For 80 years, the Valais mountain has refused to be just a backdrop

For eight decades, the Valais mountain community has actively resisted becoming a mere backdrop, asserting its identity as a demanding territory inhabited against the elements. This ongoing struggle, championed by the Groupement de la population de montagne du Valais romand (GPMVR), emphasizes that the mountain provides resources like water, space, energy, and landscapes, but requires constant human presence to thrive.

Founded in December 1945, the GPMVR emerged from a rural Valais where agriculture, not tourism, was dominant and roads were precarious. Even then, a core intuition guided the Groupement's efforts: if the mountain loses its inhabitants, it loses its capacity to protect, nourish, and balance the country. This foresight now appears prophetic as contemporary Switzerland discusses sustainability, proximity, ecology, and territorial resilience, concepts rooted in the mountain regions' long-standing practice of living with, rather than denying, territorial constraints.

Alpine valleys understand that resources are not infinite, seasons dictate realities, and local solidarity often outweighs grand theories. A depopulated territory, they know, quickly becomes a fragile one. This understanding highlights the paradox of the Alps today: while mountains hold immense fascination, they are increasingly threatened with becoming mere scenery.

The risk stems not only from climate change or natural hazards but also from the progressive centralization of lifestyles and decision-making. As post offices, banks, and shops close, and services concentrate in urban centers, new regulations often overlook the distinct realities of life at 1,000 meters altitude, where distances, costs, and human factors differ significantly. The GPMVR has consistently defended alpine roads, public services, schools, and regional transport, alongside embracing broadband and new technologies, not out of nostalgia, but out of a commitment to a living, functional mountain.