Naturally healthy

When the Hotel Hannigalp, Grächen’s first hotel, opened in 1909, no one could have imagined that this tranquil mountain farming village would develop into a major tourist destination. Yet, over the course of the 20th century, Grächen underwent a remarkable transformation.

Initially, only a few visitors came to the village. They valued Grächen above all as a climatic health resort, whose healthy mountain air and mild climate promised rest and rejuvenation. It is therefore not surprising that what is now the Hotel Grächerhof was originally named the Hotel Kurhaus Grächen when it opened in 1932. The construction of the road from St. Niklaus to Grächen (1953) and the opening of the first cable car to the Hannigalp (1958) provided a decisive boost to tourism. This made Grächen much more accessible and it gradually developed into a popular summer holiday destination. More and more hotels, guesthouses and holiday flats sprang up, whilst visitors from near and far enjoyed the natural surroundings, the pleasant temperatures and the tranquillity of the mountains.

Until the 1970s, Grächen was primarily geared towards summer tourism. It was only gradually that visitors began to discover the charms of the snow-covered mountain landscape. With the modernisation of the Hannigalpbahn and the construction of the Seetalbahn in 1984, the range of winter sports facilities was specifically expanded. By the turn of the millennium, Grächen already had twelve ski lifts and chairlifts as well as seventeen hotels and guesthouses, and had established itself as a year-round destination.

In parallel with its growth as a tourist destination, Grächen invested early on in health-promoting infrastructure. The construction of the Vita-Parcours (1973), the sports centre (1981/82), the nature trail (1993) and the Kneipp garden (1999) created attractive facilities that combine exercise, experiencing nature and relaxation. To this day, these facilities underline Grächen’s commitment to offering its guests not only unforgettable holidays but also a lasting contribution to their health and wellbeing.

This development is no coincidence. Grächen’s natural assets – its high altitude, the pure mountain air, the tranquillity and the unspoilt natural surroundings – have always formed the basis for relaxation and well-being. Health has never been a passing trend in Grächen, but has always been an integral part of its development as a tourist destination.
Today, Grächen aims to capitalise on these strengths even more consciously and to develop them further. Existing offerings are being highlighted, linked together, supplemented with new offerings and continuously developed. This brochure summarises the wide range of options that Grächen already offers today for a health-conscious stay, and invites you to rediscover them.
Grächen is the ideal place for anyone who wants to combine relaxation, exercise and nature whilst doing something good for their health.

A holiday with a sense of adventure. Grächen offers far more than just health benefits. Grächen offers an authentic mountain experience that’s good for your health.

As a popular holiday destination, it stands out for its ideal combination of activity and relaxation, culture and cuisine:

• Over 250 km of marked hiking trails,
including easy ‘Suonen’ paths, panoramic routes and themed trails

• 38 km of winter walking trails, 23 km of snowshoe trails

• 44 km of perfectly groomed ski slopes up to an altitude of 2,864 m, as well as a snow park and
various children’s play areas

• Sports centre with a natural ice rink

• Kneipp facilities in the forest and by the lake for water therapy according to Sebastian Kneipp

• A varied range of dining options featuring
regional, healthy cuisine

• Play and activity facilities for children and
families

• Small chapels, fountains, barns and a traditional village atmosphere

• Events showcasing local culture and music

Accompanying guests will also find plenty to enjoy in Grächen. The village is compact, close to nature and extremely welcoming. A real treat for those seeking relaxation.

So close to the sky. The Hannigalp combines alpine enjoyment with a health-promoting stay.

Just a few minutes away by gondola, the Hannigalp lies at an altitude of 2,122 metres. Once at the top, a panoramic view opens up, taking in the four-thousand-metre peaks of the Valais Alps. Up here, you breathe more freely, move more mindfully and feel far removed from everyday life.

The Hannigalp is ideal for:

• Breathing exercises in the pure mountain air

• Guided wellness walks

• Meditative retreats and outdoor group activities

It also offers suitable venues, such as the Matterhornsaal, for lectures or seminars in a natural setting.

