What is slow tourism?

Slow tourism is an alternative way of travelling that puts quality, calm and in-depth discovery of a place ahead of rushing from one activity to the next. It rests on three principles : Slowing down : taking time to soak up a place, switching off from everyday stress and living in the moment. Going local : tasting regional food, meeting producers and supporting small shops. Respecting the environment : reducing your footprint, protecting ecosystems and avoiding overcrowded spots. In Val de Bagnes, that means coming by train, choosing a village or a mountain hut as your base, stopping by the alpine pastures and mixing gentle activities with free time.

Can you get to Val de Bagnes by public transport?

Yes. The train takes you to le Châble, at the heart of the valley. From there, the gondola goes up to Verbier (from 5:10am to 11:55pm) and buses serve the other villages, such as Bruson or Lourtier. Timetables and options on our mobility page .

Do you need to be sporty for a slow stay in Val de Bagnes?

No. The whole idea is to adapt the programme to your pace : e-bike to climb without straining, guided walks, and plenty of free time. No need to be an artist to follow in their footsteps. A train, a backpack and a few days without a watch are all it takes. Find more stay ideas on our inspiration page .

4 days to slow down, from train to mountain hut

Slow tourism in Val de Bagnes

You might already know Val de Bagnes through Verbier: freeride, mountain bike descents, full-throttle days. But the valley is far more than its most famous resort. From its stone and timber villages to its alpine pastures and high mountain huts, it also offers a different rhythm, slower and more attentive. At the end of August, Verbier Tourisme invited five artists to experience it. Here’s how they lived slow tourism in Val de Bagnes, day by day, so you can do it again at your own pace. Or even slower.

Sunset at the Brunet Cabin

Five artists living at marmot pace

Louanne (@louannemanshow) and Alexia (@alexiawinterhalter) paint. Khani (@madebykhani) works in watercolour. Elsa (@heja_elsa) is a photographer. Léona (@lucette.lr) sews, knits and turns pretty much anything into a DIY project. They spent four days in Val de Bagnes, from 31 August to 3 September 2026, with a very simple mission : produce nothing in particular. No mandatory posts, no content to deliver. Just a space to create, contemplate and connect. Emma, our Social Media Manager, dreamed up and organised the stay, and was with them from start to finish. In their bags, a gift from Caran d’Ache : a creative box with watercolours, watercolour pencils and other tools. The programme promised they would “live at the pace of the marmots”. We’ll let you judge whether it delivered.

Day 1 : arriving in Val de Bagnes by train

Arrival.
Slow tourism starts at the departure station. One of the project’s goals was precisely to show that Val de Bagnes is easy to reach by train, even from abroad. Louanne set off from Paris, Khani from Brussels, Léona from La Rochelle and Elsa from Sion. Only Alexia, coming from Aosta, made the trip by car. They all met up in le Châble, at the heart of the valley.

Evening.
Up to Verbier by gondola, dinner at a restaurant and a night at the hotel, to rest after a long day of travel. An evening for introductions and the first shared memories.

Day 2 : e-bike and the climb to Cabane Brunet

Morning. Now it really begins. An e-bike tour above Verbier with Justin, a guide from the École Suisse de Ski, who also provided the bikes. The idea : see the valley from another angle and scout the terrain for the days ahead. The Grand Combin, the Petit Combin and, way over there, Cabane Brunet. The motor does the heavy lifting on the climbs, leaving plenty of time to look up.

Midday. A break at the La Marmotte restaurant, with cheese on the menu for those who fancied it. For a residency all about marmots, hard to imagine a better-suited spot.

Afternoon. Time to switch sides of the valley. Cabane Brunet sits at 2,103 metres, above Lourtier. It welcomes guests twice a year, roughly from mid-June to mid-October and from mid-December to mid-April. In summer, during its opening period, a shuttle links it to the valley : you can get up there by public transport, no car needed.
Once there, free time. Louanne and Alexia got out their brushes, Khani her watercolours, Elsa went scouting for shots, and Léona whipped out a knitting project. Sunshine, silence, and everyone at her own pace.

