Nature parks

The Park is located in three cantons, between Montreux, Bulle, Aigle and Gstaad. It is a characteristic pre-Alpine landscape, with valley-bottom villages, alpine meadows, forests, pastures, cliffs and scree slopes. This nature park is the cradle of Alpine cheese making. Folk festivals and customs still bear witness to the population's attachment to its heritage. Valuable nature reserves such as the Pierreuse and Vanil Noir form the heart of the Park and are popular excursion destinations. Shingle-covered roofs, historic buildings in the villages, stone and wooden bridges across the Saane and Hongrin Rivers, as well as the monastery at Valsainte tell the story of bygone times.

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Situated in the French-speaking part of Valais, the Valley of Trient Regional Nature Park covers an area of natural beauty that stretches from the Arpille to the Cime de l’Est. Its wild, unspoiled nature offers magnificent landscapes. The ancestral jewel of the region’s summits, the Trient Glacier invariably inspires wonder, which is heightened further by the emerald green of the mountain lakes. A symbol of the union between water and stone, numerous gorges intrigue ramblers with their raw, powerful presence. On the plain, the Martigny-Combe vineyard is home to a magnificent colorful mosaic of vine stocks, huts and dry stone walls on sunny slopes.

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The Doubs Nature Park comprises 15 municipalities and is characterized by its unspoilt landscapes and wooded pastures. With its vast green spaces and numerous routes, the park is a paradise for horse riders, hikers and cyclists. The Etang de la Gruère is a nature reserve and is famous for its unique beauty. Cultural highlights include the two Unesco World Heritage towns of La Chaux-de-Fonds and Le Locle as well as the medieval town of St-Ursanne. Throughout the year, the park offers events and excursions linked to nature, cultural heritage and regional products. Full program on the park's website and on its News page.

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The Chasseral in the Bernese Jura offers an exceptional 360° view of the entire surrounding area. It is both the highest point and the center of the regional park of the same name. A paradise for nature lovers, it reflects the contrast of cultures: French and German-speaking, industrial and traditionally artisanal, urban and rural. The energy of the Chasseral Regional Park is reflected not only in the wind and solar power plants, but also in the innovative ideas of its inhabitants. The Chasseral is not only one of the highest points in the Jura chain, but also a veritable summit of delicacies. Here you will be whisked away into the world of cheese dairies, chocolate and - on the shores of Lake Biel - the world of wine.

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The Gantrisch Nature Park and the summit of the same name are in the triangle formed by the cities of Bern, Thun and Fribourg. Within a very short time, nature lovers can reach endless forests, pristine meadows and deep canyons. Here you can observe animals, admire rare plants and enjoy breathtaking views. The best way to discover the area is on hikes or bike tours. Action fans are recommended to visit the Gantrisch via ferrata. Culinary delights are provided by around 200 regional specialties, which have been awarded the Gantrisch Nature Park product label. This supports the regional economy and helps to preserve the beautiful cultural landscapes in the park area.

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Seemingly secluded from the rest of the world, this lowermost but typical side valley of the Simmental is a cosmopolitan and welcoming place. The Diemtigtal valley is a 16km-long oasis of wilderness and pristine beauty. The village of Diemtigen with its church and magnificent wooden houses is a feast for the eyes. And the «Diemtigtal House Trails» take visitors along various sections of the valley to the most beautiful buildings. Families with children can have a playful time on the «Grimmimutz» adventure trail, while the Wiriehorn bike park provides for a real adrenaline rush and the largest alpine cheese dairy in Switzerland is a delightful experience.

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The Pfyn-Finges Nature Park extends from Gampel to Sierre and from the terraced vineyards near Salgesch to the Bishorn. As a result, the Park offers a wide variety of landscapes. Thanks to its dry climate and hot summers, Central Valais exhibits an extraordinary variety of species – a variety reminiscent of Mediterranean conditions. In addition, the Park boasts one of the largest continuous pine forests in the Alps, an important protected wetland area with uniquely diverse wildlife and plants as well as an amphibian breeding site of national importance. In addition to exceptional sites such as the Turtmann Valley with the Barrhorn or the rocky steppes of Leuk, the Park includes one of the country's most important wine-growing regions. The Salgesch Natural History and Countryside Centre is the administrative headquarters of the nature park.

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The Nature Park Binntal offers pristine naturalness from the mountain peaks to the villages, which have even won awards for this. But it offers much more. Whether classical music at its finest, top gastronomy or beautiful landscapes, the Nature Park Binntal surprises at every turn. Today, the Upper Valais side valley is appreciated above all for its unspoiled nature, its globally unique Grengiols tulip, its international music festival in Ernen and its delicious cuisine. Some of the latter can even be found in restaurants listed in the Gault Millau guide.

