Valaisans
Valaisans are the inhabitants of the Swiss canton of Valais (French: Valais; German: Wallis). The canton is located in southwestern Switzerland, spanning the Alps from the Jura foothills to the Rhône valley, and it borders France to the west and Italy to the south. The capital is Sion. The population is distributed across two linguistic regions: the German-speaking Upper Valais (Oberwallis) in the north and the French-speaking Lower Valais (Unterwallis) in the south, with Valaisan German and Valaisan French and their local dialects used in daily life. The canton is officially bilingual, reflecting its cross-l Alpine heritage.
Historical and political context has shaped Valaisan identity. The Valais has a history of alpine communes
Valaisans are widely associated with wine and agriculture. Valais is Switzerland’s leading wine region, producing varieties
Culturally, Valaisans preserve distinct alpine customs, cuisine and dialects, including cheese specialties and cured meats, alongside