It's like the Ekka but classy

Foire du Valais is a yearly fair held in Martigny which coincides with "combat de Reines (cow fighting)". The combat de reines starts when the farmers start to bring their cows down from the mountains for the winter. The breed (Herens) is typically aggressive and the contest is to determine which of the cows will lead the herd down the mountain (I could be wrong here but this is what I have gathered from various people). The horns of the cows are blunted and the fights - which aren't forced, are mainly pushing contests. We didn't actually go and watch the fights because it was 15 CHF to get in and the amphetheatre was in the direct sunlight on a pretty hot day. It didn't sound like it would have been a fun afternoon sitting in the sun so we walked around the outside and looked at the cows waiting to go in and fight.

Before we went to the amphitheatre we went to the fair which was kind of like the Ekka except it was much smaller and a lot more classy. Instead of tents full of drunk bogans, there were tents with wine and cheese stalls and families sitting around chatting.

Some local produce

We had our first try of roasted chestnuts too.

No fair would be complete without the farm animals.

IT'S SO FLUFFY I WANNA DIE!!!

And a Martigny fair wouldn't be complete without a Saint-Bernard.....