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The Thal is a unique habitat for the flora and fauna of the Solothurn Jura. It is also a recreational and vacation area for nature lovers and connoisseurs, hikers and bikers of all ages. The Thal Nature Park offers a variety of discoveries and experiences for adults, children and groups. These include hikes through beautiful landscapes and exciting themed trails, picnics at cozy fireplaces, bike tours with fantastic views of the countryside. You can experience the living history of Thal in museums and historical buildings, at current exhibitions and events - but of course there is also leisure fun for indoors and outdoors and much more.

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The Argovia Jurapark, a regional nature park of national importance, comprises 31 municipalities in the triangle between Aarau, Brugg and Frick. The park harbors a large number of natural treasures: sparse pine forests, orchid slopes, rocky steppes, dry meadows and terraced vineyards. The south facing forests offer the diverse flora and fauna a suitable, natural habitat. The Jurassic Plateau between Frick and Villigen is the Argovia Jurapark’s heartland. In the mountains of the Aargau Jura, nature takes center stage. Far from the bustling valley basin, orchards with tall fruit trees and vineyards adorn the chains of hills leading to the mountain folds and the high plateau of the Jura. Vantage points offer panoramic views of the Alps up to the Black Forest.

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The Entlebuch is characterized by the largest and most numerous moorland landscapes in Switzerland as well as flora and fauna of (inter)national importance. No wonder the area was awarded the title of Switzerland's first biosphere reserve. A mystical world spreads out over 400 square kilometers. The Entlebuch offers not only peace and relaxation, but also a wide range of leisure activities: including the energy and fairytale trails, Kneipp facilities, mud baths, satellite-guided hiking and field trips - the choice is enormous. The ancient craft of charcoal burning in Romoos or the Entlebuch Alpine descent are examples of the cultural highlights of a visit.

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The area of the Beverin Nature Park extends around Piz Beverin (2998 m above sea level). It comprises four valleys and is home to historically, culturally and linguistically diverse communities. The nine nature park communities form the Beverin Nature Park Association. Together they preserve and enhance their precious natural and cultural assets. The cultural diversity of Beverin Nature Park is reflected in the intact townscapes, the typical dispersed settlements and gently tended cultural landscapes as well as in the vernaculars of the Walsers and Rhaeto-Romans. Tranquillity, seclusion, nature and authenticity are still characteristic features today.

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Switzerland's largest nature park is situated in a diverse landscape around the Alpine passes of Albula, Julier and Septimer and offers unspoilt nature, intact Romansh villages and a living culture in the three languages Romansh, Italian and German. 548 square kilometres of natural fascination: one third of Parc Ela is untouched landscape. These include peaks such as Piz Lunghin which sends its waters on a journey into three oceans. Or the magical Alp Flix – with over 2000 species of plants and animals. The cultural landscape is characterized by historic traffic routes, mighty fortresses and six authentic municipalities that have retained their very own charm.

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The Swiss National Park encompasses a particularly impressive piece of Alpine landscape with a wealth of flora and fauna. Within its boundaries nature is left to develop freely. Founded in 1914, it is the oldest national park in the Alps and central Europe. Thanks to the consistent protection of nature, ibexes, chamois, marmots, bearded vultures and golden eagles as well as countless other animal species can be observed in the wild here. The visitor center in Zernez houses a permanent interactive exhibition about the national park, seasonal special exhibitions on nature themes as well as an information point and store. A wide range of excursions allows visitors to immerse themselves in the wilderness of the national park.

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Anyone seeing the idyllic Val Müstair for the first time will be fascinated by the beauty and unspoilt nature of this corner of the world. In spring, glorious flower meadows beckon alongside ancient larch and Swiss stone pine forests. In summer and fall, summits, pass crossings and high-altitude trails offer breathtaking tours. In winter, the valley comes to rest and reveals itself as a snow-covered fairytale world. Welcome to the Biosfera Val Müstair!

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In 2009, the Sihlwald forest was officially designated a «nature discovery park of national importance» by the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment. Once anything but a primeval forest, the intensively cultivated wood just outside the city of Zurich was used for centuries as a source of timber and firewood. Exploitation of the forest ended in 2000. Set off on a stroll today and you'll soon find yourself among old giant trees and gnarly deadwood. The visitor center in Sihlwald serves as a gateway to the wilderness. Sihlwald offers the population of Zurich and Zug a recreational area and impressive nature experience right on their doorstep. With the Langenberg animal park, the Zurich Wildnispark also has a place where wild animals such as bears, otters and lynx can be observed in giant, natural enclosures, as if they were moving in their natural habitat.

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With its natural and cultural landscapes, the Schaffhausen Regional Nature Park is unique. It crosses borders and can be experienced not only on foot or by bike, but also by boat on the Rhine. The landscape is characterized by large vineyards and extensive arable land. Among other things, the fine Pinot Noir wines are produced here. The wine-growing villages enchant visitors with their charm and particularly beautiful and typical regional towns. The Rhine is another landscape jewel. Not only for leisure captains and bathing enthusiasts. It also offers a refuge for flora and fauna.

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