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Valdres is a traditional district in central, southern Norway. Valdres is located approximately midway between Oslo and Bergen. The valley is protected to the west and north by the Jotunheimen mountains.

Etymology

One explanation of the name is that the name of the district comes from the Old Norse stem words völlr (a mountainous plain) and dres (a cleaved road to be ridden on by a horse). Another explanation to the etymology is that Valdres stems from “Valdles”, which is from the stem words vald (forest) and les (pasture), i.e. “the valley of pastures in the forest”.