Waves à la carte in Valais

Michael Restin

30.4.2021

Pictures: Thomas Kunz

Nothing is more on-brand for 2021 than mountains having better surf spots than oceans. In Sion, waves flow at the push of a button and not only the Swiss surf scene is happy about it. A self-experiment in Alaïa Bay.

Something is missing. Something is missing here and it’s not the ocean. Nobody expects that in Sion anyways. My gaze sweeps across the snow-covered Mont Gond in the Bernese Alps, the A9, whose hum mixes with relaxing sounds of Boubacar Traoré coming from the speakers of the panorama terrace. Stopping only at a cone-shaped pool, Alaïa Bay looks like a slice from a pie chart.

The new wave garden in Valais holds 13,000 cubic metres of water, which, set in motion, make surfers’ dreams come true. The motto: go big or go home. Adam Bonvin won’t say exactly how much money was invested in the facility. «I wanted to bring the waves to where I live,» says the project’s initiator and cofounder of Alaïa. His fantasy was born six years ago during a surf trip to Hossegor and has now come true here. Sporting tanned skin under a black T-shirt paired with a newsboy cap, he exudes a laid-back vibe that is supposed to surround the entire facility. Who cares about precise numbers when there are real-life visions to marvel at.

There is obviously no lack of money, at some point the rough estimate of 20 million francs is thrown in the room, filled with media representatives and guests of the international surf scene. A paradise manifested from the drawing board: however high it was, the sum was enough for fancy lamps and a fusion style kitchen. It’s all perfectly planned out up until the last detail, including the huge washing machines washing 120 wetsuits per hour. All new, all high-quality, with lots of exposed concrete, glass and wood panelling. The whole shebang of modernism, it could be anywhere in the world.

The logical infrastructure was built around the attraction: a restaurant including a panoramic terrace, a surf store, the surf school and «La Factory», where shaper Carlos Lopez is dedicated to the boards.

The «Magic Room» changes everything

And yet something is missing. During the tour, I keep thinking that beach feeling can’t be brought to the Alps. The tour ends in the «Magic Room». If the right buttons are pushed, it’s finally showtime for the main attraction: waves. Waves à la carte. The menu includes 20 especially programmed types, even the tube wave.

Two whole months were spent fiddling with the settings to match size, shape, force and frequency. So far, this is just theory. They’re still missing, the water is still. Even though that’s what it’s all about. It wouldn't be fair to make a judgement about this place without having seen waves.

The power of water

As soon as waves roll through the pool, the atmosphere is transformed. I can feel it in the building. As the big roar bellows, heads turn to the window and the press hastily stumbles down the stairs to the outside. With my eyes shut and I daydream about the ocean. The force of the water drowns out the highway and washes away all sensory distractions. Nothing looks characterless anymore once the show starts.

To kick things off, pros and celebs dive in first. They demonstrate what’s possible, provide spectacular images. And they deliver. Whistles and cheers pierce the artificial surf, successful aereals – one of the hardest surf tricks – are celebrated. The smiles on the faces are genuine, it comes with the waves, basically at the push of a button.

The sporadic trucks passing by on the highway seem out of place behind these flying surfers, like a mirage. But it doesn’t matter because with the waves there is a constant flow of take-offs, tube rides and the next expert is already on their way. I stand on the footbridge in the middle of the pool, this division is the secret behind the wave technique. Emerged in the action, I see manoeuvres that I’ve only ever seen up this close on YouTube. The left half of the pool surfs goofy, the right side is regular. The waves are the same in both parts. 46 electromagnetically moved modules ensure that one identical water mountain after the other is formed.

It’s a training opportunity like few others in the world – the facility in Sion is only the fourth of its kind and it’s probably no exaggeration that this is a milestone for surfing in Switzerland. It’s perfect for training courses, a playground for experts and a protected environment for newbies. It’s everything that the ocean isn’t. Predictable and controllable. Apply the right settings in the «Magic Room» and the two-metre-high «Beast» fizzles into a small wave again, so beginners can get into the water right after the pros. My cue.

Whoosh... the wave is rolling in

«Hi guys,» a stranger with a Spanish accent greets me in the locker room, where I peel into my wetsuit. As a bit of small talk reveals, he works for Wavegarden. Wavegarden is the Basque company whose technology provides the waves he’s about to plunge himself into for the first time. As he tells me, every site is different, which is not only due to the wave menu. He raves about the Alpine scenery.

I’ll forget about it, he says, the surroundings won’t matter at all, as there’s plenty to think about in the water. He also predicts that it will get intense. Those with enough stamina catch five times as many waves in one session as in the ocean, apparently. They break from the outer wall to the inside, where a channel leads back into the line-up. There are no long breaks, because every wave is perfect. So much for the theory. In practice, a rhythm quickly emerges.

In the line-up

First the train. At least that’s what it sounds like when the plant’s modules start working, setting themselves and the water in motion. A low whooshing sound emanates from the belly of the curved structure next to me, which resembles a greenhouse. Then the wave rises, lifts and lowers me in the swell and passes by. There’s no hustle and bustle, no crowds, no waves breaking surprisingly early. On the contrary, there are even signs.

A few paddle strokes and I reach number 9 on the outer wall, where a coach guides me into position. Everything is orchestrated, the wave will break here and now it’s up to me. Paddle, paddle, paddle, look ahead, upper body up – at this point, it doesn’t matter whether this is the ocean or the pool, the waves want to be surfed. Take-off. Focus. Stay low. Enjoy. Or fall.

Both happen, first successes are followed by a few nosedives. Anyway, let’s do it again. Playing with the elements works better when the rules are made by humans. Here comes the perfect wave. And again. And again. There are no excuses. Just the ambition to learn something. And lots of opportunities to do better. As the session progresses, the waves get bigger, the tips get more specific, and the arms get heavier. It’s exhausting.

Nevertheless, I’m drawn back again and again. After an hour in the water, I’m tired but happy. For the first time in over a year, the word «wave» has a positive connotation for me. In conclusion: Alaïa Bay is no substitute for a trip to the ocean, but the wave menu is a real treat for the Swiss surf scene. The only thing missing is a pinch of salt.

Michael Restin

Senior Editor

Michael.Restin@digitecgalaxus.ch

Simple writer and dad of two who likes to be on the move, wading through everyday family life. Juggling several balls, I'll occasionally drop one. It could be a ball, or a remark. Or both.

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