On Saturday 26 September 2026, the désalpes of Charmey (Fribourg’s Gruyère region) and Saint-Cergue (the Vaud Jura) fall on exactly the same day, about an hour and a half apart by car. Saint-Cergue is the bigger of the two, with over 700 cattle and 8-9 herds; Charmey is more intimate, with 300-400 head, and leans into Gruyère-region food and its proximity to the town of Gruyères. Entry is free at both. No cases of lumpy skin disease have been detected in Switzerland to date, but it’s worth checking the official websites before you set off.
One Saturday, two herds, one choice to make. On 26 September 2026, Fribourg’s Gruyère region and the Vaud Jura each celebrate their désalpe — the traditional cattle descent from the high alpine pastures that marks the end of summer grazing. You can’t do both: Charmey and Saint-Cergue sit about an hour and a half apart by road, and the processions run at the same time of day. This comparison breaks down size, access, atmosphere and the current health situation to help you decide.
1. The Charmey désalpe: Gruyère’s own « Rindyà »
Charmey, Fribourg’s Gruyère region
Known locally as the « Rindyà » in the Gruyère patois, Charmey’s désalpe has run every year since 1979 in this village in the Val-de-Charmey, at the foot of the Vounetz. According to the event’s official website, the 2026 edition takes place on Saturday 26 September, from 9am to 8pm, with the cattle parade running from roughly 9:30am to 2:30pm. Several herds of cows and goats file through the village decked out in flower crowns and oversized bells, to the sound of alphorns and brass bands. Three themed markets (cheese, crafts, local produce) run in parallel until 5pm, bringing together around thirty stallholders according to the event’s market page. Turnout varies year to year: 10,000 visitors in 2024 according to Swiss broadcaster RTS, versus 7,000 in 2018 under driving rain according to La Liberté — a reminder that the event goes ahead whatever the weather.
Highlights
- Three themed markets (cheese, crafts, local produce) from 9am to 5pm
- Bénichon-style food: smoked ham, half-and-half fondue, AOP cuchaule bread
- Easy to combine with Gruyères old town, Moléson and the Cailler chocolate factory in Broc
2. The Saint-Cergue désalpe: the biggest crowd in the Vaud Jura
Saint-Cergue, the Vaud Jura
Founded in 1988 by a resident of Trélex, Saint-Cergue’s désalpe reaches its 38th edition on 26 September 2026 — the same edition that should have taken place in 2025, before it was cancelled for health reasons (see below). According to the official website, the procession kicks off at 8am with alphorn and cowbell players, then continues in waves until midday, herd by herd, arriving from La Prangine, Les Clairvaux, La Givrine and Cuvaloup de Saint-Cergue. Over 700 cattle and 8-9 herds parade in total, making it, according to Las Genevistas, the biggest désalpe in the Lake Geneva region. A crafts market brings together around fifty stalls, and two concerts close out the day from 1:15pm.
Highlights
- The biggest parade in the Lake Geneva region: over 700 cattle, 8-9 herds
- Direct access via the NStCM train straight to the village centre
- Easy to combine with a hike along the Jura ridge up to La Dôle
3. A tradition on the UNESCO heritage list
The désalpe descends from a farming practice documented in Switzerland since the 15th century: seasonal alpine grazing, which involves moving cattle up to high pastures in spring (the « inalpe », or « poya » in the Gruyère region) and bringing them back down in autumn. In December 2023, Switzerland’s « Alpine Season » — which covers these processions, cheese-making and traditional singing — was added by UNESCO to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Herders from the Gruyère region wear the bredzon, a jacket embroidered with edelweiss, and the capet, a straw hat trimmed with black silk; the animals are decked out in flower crowns and large bells, with the lead cow of each herd usually getting the most elaborate decoration, according to Gruyère Traditions.
On the food side, Charmey stays close to Fribourg’s bénichon tradition (AOP cuchaule bread, smoked ham, leg of lamb with botzi pears) and to AOP alpine Gruyère cheese, made in around fifty alpine dairies between mid-May and mid-October. The Vaud side has its own equivalent in Étivaz AOP cheese, produced in 70 alpine dairies of the Pays-d’Enhaut using methods close to those of a century ago. Fans of Swiss chocolate will also recognise Broc and its Cailler factory from our artisan chocolate route through Europe, which stops off in the Gruyère region.
4. Charmey or Saint-Cergue: the comparison in numbers
Both désalpes are free to attend and share the same date, 26 September 2026, but they differ sharply on parade size, access and overall atmosphere.
| Criteria | Charmey | Saint-Cergue |
|---|---|---|
| Cattle parading | 300-400 head, 5-8 herds | Over 700 cattle, 8-9 herds |
| Typical turnout | 7,000-10,000 people | Around 15,000 people (secondary source, treat with caution) |
| Parade time | 9:30am-2:30pm | 8am-12:30pm |
| Without a car | Train to Broc-Village, then TPF bus line 260 | Direct NStCM train straight into the village |
| From Geneva | About 1h30 by car | 32 minutes by car, or 1h10 by train |
| Overall atmosphere | Hearty local food, bénichon tradition, Gruyère cheese | Bigger spectacle, Vaud Jura ridge scenery |
For the quickest trip from Geneva
Saint-Cergue wins easily: 19km and 32 minutes by car, or roughly 1h10 by train with a change at Nyon according to Rome2Rio — as long as you avoid the Route Blanche, which is closed on the day. Nyon, the gateway to the Vaud Jura and already familiar to travellers for its Paléo Festival every summer, makes a handy connection point. From Geneva, budget closer to 1h30 by road to reach Charmey instead. Travelling from the UK, Geneva Airport (GVA) is the natural gateway: easyJet and British Airways both run direct flights from London — Gatwick, Heathrow, Luton and Southend — in around 1h45.
