with kids who wouldn’t want to sit for a couple hours on end waiting for the parade(s), then try moving around and catch the procession in less popular places. (For example, we sometimes just go to the very beginning or end of the route as opposed to trying to catch it in the town center.)
We went to an alpine descent where the parade route went through the town center, and while we explored the town during the wait, we pleasantly discovered some cows who had already come down hanging out.
Lunchtime can be busy. (How do you know when lunch is? At one of our parades, they literally had a couple kids hold a sign after a set of cows that said, “lunch break.” Upon seeing that, everybody made their way to the food tents. Or, you can see when the lines start getting longer at the food stalls.) Bring a picnic or try to get into the lines before the general lunch rush. (We didn’t do either, so we just tried to find a reasonable-enough line to wait.)
During lunch, we found that sometimes we could hear the bells of some animals on a different part of the route, so our kids checked those out. Some villages’ events have family activities and/or farmer’s markets. If you are going on a Saturday, the shops may also be open.
After lunch, depending on the event schedule, get a spot along the parade route again or stroll through the area. There are some folks who just park themselves at one spot the whole time (they come prepared with blankets/chairs/games and make it a day). But no need to do that if you’re just trying to explore! Do bring a backpack or shopping bag if you’re like me and can’t resist a good farmer’s market!
Taking public transportation is encouraged, especially because they close the roads for the parade usually. There are sometimes also parking areas available where you can then walk or take a shuttle bus in; the festival website provides information about the parking situation. And if you don’t want to worry about lines, pack a snack/lunch and drink.
All in all, attending an alpine descent is a fun experience for the family! If you want to catch one in the fall, you can check out MySwitzerland‘s site for any that are coming up. It also has a map so you can see the locations. (If you search for the alpine descents online, you can find them under terms like Alpabzugs, Alpabfahrts, Alp Processions, Désalpe or Cow Parades.) A curated list can also be found here. Have a wonderful time!