Please brace yourself for a rant... Before I start properly, can I just stress that there are some people in the Valais who are nice and kind. The problem is that most of them are, if not unpleasant and unkind, then really really awkward and stubborn and hard work. I would also say that it is the most difficult place to work in in the world, with the possible exception of Kabul.
The standard line here is: "We know we are "special", and people find us hard work, but once you know us, we're friends for life." My experience is that once you get to know the valaisans you realise that the appearance of awkardnessness and froideur is indeed illusory: when you get to know them in depth you realise they are far far worse. My personal theory is that the valaisan character is driven by insecurity - they have a chip on their shoulder about their ludicrous "Ch'tii" accent and about the rest of la Suisse romande looking down on them.
Do I have Valaisan friends? But would I advise you to live and work here? No way. End of rant. Nurse, I'll have my medication now!
They're god-awful drivers too; our one an only RTA in Switzerland is proof of that.
Having said that, I work with quite a few Valaisans/Wallisers and they're all really nice people.
There are some lovely ones.... They are the exception. Most are damn rude and they hate Auslanders, and that includes any Swiss not from their valley!
The nicest Valaisans are the Portuguese. There are very nice locals, but I agree, they're the exception. They can rightly say that if I don't like it here, I can b****r off, and they often do.
My sample data is as small as 1 and yet I totally agree - I have never seen such a special person - add to that he was my boss ( about 2 months ago).
I found them rather proud of their wine too. I wasn't in the mood to drink wine at lunch on our way through a while back, and the waitress gave me a snooty look and a hmph as she sashayed off. Then discovered a coke was 6 CHF while the wine was 2 so opted for the wine anyway and she looked smug as could be.
Living and working there looked tough when I was offered a job there many years ago.
They see themselves as Valaisan before they see themselves as Swiss. It's definitely a very special canton with a special history in Switzerland. The Valais was forced to join the Confederation in 1815. It has always been an isolated canton and if you want to make fun of them do mention the large number of congenital hypothyroidism in the population.
Very conservative catholic mentality (Ecônes in Valais hosts the integrist group of Saint-Pie X fraternity). The mentality in Valais is very close to Corsican one: proud, rebellious and crafty. It's not surprising that one of their heroes is Farinet (a kind of Robin Hood) a counterfeiter who lived in the 19th century.
The very conservative nature prevented the development of strong industry or knowledge oriented industry in the Valais. I have many good friends and I miss the sun of the Valais but.....I live better outside Valais.
They call the tiny rest of the country " Üsserschwiiz " / " Suisse extérieure " (Outer Switzerland), which says enough. And rumor has it that the limit for drunk driving for natives is at 0.1% blood alcohol, not the usual 0.05%, because babies are born with 0.05% anyway.
Think le Valais - think Oskar Freysinger, Bernard Rappaz etc... It's the land that time forgot, it's Middle Earth.
The
image of different cantons .....a very serious study. Should be almost a sticky post in EF.
I like real Valais wine, but valaisans tell me that the "cheapo" stuff - the sort you buy for "only" 9-10 francs in Coop, is supplemented by Italian plonk The existing supply isn't large enough for the demand (and it's even worse this year), so they truck in vats of cheap Italian plonk to add to the local wine. This takes place, apparently, at night. I'm talking about some of the best-known producers.
I should groan you for that.
Did army service for 10 years in the Valais as a unit commander. They were a challenge at the beginning but once I got to know them I actually really enjoyed it.
Ah yes, the great question of l'armée suisse raises its head. I will show restraint, for fear of being labelled an wind-up merchant on my first day. btw they're thinking of doing away with the barracks in Sion. If they do, who on earth will protect the canton???