The facilities at Hannigalp include:

• An extensive network of cycle trails and walking routes

• The Hannigalp family mountain restaurant, including the Matterhornsaal

• A family park, including a bike park and kiosk

• The ‘Fragender’ circular walk

• SiSu’s play trail

• KOOR Alpine Games

• Viewpoints and photo spots

At the Grächen Sports Centre, active relaxation meets a wide range of exercise experiences – set against the backdrop of the impressive Valais mountain landscape. Whether in summer or winter, in glorious sunshine or as part of a varied programme for inclement weather: the diverse range of activities on offer provides the ideal conditions for bringing body and mind into harmony.

Anyone looking to improve their fitness or simply enjoy being active will find the perfect opportunities here – from tennis and badminton courts to workouts in the gym and a spectacular climbing and bouldering wall. The artificial turf pitch is ideal for thrilling outdoor football matches.

During the colder months, the natural ice rink becomes a meeting place for unforgettable winter experiences. Ice skating, ice hockey or curling combine physical activity with shared experiences and boost stamina, coordination and well-being. Entertainment is guaranteed even on rainy days – the indoor play area, complete with a bouncy castle, table tennis, table football and other attractions, offers great fun for young and old alike.

Another highlight is the Robis Forest Play Park, where little explorers can let off steam to their heart’s content. The 18-hole mini-golf course and the ropes course, with routes suitable for all ages, also encourage visitors to get active in a fun way.

The Grächen Sports Centre is a place where exercise re-energises, promotes good health and offers unforgettable moments unique to every season.

Our daughter fell ill at 6 months – very ill. She kept suffering from respiratory infections and middle ear infections accompanied by facial paralysis, and she couldn’t tolerate antibiotics.

Our GP referred us to the “Vallée du Rhône” in Switzerland, at an altitude of 1,400 metres. We found a family from Luxembourg who owned a flat in Grächen.
When our daughter was 11 months old, we visited Grächen for the first time. After that holiday – two weeks in July – our daughter no longer needed any medication, nor did she in the months that followed.

Every year, we spent our summer holidays in your beautiful, peaceful village of Grächen.
After a few years, as our children grew older, we started visiting in both summer and winter to enjoy the snow. There was no longer any sign of respiratory or ear infections; none of us – the whole family – fell ill anymore :) So the climate really did help.

We first visited Grächen in 1985, and now our grandchildren come with us, along with many friends and other families. This January, there were 14 of us on a skiing holiday in Grächen.

When I was 8 years old, we moved into a house with a garden. We already had a cat, and as I was an only child and loved animals very much, I was also given a dog and a rabbit.

I was, of course, over the moon, until I started getting ill more and more often (it began with a sort of bronchitis) and eventually suffered from severe bouts of breathlessness, during which I almost suffocated. I went from doctor to doctor because nobody knew what was wrong. Asthma, but what was causing it? Strong medication did help to some extent with the breathing difficulties, but it made me very drowsy and I could hardly concentrate at school. I could no longer run, and could barely walk normally because I’d run out of breath.

I was admitted to hospital in an isolation ward. I stayed there for about a month whilst they carried out all sorts of tests to find the cause, as they suspected it might be an allergy. At that time, however, they hadn’t made much progress. The tests revealed that I was allergic to all furry animals, particularly horses and dogs, and to a lesser extent to cats and other small pets. But they thought that medication would help. I was allowed to go home. Everyone was happy, but that very evening I had another bout of breathlessness so severe that we even had to go to hospital to get an injection.

As a result, my parents decided that the pets had to go (the dog could go back to the breeder, the cat was ill and would soon die, and the rabbit could stay because it lived outside and my mum could look after it). I was also treated by an allergist, who gave me a weekly injection of antibodies. This was to build up a resistance. But that doesn’t work overnight. It’s a long process. My mum was desperate and asked the GP if there really wasn’t anything that could help. ‘Well,’ he said, ‘I don’t know if it’s financially feasible, but it would help if she could go to the mountains, at least to an altitude of over 1,000 metres, because the allergens aren’t as active there. That way, my lungs could be cleansed and build up their resistance again.’

