Valais ( , , ; frp, Valês; german: Wallis ), more formally the Canton of Valais,; german: Kanton Wallis; in other official Swiss languages outside Valais: it, (Canton) Vallese ; rm, (Chantun) Vallais. is one of the 26 cantons forming the
Swiss Confederation
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
. It is composed of thirteen districts and its capital and largest city is
Sion
Sion may refer to
* an alternative transliteration of Zion
People
* Sion (name) or Siôn, a Welsh and other given name and surname, including a list of people and fictional characters with the name
* Shion or Sion, a Japanese given name
Pl ...
. The flag of the canton is made of thirteen stars representing the districts, on a white-red background.
Valais is situated in the southwestern part of the country. It borders the cantons of
Vaud
Vaud ( ; french: (Canton de) Vaud, ; german: (Kanton) Waadt, or ), more formally the canton of Vaud, is one of the 26 cantons forming the Swiss Confederation. It is composed of ten districts and its capital city is Lausanne. Its coat of arms b ...
and
Bern
german: Berner(in)french: Bernois(e) it, bernese
, neighboring_municipalities = Bremgarten bei Bern, Frauenkappelen, Ittigen, Kirchlindach, Köniz, Mühleberg, Muri bei Bern, Neuenegg, Ostermundigen, Wohlen bei Bern, Zollikofen
, website ...
to the north, the cantons of
Uri Uri may refer to:
Places
* Canton of Uri, a canton in Switzerland
* Úri, a village and commune in Hungary
* Uri, Iran, a village in East Azerbaijan Province
* Uri, Jammu and Kashmir, a town in India
* Uri (island), an island off Malakula Islan ...
and
Ticino
Ticino (), sometimes Tessin (), officially the Republic and Canton of Ticino or less formally the Canton of Ticino,, informally ''Canton Ticino'' ; lmo, Canton Tesin ; german: Kanton Tessin ; french: Canton du Tessin ; rm, Chantun dal Tessin . ...
to the east, as well as
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
to the south and
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
to the west. It is one of the three large southern
Alpine
Alpine may refer to any mountainous region. It may also refer to:
Places Europe
* Alps, a European mountain range
** Alpine states, which overlap with the European range
Australia
* Alpine, New South Wales, a Northern Village
* Alpine National Pa ...
, which encompass a vast diversity of ecosystems. It is a bilingual canton, French and
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ger ...
being its two official languages. Traditionally, the canton is divided into Lower, Central, and Upper Valais, the latter region constituting the German-speaking minority.
Valais essentially coincides with the valley of the
Rhône
The Rhône ( , ; wae, Rotten ; frp, Rôno ; oc, Ròse ) is a major river in France and Switzerland, rising in the Alps and flowing west and south through Lake Geneva and southeastern France before discharging into the Mediterranean Sea. At Ar ...
from its headwaters to
Lake Geneva
, image = Lake Geneva by Sentinel-2.jpg
, caption = Satellite image
, image_bathymetry =
, caption_bathymetry =
, location = Switzerland, France
, coords =
, lake_type = Glacial lak ...
, essentially separating the
Pennine Alps
The Pennine Alps (german: Walliser Alpen, french: Alpes valaisannes, it, Alpi Pennine, la, Alpes Poeninae), also known as the Valais Alps, are a mountain range in the western part of the Alps. They are located in Switzerland (Valais) and Italy ( ...
from the
Bernese Alps
, topo_map= Swiss Federal Office of Topography swisstopo
, photo=BerneseAlps.jpg
, photo_caption=The Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau
, country= Switzerland
, subdivision1_type=Cantons
, subdivision1=
, parent= Western Alps
, borders_on=
, l ...
, the two largest mountain ranges of the canton. A major wine region, the canton is simultaneously one of the driest regions of Switzerland in its central Rhône valley and among the wettest, having large amounts of snow and rain upon the highest peaks found in Switzerland, such as
Monte Rosa
:
, other_name = Monte Rosa massif
, translation = Mount Rose
, photo = Dufourspitze (Monte Rosa) and Monte Rosa Glacier as seen from Gornergrat, Wallis, Switzerland, 2012 August.jpg
, photo_caption = Central Mon ...
and the
Finsteraarhorn
The Finsteraarhorn () is a mountain lying on the border between the cantons of Bern and Valais. It is the highest mountain of the Bernese Alps and the most prominent peak of Switzerland. The Finsteraarhorn is the ninth-highest mountain and thi ...
