Make memories to last a lifetime when in Switzerland. From a rendezvous with sweet animals to trips on hidden waterways, this is a region full of smiles, surprises, and places not to be missed. Perhaps no animal is more iconically Swiss than the Saint Bernard, the gentle giant of the Alps. A large, playful breed, with a wrinkled brow and dark eyes, the Saint Bernard has loomed large in the public imagination for centuries as a mountain rescue dog, helping skiers stranded in the snow.
The dogs of the Barry Foundation, an organisation that is the oldest and most important Saint Bernard kennel in the world, eat, sleep, play and are groomed here, and travellers can get to know all about the breed, from watching them eat in the outdoor enclosure to accompanying them on hikes in the grounds the foundation offers these walks throughout the season.
The simple act of just witnessing the clumsy, undisciplined, sleepy little bundles of fur, accompanied by their protective mother, is a heartwarming and truly unforgettable experience for all the family. A trip to Barryland is also a perfect jumping-off point to other attractions in the Valais region. The Pierre Gianadda Foundation presents a revolving selection of exhibitions from private collections and great museums around the world, while the Tissieres Foundation Geosciences Museum , open since , shines a spotlight on the information, popularisation and animation in geosciences.
Here travellers will see lynx, bear, marmot, fox and deer among the animals that roam. This is where 70 challenges are divided among five different worlds that include the Far West, the Gold Rush where pioneers can search for gold nuggets , and the Western Village.
There are even 18 holes of mini-golf, ensuring a day of fun for the whole family. A minute drive northeast of Barryland, Lac Souterrain de St. Millions of years ago, when this area was part of a vast ocean, layers of rock were displaced and reordered during the formation of the Alps, creating conditions for a lake to form between strata of black shale and marble.