For the bigger spectacle
Saint-Cergue is objectively the larger of the two, with more than double the cattle parading compared with Charmey. That said, neither is a low-key option: these are two of the most popular désalpes in French-speaking Switzerland. For something quieter, the désalpes at l’Étivaz or Planfayon are worth exploring instead, though their dates need checking separately.
To extend the trip with an autumn hike
From Saint-Cergue, the Jura ridge trail leads to La Dôle (1,677m), with views that reach as far as Mont Blanc on a clear day — an extension you can turn into a multi-day trip with our hut-to-hut hiking guide. From Charmey, the Vounetz cable car opens onto the Jogne valley and Moléson, whose via ferrata features in our guide to the best via ferratas across the Dolomites, the Swiss Alps and the Verdon.
5. Health watch: lumpy skin disease
Saint-Cergue’s 2025 désalpe (which would also have been the 38th edition) was flatly cancelled twelve days before the planned date, after a case of lumpy skin disease (LSD) was detected in early September 2025 in France’s neighbouring Ain department. Vaud authorities responded by banning all cattle processions in the affected zone as a precaution. Charmey and Planfayon, both outside the Fribourg-side surveillance zone, were able to hold their events that same year, according to RTS — with Fribourg’s cantonal vet Grégoire Seitert summing up the balance to strike: « Désalpes have a heritage dimension and it matters that they can go ahead. But my duty is also to protect the herds. »
For the 2026 season, Switzerland’s Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office has banned Swiss cattle from summering in France and required a vaccine booster in at-risk areas (Geneva, and parts of Vaud and Valais). As of this article’s publication, no LSD cases have been detected in Switzerland, and both désalpes remain scheduled for 26 September 2026. Given how quickly the situation shifted last year, it’s worth checking the official sites for Charmey and Saint-Cergue one last time in the days before you travel.
Practical info for your trip to Switzerland
Switzerland sits outside the eurozone and the EU, so a data eSIM avoids nasty roaming surprises. Set up in minutes, no physical SIM swap needed.
Data plans from a few eurosFor a day of walking, crowds and changeable mountain weather, cover for cancellation and medical costs is a sensible precaution.
Free online quoteFrequently asked questions
Can you attend both désalpes on the same day?
No. Charmey and Saint-Cergue both take place on Saturday 26 September 2026, about an hour and a half to two hours’ drive apart, in two different cantons. You’ll need to pick one or the other.
Is there an entry fee for the désalpes?
No, entry is free at both. Only parking in Charmey (CHF 20) or the shuttle in Saint-Cergue (CHF 8) come at a cost.
How do you get to the Saint-Cergue désalpe without a car?
The NStCM train, on the Nyon-Saint-Cergue-La Cure line, drops you right in the village centre — it’s the officially recommended option given how busy the roads get.
How do you get to the Charmey désalpe without a car?
You’ll need to combine the train to Broc-Village, on Fribourg’s RER line, with TPF bus line 260 into Charmey.
What happens if it rains?
The parades go ahead rain or shine: Charmey’s 2018 edition ran under driving rain and still drew 7,000 visitors. Extra shuttles are laid on in Charmey in case of bad weather.
Could the 2026 désalpes be cancelled because of lumpy skin disease?
As of this article’s publication, no cases of lumpy skin disease have been detected in Switzerland and both désalpes remain scheduled. The situation can shift quickly, though — Saint-Cergue was cancelled just twelve days before its 2025 edition. Check the official websites before you travel.
Which désalpe is the bigger one?
Saint-Cergue, with over 700 cattle and 8-9 herds, compared with an average of 300-400 head at Charmey.
Sources
- desalpe-charmey.ch — Official Charmey désalpe website, 2026 dates and programme
- desalpe-saint-cergue.ch — Official Saint-Cergue désalpe website, 38th edition
- MySwitzerland — Désalpe in Charmey — Official Switzerland Tourism listing
- MySwitzerland — Désalpe in St-Cergue — Official Switzerland Tourism listing
- RTS, 2024 — Turnout at the Charmey désalpe
- RTS, 2025 — Fribourg désalpes maintained despite lumpy skin disease
- RTS, 2026 — Ban on summer grazing in France for 2026
- 20 minutes — Cancellation of the 2025 Saint-Cergue désalpe
- La Liberté — The Charmey désalpe under the rain
- Las Genevistas — The best Swiss désalpes near Geneva
- UNESCO — Inscription of the Alpine Season on the intangible cultural heritage list
- Gruyère Traditions — The bredzon, the traditional herder’s jacket
- NStCM — New 2026 timetable, Nyon-Saint-Cergue-La Cure line
- Rome2Rio — Journey times, Geneva to Saint-Cergue
Research carried out on 3 September 2026.
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