Introduction to Chandolin

The old village of Chandolin is located at an altitude of 1,936 meters above sea level. Chandolin is considered one of highest villages inhabited throughout the year in Europe. The village boasts stunning views of the Rhone Valley and so called Imperial Crown, consisting of five peaks over 4000 meters-the Weisshorn, Zinalrothorn, Obergabelhorn, Matterhorn and Dent Blanche. The forest that dominates, composed of larch and stone pine, has the particularity of growing even beyond the usual tree-line limit of forests.

4 km from Chandolin, the Illgraben is one of the largest erosion sites in Europe and the largest torrential lava site in Switzerland. Following the collapse of the mountain due to the effects of erosion, a huge rocky bowl was formed on the north side of the Illhorn.

The Illsee Lake, located at an altitude of 2,360 meters, was created in 1623 for the retention of water used for farming. Made into a storage basin in 1923 and raised in 1943, it serves the hydroelectric plants of Oberems and Turtmann.

Chandolin is known for well-known guests such as the Bille family, Ella Maillart and the painter Edouard Ravel. Under the charm of this village, suspended between heaven and earth, these persons and others visited periodically, some even had an address here, allowing Chandolin to be discovered by their respective circles scientific, artistic and literary.

The village has about a hundred inhabitants and has approximately 2,500 beds available.