You can hear them long before they arrive. The low, rhythmic clang of several dozen cow bells signals the approach of a farmer and his herd on their descent from the high alpine pastures to the valley farms. After 100 days of summer, the cows are coming home. Their Summer vacation on the Alps over!

This descent – known as the Alpabzüge, Alpabfahrt, Alp Procession or Cow Parade – has been taking place annually all over Switzerland for centuries. Across the country some 12,000 herdsmen and over 100,000 cows spend more than three months in the mountains producing rich milk for cheese and butter, before returning to their winter farms in autumn.

As the incessant clanging gets louder, the cats make themselves scarce.. scuttling to the farthest corner under the bed. This was no idyllic background sound of cow bells off in the rolling green meadows as Heidi skips along in the foreground – it was more like a loud clamoring of pots and pans!! Traffic is stopped - But of Course in this part of the world, Cows have the right of Way. The farmers keep their cows together. The cows are dressed up in finery. Flowers, Ribbons, Flags, you name it – these cows are beauitifed to the nines!

As soon as the last cow has trodden, a large cleaning truck comes through (oh-so Swiss Clean). Otherwise, it’s quite an obstacle course to get around (phew!)

Happy Cows may come from California, Happier they are in Switzerland!!!