This last weekend we drove about 30 min. away to the quaint village of St. Cergue, Switzerland. Every year in October, the shepherds or cowherders bring the cows and sheep down from the mountain pastures to the valleys and barns for the winter. In French it’s called Le Retour des Alpages. It is a great experience to see this happen.
Just a month ago we hiked high in the mountains and saw these same cows eating the high mountain grasses. Now we were back to see the herders take them to our valley near Lac Leman.
The day began with bell ringers, St Bernard Dogs pulling carts, Alpine Horns and beautifully costumed singers/yodlers. Soon the cows could be heard as they loudly were directed through the small village and down the mountain. Some cows wore huge flowered head-dresses, but all wore the signature Swiss bells around their necks. After the parade of cows, we had to hop and skip on tippy-toes around the town, because of all of the cow droppings. It looked like the whole female herd had saved their morning trip to the Cow 'ladies room' and opted for the village road instead. Yucko!
Later on in the day, we drove back to our home and came across some of the cow paraders back in their home fields, but still sporting their large flowered head-dresses. Farmers and family were gathered around their barns ready to continue the days festivities.
We could not have asked for better weather or a more relaxing day.It was another day of Swissness for the Johnson Family, which is my new word for days such as this.
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