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La Poya
In May, the cows decorated with flowers and the shepherds in traditional outfits lead the procession to the alp, followed by all the materials necessary for the summer season. This joyful celebration unites the community and includes a mass in the local language, a picnic on the grass, a show and the parade itself.
Since 1800, paintings, often naive, depicts this transhumance. Those paintings are called Poya. Their original function were the inventory of the herd, the people and the material leaving for the alp. Those paintings were then displayed on top of the doors or windows of each house as a sign of prosperity.
La Poya is the name for the transhumance - bringing the herd to the summer pastures - in the Swiss Alps. This term is also used in France, particularly in the valley of Chamonix, the Alps and the south of the Jura mountains. It belongs to the living traditions of Switzerland.
