Updated: 9 October 2025

***According to recent reports from RTSinfo, there is a recent outbreak of “la dermatose bovine” or lumpy skin disease (LSD) amongst the cattle in France, near the Swiss border. Many of the désalpes in the Valais region have been cancelled as a result, while others may decide to continue with a change in program. It is imperative to always double check the official websites before the event in case of any changes.

As the days get shorter and the nights get a little bit chillier, I like to remind myself that while yes, seasonal depression may be lurking around the corner, we also have autumn to look forward to. And autumn in Switzerland is straight-up magical. The forests and mountains transform into a sea of gold and red, kicking off a series of unique, time-honored traditions known as the Désalpes (or “Alpabfahrten” for the Germans).

You’ve undoubtedly seen the Instagram reels of the cows decked out with the most extravagant flower headpieces, walking down the mountain looking absolutely fabulous. But a Désalpe isn’t just a parade celebrating the return of the cows from their summer grazing. It’s an amazing festival that showcases the best of Swiss culture, complete with traditional dress, live alphorn performances, and so much delicious food. If you haven’t been to one, I highly recommend checking one out to enjoy and partake in this truly amazing autumn tradition.

I went through ALL the Désalpe events (there are a lot), so you don’t have to. Here’s a curated guide of some of the best autumn alpine events to check out, to help you mark your calendars and enjoy the vibes.

• Désalpes Closest to Geneva
  • Désalpe de St-Cergue (Vaud) – 27 Sep CANCELLED
  • Fête du Vacherin Mont-d’Or (Vaud) – 27 Sep
  • Désalpe de Blonay (Vaud) – 27 Sep
  • Désalpe de l’Etivaz (Vaud) – 27 Sep
  • Désalpe de Semsales (Fribourg) – 4 Oct
  • Retour des Alpages (Annecy, France) – 11 Oct
• The Most Famous & Iconic Désalpes
  • Gstaad Züglete (Bern) – 6 Sep
  • Alpine descent in Urnäsch (Appenzell) – 20 Sep
  • Désalpe de Charmey (Fribourg) – 27 Sep
  • Alpabfahrt Schüpfheim (Lucerne) – 27 Sep
• Other Unique Alpine Festivals
  • The Justistal Cheese Sharing “Chästeilet” (Bern) – 20 Sep
  • Sheep Fair and Désalpe de Jaun (Fribourg) – 22 Sep
  • La Bénichon de Châtel-St-Denis (Fribourg) – 16-19 Oct

1. Désalpes Closest to Geneva

For those who want to see the cows coming down without traveling too far.

• Désalpe de St-Cergue (Vaud) CANCELLED
  • Date: Saturday, 27 September 2025 
  • Travel time: 🚆~1.5hr / 🚗 ~45m 
  • Notes: This is a Geneva favorite, thanks to its close proximity and easy accessibility. It’s a classic, charming event in the Jura mountains that’s perfect for a quick day trip.
    
• Fête du Vacherin Mont-d’Or (Vaud)
  • Date: Saturday, 27 September 2025 
  • Travel time: 🚆~2hr10m / 🚗~1hr15m
  • Notes: Vacherin Mont-d’Or is known for its soft cheese, so if you’re a cheese lover looking for a tasting, along with catching the cows come down, check this out!
    
• Désalpe de Blonay (Vaud)
  • Date & time: Saturday, 27 September 2025 @ 11:00 – 18:00 
  • Travel time: 🚆2.5hr / 🚗~1hr
  • Notes: This désalpe is a great blend of old and new. It features a traditional cow parade, tons of delicious food, and activities for kids. And for the first time ever, there will be DJ sets and full on parties from 18:00 until 2:00 AM.
    
• Désalpe de l’Etivaz (Vaud)
  • Date: Saturday, 27 September 2025 
  • Travel time: 🚆~2hr40m / 🚗~1hr50m
  • Notes: Two words: L’Etivaz cheese. In addition to your cow parade, markets, and general festivities, the l’etivaz cheese is also a star at this désalpe. 
    
• Désalpe de Semsales (Fribourg)
  • Date & time: Saturday, 4 October 2025 @ 9:00 – 18:00 (14:30 for the parade
  • Travel time: 🚆~2hr / 🚗~1h15m  
  • Notes: A slightly more intimate affair, Semsales is known for being a true, down-to-earth village celebration. A great choice if you’re looking for an authentic local experience. Tentative start time for the cow parade: 11:00
• Retour des Alpages 2025 (Annecy)
  • Date & time: Saturday, 11 October 2025 @ 10:00-16:00
  • Travel time: 🚆~1.5hr / 🚗~1h  
  • Notes: Admire the procession of sheep, goats with the beautiful backdrop of Annecy (no cows due to the outbreak)! This event attracted 80,000 visitors last year and given the popularity of the city itself, I would highly advise to take public transportation and arrive as early as possible. Parking is a nightmare on normal weekends, and on days like this where there will be road closures, driving will be an extra headache!