Evening. Right next to the hut, a small lake mirrors the mountains. The sun sinks and the peaks blush red in the water. This is the sunset Louanne later painted, from a photo taken that evening. Dinner at the hut, then a first night in the dorm.

Day 3 : recharging in the heart of nature in Val de Bagnes

At dawn. The alarm goes off early, and for once, nobody grumbles. The sunrise from the hut was well worth the short night.

Morning. A meeting with Francine. She runs the Pindin alpine buvette and is also a qualified mountain leader. With her, the hike above the hut becomes a guided walk : the plants along the trail, life on the alpine pasture, the mountains you finally see up close. You walk slower, stop more often, and leave with a whole new vocabulary.

Midday. At the finish, the Pindin brunch. Several cheeses from the valley, sérac and alpine produce, with the valley spread wide open beneath your feet. Back to the hut on foot, legs a little heavy, smiles wide.

Good to know

The Pindin brunch is also a stop on our 100% local flavours stay idea in Val de Bagnes. To find out more about agritourism in Val de Bagnes, visit our dedicated page.

Afternoon. Free time, again. After two and a half days together, the mood had shifted : “Everyone had really opened up, it was a great moment,” says Emma. Tips are swapped, a neighbour’s pencils get tested, advice flows.

Evening. The sunset is a little less spectacular than the night before, but fondue at the hut makes up for everything. Second night at 2,103 metres.

Day 4 : one last morning for yourself

Morning. About two hours to finish a watercolour, retouch a photo, add a row to the knitting. Nothing on the programme, and that’s deliberate : slow tourism is also about knowing when to stop before you’ve had enough. Then the group heads back down to the valley, and everyone sets off for home.

And afterwards? A few days later, the creations landed on their social channels : YouTube videos, Instagram carousels and reels. Alexia painted several works of the view from the hut. Louanne signed that famous sunset. Each one created with her own signature touch.
A second edition? “I don’t know if we’ll do it again, but I really hope so,” says Emma.

Practical info for your slow stay at Cabane Brunet

When to go?

Cabane Brunet is open roughly from mid-June to mid-October in summer, and from mid-December to mid-April in winter. Exact dates change from year to year : check the Cabane Brunet website before planning your stay.

Where to sleep?

A night in the dorm, with dinner and breakfast. Book on the hut’s website or call +41 27 778 18 10.

How to get there?

In summer, a shuttle serves the hut during its opening period. It costs CHF 5.- per journey for adults and CHF 3.- for children aged 6 to 16 (2026 rates), and it’s free with the VIP Pass. Booking is mandatory : timetables and bookings on the Cabane de Brunet shuttle page. You can also hike up, in about three hours from Lourtier. In winter, the hut is reached on snowshoes or touring skis, in about two and a half hours from La Barmasse.

What should I pack?

Cycling and hiking gear, good shoes, a water bottle, a hat or cap, sunscreen and sunglasses, a light down jacket, a beanie and thin gloves for chilly evenings, a waterproof jacket. And above all a sleeping bag liner, mandatory in mountain huts for hygiene reasons. Earplugs, for the snorers. And for the journey, a 40 to 50 litre hiking backpack is far more practical than a wheeled suitcase on mountain paths.

FAQ

What is slow tourism?
Slow tourism is an alternative way of travelling that puts quality, calm and in-depth discovery of a place ahead of rushing from one activity to the next. It rests on three principles :
- Slowing down : taking time to soak up a place, switching off from everyday stress and living in the moment.
- Going local : tasting regional food, meeting producers and supporting small shops.
- Respecting the environment : reducing your footprint, protecting ecosystems and avoiding overcrowded spots.
In Val de Bagnes, that means coming by train, choosing a village or a mountain hut as your base, stopping by the alpine pastures and mixing gentle activities with free time.
Can you get to Val de Bagnes by public transport?
Do you need to be sporty for a slow stay in Val de Bagnes?