Almabtrieb – A Festival for the Cows Coming Home

Original post September 3, 2022 | Updated August 22, 2026

Almabtrieb… a German word I learned during COVID, when I was dreaming of what we could have been doing during our lockdown nightmare. I researched this word and discovered that it was a unique festival in the European Alps, and it all has to do with the cows coming home. Read on for our experience and tips on finding an Almabtrieb near you.

What is Almabtrieb?

Almabtrieb is a German term meaning the drive from the mountain pasture, or Alpine cattle drive. Depending on the country or region you visit, Almabtrieb is also known as Viehscheid in the Algäu region of Bavaria, Germany. In Switzerland, it’s called Alpabzug, Alpabfahrt, or Désalpe (near the French border). In Italy, in the Tyrol region, it’s called Desmontegada. Either way, it all means the same thing.

In the Alpine region of Europe (specifically in Austria, Switzerland, Germany, and Liechtenstein), Almabtrieb is an annual event held from September to October. A procession that involves a celebration of the cattle coming home from spending the summer up in the Alps. I say cattle because the parade includes cows and other animals like goats and maybe sheep; for the most part, I’ve found that most of what I’ve seen has featured cows.

Escorted back home to the Valley at Summer’s end, the Almabtrieb is a beautiful homecoming featuring cattle uniquely adorned with headgear and wreaths of flowers and evergreens found in the Alpine meadows. The cattle also wear adorned cowbells that you can hear clanging as they descend from the Alps. The bells are worn to keep the evil spirits away. With the cattle drive brought back to the village, the mountain farming villages have a huge celebration afterward, marking the end of Summer.

Searching for Almabtrieb

While on holiday at Lake Constance, we stayed near the Austrian border in a small town called Meckenbeuren. I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to watch a local Almabtrieb during the long weekend, and in our region of Germany, Rheinland-Pfalz, Almabtriebs are uncommon. I looked up any Almabtrieb festivities near me on a few websites (more on that later). Luckily, I found not one but two events in Austria, not far from us.

Almabtriebs in Montafon Valley of Austria

I found two events happening on the same day in the Montafon Valley in Vorarlberg, Austria’s westernmost province, near the German border. 39 kilometers long, Montafon Valley provides the perfect setting for small mountain villages and is ideal for those looking to escape into nature. Ideally, I was looking for a small yet lively Almabtrieb festivity; the small villages of this Valley were the perfect location to experience it all. The two villages we found to be quintessentially the locations to watch Almabtriebs were Gargellen and Sankt Gallenkirch.

Gargellen

Our first stop took us to a quaint, in-the-middle-of-nowhere mountain village of Gargellen. I didn’t know what to expect from this village, but the view was breathtaking upon our arrival. Rain was in the forecast, but that didn’t stop us from making the trip. I parked near the cable car parking lot I found on this website. Click here for the GPS location of that parking lot. We arrived at the parking lot around 10:00 am; the event, according to the website, was to begin around 11:00 am.

When we arrived, there was no sign of the Almabtrieb event. Luckily, the Tourist Information (TI) Office was nearby and open. Side note: the TI office is always a good place to check out when in doubt about what to do in the area or whether an event is taking place. The TI office confirmed that the Almabtrieb was still taking place and provided the location. From there, we walked over to the area behind the cable cars to find a small celebration with music and food, and a gathering growing by the hour.

We found people making their way up a trail. I figured this was probably where the cattle drive would pass, so we followed suit. As we waited a few minutes and admired the beautiful Austrian mountainside view, it started to drizzle. But that didn’t scare us away as we came prepared for the weather.

Finally, at around 11:00 am, you could hear the cowbells clanging in the distance; the cows were coming down the trail. Additionally, you could see the farmers herd the cattle down the pathway in their traditional Alpine attire. Some of the cows, dressed in florals and headgear, made their way to the field to graze. It was such a beautiful sight.

After the cows passed through the trails, we didn’t stay long for the celebration. Not far from Gargellen was Sankt Gallenkirch, where another Almabtrieb was taking place. So, we got in the car and drove about 15 minutes down the road to watch more cows come home from the Alps.

This year’s Almabtrieb in Gargellen takes place on September 5, 2026, around 11am. Find more information here.

Sankt Gallenkirch

We arrived at a much bigger celebration at Sankt Gallenkirch around 11:30 am. Like Gargellen, this procession also took place behind Sankt Gallenkirch’s cable car; here is the GPS location for that procession. There was already a crowd when we arrived 30 minutes before the procession was to take place at noon. We took our spots and waited for the event to start. At the parade’s start, a little before noon, a tractor led the way, with the cows following, and the farmers following the tractor and herding the animals down the pathway.

This was my favorite. As the cows made their way down the pathway, the bells adorning their necks rang loudly. I admired the floral decorations and headgear on the cows, each uniquely made for its cow. Moreover, I loved how up close and personal we were. There was no barrier between the spectators and the cows. I was hesitant at first to be right next to the procession, but it was fine. I did get shouldered by a cow, but luckily, no one was harmed, and these cows were very friendly.

The procession celebration lasted 10-15 minutes, but did not end after the cows came through. They were then led to an open field to graze while onlookers watched them from behind fences. A huge celebration commenced in an open parking area.

