Introduction to Zinal
Located at an altitude of 1670 meters at the foot of the Imperial Crown (five peaks over 4000 m), Zinal has approximately 200 year-round inhabitants and 4000 available beds.
The emblematic summit of the Besso, is characterized by two peaks. “ Becho ” in local dialect means “ twins ”. The Navisence, finds its origin in the Zinal glacier and flows into the Rhone.
Its name probably comes from “ Chinal ” in dialect or “ Tsina ”, “ Chenal ” in French. Zinal most likely means corridor, narrow valley, wooden water pipe, or canal... Patois, which is the local Franco- Provençal dialect, was the language spoken in the valley for several centuries until the spread of French.
The historical visit of Zinal is an invitation to a journey through time, starting from the old chapel, continuing through the hotel zone and the old village, up to the first inn.
Zinal is a simple, but absolutely unique place, that long remained in the almost secretive protection of its mountains, living according to the rhythm of the comings and goings of its people and their remuage, in an alternation of long periods of silence and then intense activity, until the day when it was discovered by the first tourists.
The old wood and stones are able to tell stories of the passage of time for those who know how to listen. This is why this visit is an invitation to slow the pace and observe the thousand details that make up its atmosphere.
The emblematic summit of the Besso, is characterized by two peaks. “ Becho ” in local dialect means “ twins ”. The Navisence, finds its origin in the Zinal glacier and flows into the Rhone.
Its name probably comes from “ Chinal ” in dialect or “ Tsina ”, “ Chenal ” in French. Zinal most likely means corridor, narrow valley, wooden water pipe, or canal... Patois, which is the local Franco- Provençal dialect, was the language spoken in the valley for several centuries until the spread of French.
The historical visit of Zinal is an invitation to a journey through time, starting from the old chapel, continuing through the hotel zone and the old village, up to the first inn.
Zinal is a simple, but absolutely unique place, that long remained in the almost secretive protection of its mountains, living according to the rhythm of the comings and goings of its people and their remuage, in an alternation of long periods of silence and then intense activity, until the day when it was discovered by the first tourists.
The old wood and stones are able to tell stories of the passage of time for those who know how to listen. This is why this visit is an invitation to slow the pace and observe the thousand details that make up its atmosphere.
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Introduction to Zinal
3961 Zinal
