The Chalet

History of the Chalet

My Chalet used to be a stable-barn: the stable downstairs, the barn above. It was part of a hamlet called Le Grand Pra (Lù Grand Pra in patois) made up of several barns-stables and Mayens (a Swiss name for high mountain chalet where the herds stayed in the fall and spring) located above Les Haudères at 1700 m altitude.

The peasants got together to build these Mayens and barns for reasons of cost and practicality. They brought their cows there between in the spring and fall. The Mayens were used to house the family, the stables housed the cattle, and the barns contained the hay harvested there when it was ready which was necessary to feed the animals.

In the summer the cows were in the Alpine pastures (around 2000 m alt.) and in winter, went down to the village. While waiting for the vegetation to be sufficient in the Alpine pastures, the cattle was taken to the mayens (between 1500 and 1700 m alt.) for a few weeks in May / June before continuing onto the Alpine pasture, where the cattle was left for the summer. Then the peasants and their cows returned there in September / October before going down to the village. Sometimes they would go up again to the Mayens later in the season.

Between the mountain pasture and the village, the Mayens sheltered the cows of the different owners. Each cattle owner took his turn leaving the cattle there for a few weeks, and feeding them with the hay which had been reaped in the summer.

Sources : Les “Mayens” du Valais by Ignace MARIÉTAN