"Over 1000 meters of altitude on the mountain bike, far away from the cable cars, I find the wild rue. Hand-picking these herbs is
my meditation, a balance that connects me with nature and gives me the certainty that we are processing genuine local freshness."
– Philipp Fuchs
Génépi: The green gold of the Alps – tradition, enjoyment and craftsmanship
Harvesting the spiked rue is an annual ritual deeply rooted in the traditions of Alpine regions, especially in Valais. Génépi, a collective term for several species of the Artemisia plant, grows in the high altitudes of the Alps and is known for its intense fragrance and aromatic properties. The plant blooms in July and August, and it is precisely during this time that the careful harvest begins.
After harvesting, Génépi is dried and can then be used to make various products. The most famous is certainly Génépi liqueur, a digestif that captures the essence of the Alps.
But Génépi is also used in the culinary world, for example at our Fuchs bakery, where the herb is used in cakes and, more recently, in its own liqueur.
"At the foot of the Matterhorn North Face, at over 2,600 meters, I'm hiking with a backpack and mountain bike, collecting herbs by hand. On the way there, in the silence of the altitude, I lose myself in my thoughts and find inspiration for new ideas."
– Philipp Fuchs
