Formazza, or Pomatt in the Walser language, is the oldest colony founded by these Germanic people during the 13th century migrations beyond the borders of the Canton of Valais, through the Gries Pass: this leap into the past can make us understand the cultural richness of this unique valley on the border with Switzerland.
By the way, Val Formazza has many other treasures. The majestic peaks are crossed by countless paths that allow even the less experienced to reach high altitudes, where spectacular landscapes open up. In winter the mountains change their “cloche” and become the whitewashed frames for many outdoor activities: Nordic skiing (Val Formazza is a true paradise for this discipline, with more than thirty kilometers of slopes distributed between the rings of San Michele and Riale), alpine skiing, snowshoes, ski mountaineering, fat biking, etc.
In Formazza Valley you can touch the highest expression of the Walser heritage: in the homes of its small hamlets, in the urbanization, in the surviving traditions, in the artifacts, as well as in the typical local cuisine. A deep wedge in the heart of the Lepontine Alps, whose undisputed symbol is the majestic Toce Waterfall, which is the most powerful water jump in Europe, with its spectacular 143 meters.