. Although a major hydroelectricity producer, Valais is essentially renowned for its tourism industry and its numerous Alpine resort towns, notably
Crans-Montana
Crans-Montana is a municipality in the district of Sierre in the canton of Valais, Switzerland. On 1 January 2017 the former municipalities of Chermignon, Mollens, Montana and Randogne merged to form the new municipality of Crans-Montana.
Cr ...
,
Saas Fee
Saas-Fee () is the main village in the Saastal, or the Saas Valley, and is a municipality in the district of Visp in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.
The village is situated on a high mountain plateau at 1,800 meters (5,900 feet), surrounded ...
,
Verbier
Verbier is a village located in south-western Switzerland in the canton of Valais. It is a holiday resort and ski area in the Swiss Alps and is recognised as one of the premier off-piste resorts in the world. Some areas are covered with snow all ...
, and
Zermatt
Zermatt () is a municipality in the district of Visp in the German-speaking section of the canton of Valais in Switzerland. It has a year-round population of about 5,800 and is classified as a town by the Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO).
...
. Overlooking the latter town, the
Matterhorn
The (, ; it, Cervino, ; french: Cervin, ; rm, Matterhorn) is a mountain of the Alps, straddling the main watershed and border between Switzerland and Italy. It is a large, near-symmetric pyramidal peak in the extended Monte Rosa area of the ...
has become an iconic landmark of the canton.
In 1529, Valais became an associate member of the
Swiss Confederation
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
. After having resisted the Protestant Reformation and remained faithful to the
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
, it became a republic under the guidance of the prince-bishop of Sion in 1628. In 1815, Valais finally entered the Swiss Confederation as a canton. In 1878, the
Simplon Railway
The Simplon Railway is a line that links Lausanne in Switzerland and Domodossola in Italy, via Brig. The -long Simplon Tunnel (opened in 1906) is a major part of it. The line between Lausanne and Vallorbe is sometimes considered to form part of th ...
connected most of Valais with the cities of the
Swiss Plateau
The Swiss Plateau or Central Plateau (german: Schweizer Mittelland; french: plateau suisse; it, altopiano svizzero) is one of the three major landscapes in Switzerland, lying between the Jura Mountains and the Swiss Alps. It covers about 30% of ...
. The canton was further opened up by the
Lötschberg Railway
The Lötschberg is an Alpine mountain massif and usually associated with a major, historically important transit axis of the Alps in Switzerland with, at its core, the Lötschen Pass (german: Lötschenpass, Swiss German: ''Lötschepass''). The mou ...
in 1913.
Name
The canton is also officially referred to by its long name ''République et canton du Valais'' (French) or ''Republik und Kanton Wallis'' (German). This translates into ''Republic and Canton of Valais''.
History
The Romans called the upper Rhône valley ''
Vallis Poenina
The Alpes Graiae et Poeninae, later known as Alpes Atrectianae et Poeninae (officially Alpes Atrectianae et Vallis Poenina), were a small Alpine province of the Roman Empire created after the merging of the ''Alpes Poeninae'' (or ''Vallis Poenina' ...
''. The ''Vallis Poenina'' was conquered by the Romans after the
Battle of Octodurus
The battle of Octodurus took place in the winter of 57–56 BC in the Gallic town of Octodurus in what is now Martigny, Valais, Switzerland. The battle was the result of a Roman attempt to open the Great St. Bernard Pass over the Alps. It was ...
(now known as
Martigny
Martigny (; german: Martinach, ; la, Octodurum) is the capital city of the district of Martigny, canton of Valais, Switzerland. It lies at an elevation of , and its population is approximately 15000 inhabitants (''Martignerains'' or "Octodurie ...
) in 57 BC and became part of the
Gallo-Roman
Gallo-Roman culture was a consequence of the Romanization of Gauls under the rule of the Roman Empire. It was characterized by the Gaulish adoption or adaptation of Roman culture, language, morals and way of life in a uniquely Gaulish context ...
cultural sphere. According to a tradition that can be traced back to the middle of the 8th century, the
Theban legion
The Theban Legion (also known as the Martyrs of Agaunum) figures in Christian hagiography as a Roman legion from Egypt—"six thousand six hundred and sixty-six men"—who converted en masse to Christianity and were martyred together in 286, acc ...
was martyred at
Agaunum
Agaunum was an outpost in Roman Switzerland, predecessor of the modern city of Saint-Maurice in the canton of Valais, southwestern Switzerland. It was used by the Roman Empire for the collection of the '' Quadragesima Galliarum''. In Christian tr ...
(now
Saint Maurice
Saint Maurice (also Moritz, Morris, or Mauritius; ) was an Egyptians, Egyptian military leader who headed the legendary Theban Legion of Roman Empire, Rome in the 3rd century, and is one of the favorite and most widely venerated saints of that Ma ...
