One of the things to do in Val d’Anniviers that you won’t find elsewhere is watching cows fight… an experience you would be sure to remember. Somewhat unusually, Val d’Anniviers has its own species of cow that is famous throughout Switzerland both for its cheese and its fighting prowess. The Herens cow has a particularly large skull and its ancestor dates back to 3,000BC; it is medium-sized with a large, muscular body and short legs. Each spring special fights are organised with up to 100 of them pitted against each other according to size and age. To some it may sound cruel, but it actually comes quite naturally to this species and the tradition of cow fighting is championed across many areas of Switzerland. After the day’s fighting, one cow comes out on top and is crowned “the queen’.