We went to St. Cergue to see the Dèsalpes, the descent of the milk cows from the summer meadows to the valleys for the winter. The best milkers wear flowery headdresses and their enormous festival bells, and the sound is deafening.
Lines of cowherds kept the cows from veering off the road, and controlled the pace of the herds. The pace was brisk, and I'm sure they came far. A friend of ours joined some cowherds for the Dèsalpes one year, and he walked 18 km. to get down from the mountains.
Many of the cowherds wore traditional white blouses and puff-sleeved black velvet jackets.
A fruitière is a fromagerie, a place where cheese is made.
The cows were nervous and the roads got very messy. My son's reaction: "I hate cows."
This man is carrying an alpine milking stool on his back. Why do you suppose the milking stool only has one leg?
That's right, so the milker can balance on a hillside, like this boy is doing.
These people were getting ready to play the alpenhorn.
After watching the dancers for a few minutes I was overwhelmed with an urge to put on a costume, learn folk dancing, and be Swiss.
We saw many beautiful bells.
Some of them had elaborate leatherwork, embroidery, and hand painting on the collars.
These men are preparing raclette. After the heaters melt the cheese, they scraped it off onto potatoes, and served it with cornichons and mini corn.
These men are competing to see how far they can throw a heavy log of wood.
We saw food stands with garlic, sausages, cheese, beer, wine from the Canton of Vaud, homemade fruit liquers and traditional clothing.
To make up for the cows, we got our son some Barbe à Papa. Barbe à Papa means Papa's Beard in French.
