Val Ferret
The Val Ferret is a side valley in the Swiss canton of Valais south of Martigny. It is not to be confused with the neighboring southwest homonymous valley in northern Italy, from which it through the Grand Col Ferret ( Col du Ferret ) is disconnected.
Geography
The Swiss Val Ferret is a left tributary of the Val d' Entremont. It is traversed by the Dranse de Ferret, which opens at the village Orsières in the Dranse d' Entremont, and belongs to the catchment area of the river. It extends to 18 km in north-south direction between Orsières in the Val d' Entremont and the mountain Grand Golliat ( 3'238 m) at the main Alpine ridge. The whole valley is a federal -hunting area ( protection zone).
The valley is located in the contact zone between the Helvetic ceiling ( limestones and marls ) and the crystalline solid (granite) of Mont Blanc.
The valley is located entirely in the territory of the municipality in District d' Entremont Orsières. It is bordered to the east by the Val d' Entremont, in the south of the region of Aosta Valley, Italy, and to the west by the Mont Blanc massif (border to France). The Great Saint Bernard Pass is a few kilometers east of the valley.
At the upper ( southern ) end of the valley is located on the main Alpine ridge of Col Ferret with the Petit Col Ferret at 2,490 m and the Grand Col Ferret at 2'537 m, separated by the Tête de Ferret at 2'714 m. Beyond the Col Ferret extends the Italian Val Ferret, which is on the south side of the eastern Mont Blanc Massif and drained to the bottom.
The valley is surrounded by the following mountains ( starting clockwise in the East): Mont de la foully ( 2'871 m ), La Tsavre ( 2,978 m), Monts Tellier ( 2'951 m), Pointe de Drône (2 ' 950 m ), Grand Golliat ( 3'238 m), Mont Dolent ( 3,820 m), Tour Noir ( 3'836 m), Aiguille d' Argentière ( 3'901 m), Aiguille du Chardonnet ( 3'824 m ), Le Portalet ( 3,344 m ), and Pointe d' Orny ( 2'720 m). On the west side there are four major glaciers: Glacier du Dolent, Glacier de l'A Neuve, Glacier de Saleina and Glacier d' Orny.
Villages and hamlets
In Val Ferret, there are the following places ( bach upwards, with inhabitants on 1 January 2008):
- Som la Proz, village at the beginning of the valley (226 )
- Issert (72 )
- Les Arlaches (44 )
- Praz de Fort (229 )
- Industry (26 )
- Prayon (16 )
- La Fouly (81 )
- Ferret (in winter uninhabited )
Tourism
Summer tourism developed in the Val Ferret since the beginning of the 20th century. The guests came for their summer vacation, hiking and alpine mountaineering in the Mont Blanc massif. In the valley there are three SAC huts: Cabane du Trient, Cabane de Saleina and Cabane de l'A Neuve. The Val Ferret is located on the Tour du Mont -Blanc ( GR TMB), a popular long-distance trail around the Mont Blanc Massif.
Winter tourism developed especially after 1965, since the road to La Fouly is cleared in winter. La Fouly has a small ski station.
Wolf of the Val Ferret
Between 1994 and 1996, numerous grazed on alpine sheep from wild animals were killed. Because of the witness reports of a wolf or a large dog, word soon " la Bête du Val Ferret " ( in German about " the Beast from the Val Ferret "), which enjoyed strong media presence, particularly in the Welsh Switzerland, because at this time from Italy upcoming Wolves made their first appearances in Switzerland.
In the fall of 1994 were killed six sheep at two Alps in Val Ferret ( below the Petit Col de Ferret, and southeast of the hamlet Prayon ). 1995, July-December 108 sheep killed, nearly all in two Alpgebieten, one in the southeast of Val Ferret ( Arpalle and Plan de la Chaux, between the peaks of La Tsavre and Pointe de Drône ) and one in the neighboring Val d' Entremont north-east of Bourg -Saint -Pierre ( Le Tsapi ). In May 1996, last 11 lambs were then killed near Orsières. Most were lost in August 1995 with 76 animals.
Although poaching two dogs were found during the time that indicate the types of injury and numerous eyewitness accounts of gamekeepers, hunters and dog owners through one or more wolves. The genetic analyzes of two fecal samples confirmed the presence of two wolves that are related to the wolf stands in the Mercantour and in northern Italy. It was captured or killed, despite numerous armed guards and established lynx traps no predator, but probably was a wolf injured in February 1996. After May 1996, there were no damages or observation reports more, and it is believed that the wolves have moved back to Italy.