Arolla

Arolla

Arolla is a village in the French-speaking Switzerland. He belongs to the municipality in the district Hérens Evolène the canton of Valais.

Location

Arolla is located at 1'998 m above sea level. M. in the upper end of the valley of the Val d' Hérens, about 2 km north of Arollagletscher system around Mont Collon ( 3'637 m above sea level. M. ). Surrounding mountain peaks are on 3'600 to 4'000 m, north-west lies the Aiguilles Rouges d' Arolla ( 3,646 m above sea level. M. ), well-known peaks in the southwest are the Pigne d' Arolla ( 3'796 m above sea level. M. ), Mont Blanc de Cheilon ( 3'870 m above sea level. M. ) and La Ruinette ( 3,875 m above sea level. M. ). South of this glaciated mountain range of the Valais Alps, the border to Italy.

In the lower Arollagletscher stems from the southwestern source river of Borgne, the Borgne d' Arolla, which united at La Sage with the inflowing from the southeast, springing in Ferpèclegletscher Borgne de Ferpècle.

The place

The occupied since the Middle Ages settlement was discovered in the 19th century by mountaineers. 1865 was built by Jean Anzévui Hotel Mont Collon, 1898, the Grand Hôtel et Spa (Jean Gaspoz ), 1911 by Antoine Métrailler the Hôtel du Pigne, 1912, the Hotel Victoria (now Aiguille de la Tsa, Builder: Antoine Forclaz and the brothers Follonier ) and 1935, the Hôtel du Glacier (Jean Anzévui ). After the construction of the access road by the power plant company Grande Dixence the early 1960s Arolla was a modern tourist resort known: built holiday apartments and ski lifts were. Today, the location, away from mass tourism idyllic place in the summer of hikers, mountaineers and skiers in the winter, ski tourists, cross-country skiers and snowshoe hikers visited. 1963 ( trail parking lot to the glaciers ) was applied a pumping station in the headwaters of the Borgne d' Arolla, which in the 420 km ² area integrates the creek extensive catchment area of ​​the world's fifth highest dam of Grande Dixence; this hydroelectric power plant with a 100 km long underground tunnel network collects the water from about 50 glaciers between the mixing Abel group and the Mont Gele. The headrace tunnel of Arolla in the 24 km long main line is 312 m long.

Driveway

Until the middle of the 20th century was Arolla from La Sage only on a mule path attainable; late as 1959, the track was only passable by jeep.

The power plant company " Grande Dixence " built 1960 to La Gouille a new road and built from there the little road for trucks from. In 1968 the road was first opened in the winter season; In the following years the road were built numerous galleries from avalanches to protect.

Summer Sports

In the summer of Arolla is known as the starting point for mountain hiking and climbing.

• Lac Bleu and Cabane des Aiguilles Rouges
• Lac des Dix and Cabane des Dix
• Lower and Upper Arollagletscher with glacier crossings and climbs.
• Distance tour: Tour du Cervin ( in about a week around the Matterhorn )
• Distance tour: Tour du Val d' Hérens
• Stage on the world famous Haute Route from Zermatt to Chamonix

Winter sports

The ski areas ranging from 2000 to 3000 m. Arolla has 5 ski lifts and 47 km of ski slopes. The famous ski racer Chantal Bournissen was born in Arolla.

Arolla is a stage on the famous Haute Route from Zermatt to Chamonix and the starting point for numerous ski tours.

Cross-country skiers will be "the most beautiful trails of the central Valais " groomed from December to Easter. It runs from Satarma over Arolla to the end of the lower Arollagletschers the Borgne river (about 10 km).