Arolles Forest

This forest is named after the Arolla (or Swiss) pine trees (Pinus cembra) that grow there. These are typical of high mountain wooded areas as they thrive at an altitude of between 1,700 and 2,400m. They are hardy during the long, harsh winters, with sometimes extreme temperatures. You can tell them apart from other pine trees by their needles, grouped in bundles of five, and the shape of their large pine cones. Their fragrant softwood has long been used in sculpture, especially in the 17th and 18th centuries to make Baroque altarpieces.