Ski Like a Witch: The Belalp Hexe in Switzerland

Most people in the United States would link stereotyped witch costumes with standard Halloween fare.

However, the Swiss canton of Valais—specifically the town of Belalp—has a traditional downhill skiing race for which all participants dress as witches (with brooms, even).

Though I don’t have a photo of the actual race to share, you can find plenty on the website for the race. It takes place each year in mid- to late January. The race has such popularity that the town has built an entire week of events around it, even.

Though If you’re anything like me, you’re thinking: Why?

The Belalp Witch Backstory

What I can find in terms of a backstory for the Belalp witch-themed weekend gives me a legend of a woman who some say was burned at the stake.

The reason: She’d caused either all sorts of magical mischief in the area that included having an extramarital affair with a wizard and murdering her husband (one story) or having seduced someone she shouldn’t have (another story that, to me, sounds a little more plausible).

When exactly this stake-burning took place, I can’t determine.

The Belalp Downhill Skiing Race: What to Expect

Though I can’t find a lot of backstory for this annual race, which has turned into an entire week of witch-themed events, I can tell you the origin story of the race itself: Back in 1983, the Swiss decided a witch-costume downhill-skiing race should celebrate the burning of the Belalp Witch.

The race isn’t all witches, though.

Actual athletes have an event all to themselves during race weekend, zipping as quickly as they can down a 12-kilometer route that descends from 3,118 meters above sea level to 1,322 meters above sea level. The fastest skier wins, of course, though most run the course in fewer than 10 minutes.

For the witches race, people in witch costumes and witchy-painted faces whoop down the mountain at a leisurely pace, periodically planting their brooms in the snow to share food and drink from their witches’ sacks with spectators.

The kids have a race as well—for which the participants wear witch costumes as well, of course.

Typical Belalp Hexe Week Events

Not much for downhill skiing? Fear not! You can still enjoy the Belalp Hexe Week’s witchy festivities.

In addition to spectating for the witches’ race and for the athletes’ descent, you can enjoy the Belalp Hexe on Friday and Saturday nights over evening entertainment featuring musicians and entertainment and plenty of good food and drink. (Including fondue—naturally).

You can also choose to ski or participate in other winter sports in this winter wonderland—and enjoy witching around when you’re not on the trails. The Belalp witches weekend attracts nearly 15,000 people over the course of the week for snowboarding, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, sledding, and more.

Why Not Ski Like a Witch?

If you’re coming to Switzerland to ski—a common tourist activity, after all—why not come at Belalp Hexe Week?

(And if you do, take pictures!)

Now, I’m not much for cold-weather spots, but I have a spouse who loves skiing. Maybe I can convince him to give the Belalp Hexe Week witches’ race a try…