The parking area was filled with food and drink vendors, a few local farms selling fresh delicacies, and a band ready to play music. The backdrop of Sankt Gallenkirch made the celebration so much more beautiful. The celebration was well-packed and hopping. We stayed a few minutes to admire the cows before heading out.

This year’s Almabtrieb in Sankt Gallenkirch will take place on September 5, 2026, at 12pm. Find more information here.

Vaduz, Liechtenstein

Not far from Sankt Gallenkirch, Austria, was the country of Liechtenstein. We have never been, so I decided to drive an extra 30 minutes out of the way on the way back to Germany to mark off a new country on our list. I didn’t regret this decision. After we left, we checked out Vaduz; the TI office informed me that a celebration for the cows’ return was about to happen. This made me so happy. I had not expected to see another Almabtrieb, better yet, in another country!

This procession took place in the heart of the city, just below the Vaduz Castle (which still holds an active Monarch). We caught the parade as it was finishing up near the TI office, around 2:30 pm. We watched as the procession came like the previous ones we’d seen. This was much bigger, and the cows were much more intricately decorated. It was a treat to see not two but three celebrations in one day and in two different countries!

Unfortunately, I could not open the link to Liechtenstein’s tourism website to share details about the Almabtrieb.

MUHLBACH-SUR-MUNSTER, Alsace, France

Surprisingly, Eastern France has its own version of this celebration that is not in the Alps. In the fall before we left Europe, we decided to see one more Almabtrieb. The Alps were too far from us, and luckily, I found one a few hours from me in the Alsace region of France.

Muhlbach-Sur-Munster, in Alsace, is a perfect alternative for those hoping to experience Almabtrieb outside the Alps. Nestled in the Vosges Mountains along the Munster Valley, this village is the bridge between the mountains and the Alsace wine country. Before I go further, you’ll need to know that Almabtrieb is known by many names in France, such as: 1) Fête de la Transhumance 2) La Descente des Alpages 3.) Le Retour des Alpages, depending on what region you’re visiting.

Around 200 cows adorned in floral headpieces and bells around their necks take the center of attention as they are paraded through the town of Muhlbach-Sur-Munster. Additionally, the town hosts a celebratory festival and traditional shows throughout the village, with the townsfolk adorned in traditional attire. Food and drinks, along with rows of local artisans with their handmade goods, are scattered throughout the village.

At the time of our visit in 2025, the event was free. I am not sure if the event is free again this year. You can find the information here. The event takes place on October 3, 2026, and will begin at 0900. In 2025, the cow procession began at 1100 and will have other processions throughout the day, according to their English-language website (pls. keep in mind the English website still has the 2025 dates; the French site has the most up-to-date information). In our experience, the procession began at 1100 and they paraded twice in our location, here.

Parking was free as we parked on the side of the road (we also arrived quite early). There is parking in an open field for tour buses. I learned from our visit last year that there may have been parking available for others to use, but I am not certain. Villagers and locals were out directing traffic when we visited.

Helpful Links to Find An Almabtrieb Event

Finding an Almabtrieb was initially challenging; however, you can find these events on Google and travel groups on Facebook or Instagram. Moreover, Google Chrome helped translate sites that weren’t in English. Since we were at Lake Constance, Germany, near Switzerland and Austria, I found a few festivals nearby. I narrowed it down to the nearest location and factored in driving distance. Below are the links I found helpful in finding Almabtrieb festivities. Additionally, I looked up Facebook pages for the local village we were visiting, as well as any information I could find about the farm hosting the Almabtrieb, to confirm the event was taking place. It’s also helpful to check out the Tourist Information Office and contact them before your visit to ensure the event is happening.

• Austria: https://www.austria.info/de/aktivitaeten/stadt-und-kultur/brauchtum-und-tradition/almabtriebe

• Switzerland: https://www.myswitzerland.com/en/experiences/events/events-search/?rubrik=alpinefestivals

• Germany: https://www.allgaeu-viehscheid.de/viehscheid-termine/ and/or this site: https://www.almabtriebe.de/

• Italy (near Tyrol and Trentino region in the Alps): https://www.suedtirolerland.it/en/leisure-activities/top-events-in-south-tyrol/cattle-drive-in-south-tyrol/ and/or this site: https://www.visittrentino.info/en/guide/desmontegade

• France: Key words to search- 1.) Fête de la Transhumance 2.) La Descente des Alpages 3.) Le Retour des Alpages

– Alsace region: https://www.visit.alsace/231005730-fete-de-la-transhumance-wandelfescht/ or https://www.rondedesfetes.fr/agenda-fetes/Muhlbach-sur-Munster_Wandelfescht/100.html

– Annecy Region: https://www.lac-annecy.com/fete-et-manifestation/retour-des-alpages-annecy/

– Other Areas of France: https://www.la-descente-des-alpages.fr/edition-2026/

Conclusion

A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: if you are near an Almabtrieb, Viehscheid, Alpabzug, Alpabfahrt, Desmontegada, or Désalpe, go check it out! I, for one, can vouch for how neat it was to see such a beautiful celebration. But it only comes around once a year, between September and early October, in the Alpine region of Europe and Eastern France along Alsace, a unique festival celebrating the cows coming home. Until next time, friends! Bis zum nächsten Mal, Freunde!

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