🔥 Hot tip #1: Do NOT wear your nice shoes to désalpe! There is cow 💩 everywhere and you’ll often find muddy conditions 

2. The Most Famous & Iconic Désalpes

These are the most iconic désalpes in Switzerland, worth making a day trip—or even a weekend—for.

• Gstaad Züglete (Bern)
  • Date: Saturday, 6 September 2025 @ 9:30 – 16:00
  • Travel time: 🚆~3.5hr / 🚗~2hr
  • Notes: The Gstaad Züglete is easily one of the most famous and well-known Désalpe festivals in Switzerland, with a reputation that reaches way beyond the country’s borders. The entire town turns into a full-on festival, celebrating with an epic procession of decked-out cows leading the charge. Beyond the parade, market stalls, presentations, tastings of Saanenland specialties, and live music add to the fun. What makes this event so special is the ultimate “contrast of worlds.” While Gstaad is known for its luxury tourism and high-end boutiques, the Züglete is probably the only time you’ll get to see cows and other livestock parade right into the heart of town, passing by the likes of Prada and Hermès.
    
• Alpine descent and farmers’ market in Urnäsch (Appenzell)
  • Date: Saturday, 20 September 2025 
  • Travel time: 🚆~5hr / 🚗~4hr 
  • Notes: The Appenzeller “Alpabfahrt” is one of the most authentic and famous in Switzerland and is on many people’s bucket lists. The farmers and herds are dressed in spectacular traditional Appenzell attire, and there are even pig races! (Least to point out the obvious – Appenzell is far from Geneva, and definitely more of a weekend trip given the distance. But if you’ve been wanting to visit Appenzell, this would be a great time to go.)
    
• Désalpe de Charmey (Fribourg)
  • Date & time: Saturday, 27 September 2025 @ 9:00 – 17:00 
  • Travel time: 🚆~2.5hr / 🚗~1hr40m
  • Notes: This is one of the most iconic and famous Désalpes in all of Switzerland, and it’s not far from Geneva! Charmey is known for having a massive festival with a continuous procession of beautifully decorated cows and a huge market with local crafts, cheese, and music. The Tentative start time for the cow parade is from 10:15 to 14:30 for every 30 mins.
    
• Alpabfahrt Schüpfheim (Lucerne)
  • Date & time: Saturday, 27 September 2025 @ 7:30 – 16:30
  • Travel Time: 🚆~3hr / 🚗 ~2.5hr
  • Notes: This is a fantastic option if you want to see a major, full-scale Désalpe in a completely different part of Switzerland. Located in the beautiful UNESCO-protected Entlebuch Biosphere, this festival is known for its large-scale market, amazing food, and a genuine, lively atmosphere that shows off the best of Central Swiss traditions.

🔥 Hot tip #2: Definitely double check out the official programs in advance, as they will indicate when the cow parade will start. It’s different for each désalpe; the larger ones will have more cows, while the smaller events will have less cows. If you arrive too late, you might miss it!

3. Other Unique Alpine Festivals

• The Justistal Cheese Sharing “Chästeilet” (Bern)
  • Date: Friday, September 20, 2025
  • Travel Time:🚆~3hr / 🚗~2.5 hours
  • Note: Ah yes, the annual cheese sharing festival. After a summer of hard work in the high pastures, the cows are finally back in the valley. The farmers get together and divvy up the huge wheels of alpine cheese produced over the summer. It’s a centuries-old custom where they literally share the cheese they’ve worked so hard for. While you’ll still see beautifully adorned cows, the real show is a whole lot of delicious cheese and a beautiful communal celebration that’s one of the coolest alpine traditions to witness.
    
• Sheep Fair and Désalpe de Jaun (Fribourg) 
  • Date: Monday, 22 September 2025 @ 9:00 
  • Travel time: 🚆~3h / 🚗~1h50m
  • Notes:  Instead of cows, the Désalpe in Jaun features sheep and goats! So if you’re a sheep lover or just looking for a truly unique Désalpe, this might be the one for you.
    
• La Bénichon de Châtel-St-Denis (Fribourg)
  • Date: Thursday-Sunday, 16-19 October 2025
  • Travel time: 🚆~1h45m / 🚗~1h13m
  • Notes: La Bénichon de Châtel-St-Denis is a traditional folk festival that celebrates the harvest, the herds’ descent and the start of winter. While it started out as a religious ceremony, it’s transformed into one big gastronomic feast where you’re suppose to eat for at least 6 hours! Expect lots of region foods like cuchaule (brioche bread) and Bénichon mustard, meringues, berries, double cream and more. You can see the herds descent but also bell ringers, flag throwers, brass bands and more in the grand procession on Sunday. The admission cost for the procession is CHF 10.