About Sarah
Someone who
I left the UK for Switzerland and arrived in the Valais — the canton that includes Verbier, Sion, Martigny and Val des Bagnes — with a suitcase, a B permit application, and absolutely no idea what I was walking into. The mountains were extraordinary. The bureaucracy was not.
Born to an English father and Dutch mother, I've always existed comfortably between cultures and languages. That instinct — to bridge, to translate, to connect people to places — turned out to be the most valuable thing I brought with me to Switzerland.
I held my B permit for years, applied for my C permit when the time came, and I am now in the final stages of becoming Swiss — making me one of very few guides who has personally navigated every stage of the Swiss residency journey.
Along the way I've built a life I am genuinely proud of. I'm a property owner, luxury chalet host, yoga instructor, event organiser and mother. I know the school system because my own children are in it. I know the commune offices because I've sat across the desk from them. I know the region not as a visitor but as someone who has worked, played, raised a family and put down roots here.
Valais Life is the formalisation of what I've always done: take the time to know the person, then find their way to a better life in Valais.
One of the most common questions I get: "How long does it actually take to feel at home?" Here's the honest answer, drawn from my own experience.
I don't offer a directory of contacts. I offer real relationships built over 20 years of living, working and belonging in Val des Bagnes and the wider Valais.
When a client needs a notary, I introduce them to someone I trust. When they need a doctor who speaks English, I send them to mine. When they need a school place assessed, I go with them. This is what genuine integration looks like.
I work with English, Dutch and French-speaking clients — and I speak to all three as a native, not a translator.
A free discovery call is the best place to begin. We'll talk through where you are, what you need, and how I can help — with no pressure and no obligation. Just a conversation with someone who already knows the way.
Looking for luxury alpine accommodation? Sarah's sister brand ActiveFusion offers the finest chalets in Val des Bagnes.