In December, I went to Beatenberg (Bernese Oberland) with my mum for a couple of weeks. That really helped! After two weeks, my dad arrived by train in Interlaken and I ran out to meet him, even though I could barely walk properly when I left. He couldn’t believe his eyes!

From then on, my parents were convinced. We travelled to Switzerland three times a year. Ideally for three weeks. According to the doctors, one week to recover, one week to build up strength and one week as a buffer. When we did that, I could manage at home for a while again.

The rented flats weren’t usually very cosy, certainly not back then. No TV, no internet, and so on. For my mum, who was on her own with me, it wasn’t always pleasant either.

My father then suggested we see if we could buy a flat or a small house somewhere in Switzerland. The owner of the house we’d rented a few times suggested we have a look around the Valais. He said it was very beautiful there and still reasonably affordable. So that’s what we did, and after starting out in the French-speaking part of the country, we arrived in Grächen one day. It was summer, and my parents were immediately taken with it. They found it very cosy. The atmosphere was pleasant, and the German was (for them) much more comfortable too. We then spent our Christmas holidays in Grächen that winter, and afterwards my parents (especially my mother) started looking into possibilities in Grächen.

They decided on a flat in a block of flats fairly quickly. But … my mother found the idea of having their own chalet very appealing, and that’s how it turned out, despite my father’s warnings that it would involve a great deal of work, as he didn’t have much time due to his stressful job. But she was prepared to accept that. So… no sooner said than done. They bought a plot of land and, together with the builder, finalised the design and layout of the house, and so on. It was completed in 1977. I was 14 years old at the time and was already having far fewer problems with my asthma. We’ve been coming to Grächen every holiday since 1977. In the summer, we even stay for six weeks. That’s done my health a world of good. I no longer have any problems with my asthma (at least as long as I avoid horses, dogs, cats and so on). And ever since I’ve been an adult, I’ve kept coming back here. Our son has also been coming here since he was born. The house now belongs to me and we’re very happy with it. We love coming to Grächen and hope we’ll be able to keep coming here for many years to come.

Our studio in Grächen is a true product of the pandemic! The prolonged isolation, with all the lack of social contact, eventually led us to the conclusion that we needed to buy a holiday home so that we could at least enjoy a change of scenery again. In 2021, we bought our studio, which was ready to move into in mid-September 2021. Since then, we’ve been spending as much time as possible in this lovely mountain village, which I knew from my youth. We can now say that we spend almost a third of our lives here in Grächen!

Unhealthy lungs are more sensitive to air pollution than healthy ones, but the reverse is also true – you’re much more sensitive. So when we arrive in Grächen and get out of the car in the village square, it’s always a wonderful feeling for me to be here; I also feel more energetic straight away. I noticed this particularly clearly last spring, when we returned here the day after seeing the lung specialist following my bout of Covid/RSV, to make sure I’d fully recovered from the illness. At home, I could barely walk; I was just tired and listless; I managed the 200 metres or so I had to walk from the village square to my flat. But lo and behold, there was no longer any sign of shortness of breath or feeling constricted! I was still tired until the summer, but that feeling of constriction was gone.

I usually have to have a lung test every two years, but with my three bouts of Covid, the intervals were shorter, as I had to undergo this test each time I fell ill. However, ever since we’ve been coming to Grächen regularly, my doctor has always been able to give me the same good news: I don’t currently have asthma, and there’s no sign of inflammation in my bronchiectasis either! Another piece of good news was that I suffered no lasting damage to my lungs from any of the three bouts of Covid, which is by no means a given; some healthy people who contracted Covid were left with permanent lung damage. Perhaps Grächen had a positive influence here too.

For me, there is no doubt about it: I owe my new outlook on life to Grächen, whilst being fully aware that both illnesses are incurable, but that they can sometimes lie dormant for a long time.