) about 285 or 302. From 888 onwards the lands were part of the kingdom of Jurane Burgundy.
Valais formed part of the kingdom of Transjurane Burgundy, which fell to the
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a Polity, political entity in Western Europe, Western, Central Europe, Central, and Southern Europe that developed during the Early Middle Ages and continued until its Dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire, dissolution i ...
in 1032. It became part of the duchy of Burgundia Minor, which was held by the emperors by the
house of Zähringen
The House of Zähringen (german: Zähringer) was a dynasty of Swabian nobility. The family's name derived from Zähringen Castle near Freiburg im Breisgau. The Zähringer in the 12th century used the title of Duke of Zähringen, in compensation ...
(which became extinct in 1218). In 999, King
Rudolph III of Burgundy
Rudolph III (french: Rodolphe, german: Rudolf; – 6 September 1032), called the Idle or the Pious, was the king of Burgundy from 993 until his death. He was the last ruler of an independent Kingdom of Burgundy, and the last male member of the Bu ...
gave all temporal rights and privileges to the
Bishop of Sion
The Diocese of Sion ( la, Dioecesis Sedunensis, french: Diocèse de Sion, german: Bistum Sitten) is a Catholic ecclesiastical territory in the canton of Valais, Switzerland. It is the oldest bishopric in the country and one of the oldest north of ...
, who was later styled ''praefect and count of Valais'' and is still a prince of the Holy Roman Empire. The count-bishops then struggled to defend their area against the Zähringer and then the dukes of
Savoy
Savoy (; frp, Savouè ; french: Savoie ) is a cultural-historical region in the Western Alps.
Situated on the cultural boundary between Occitania and Piedmont, the area extends from Lake Geneva in the north to the Dauphiné in the south.
Savo ...
, so that the medieval history of Valais is inextricably linked with that of the diocese of Sion. The Dukes of Savoy, however, succeeded in winning most of the land west of
Sion
Sion may refer to
* an alternative transliteration of Zion
People
* Sion (name) or Siôn, a Welsh and other given name and surname, including a list of people and fictional characters with the name
* Shion or Sion, a Japanese given name
Pl ...
(Lower Valais), while in the upper part of the valley (Upper Valais) there were many feudal lords, such as the lords of Raron, those of La Tour-Châtillon, and the counts of Visp.
About the middle of the 13th century, the large communities (Zenden or
tithing
A tithing or tything was a historic English legal, administrative or territorial unit, originally ten hides (and hence, one tenth of a hundred). Tithings later came to be seen as subdivisions of a manor or civil parish. The tithing's leader or s ...
s) began to develop independence and grow in power. The name ''Zenden'' or tithings probably came from a very ancient division of the bishop's manors for administrative and judicial purposes. In the same century the upper part of the valley was colonized by Germans from Hasli ( de) in the
Canton of Bern
The canton of Bern or Berne (german: Kanton Bern; rm, Chantun Berna; french: canton de Berne; it, Canton Berna) is one of the 26 cantons forming the Swiss Confederation. Its capital city, Bern, is also the ''de facto'' capital of Switzerland. ...
. The locals became
German-speaking
German ( ) is a West Germanic language mainly spoken in Central Europe. It is the most widely spoken and official or co-official language in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and the Italian province of South Tyrol. It is also a ...
, though many Romance local names remain. In 1354 the liberties of several of the seven ''Zenden'' (
Sion
Sion may refer to
* an alternative transliteration of Zion
People
* Sion (name) or Siôn, a Welsh and other given name and surname, including a list of people and fictional characters with the name
* Shion or Sion, a Japanese given name
Pl ...
,
Sierre
Sierre (; german: Siders, ; frp, Siérro, ) is the capital municipality of the district of Sierre, located in the canton of Valais, Switzerland. It has a population of 16,332.
Sierre is nicknamed City of the Sun (french: Cité du Soleil) for i ...
,
Leuk
Leuk (french: Loèche-Ville) is a municipality in the district of Leuk in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. On 1 January 2013, the former municipality of Erschmatt merged into the municipality of Leuk.Raron
Raron (french: Rarogne) is a municipality in the district of Raron in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.
History
Raron is first mentioned around 1101–1200 as ''Rarogni''. In 1146 it was mentioned as ''Rarun''.
A settlement on the Heidnisc ...
,
Visp
Visp (french: Viège) is the capital of the district of Visp in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.
Geography
Visp lies in the Rhône valley, at the confluence of the Vispa and the Rhône, west of Brig-Glis.
Visp has an area, , of . Of ...
,
Brig
A brig is a type of sailing vessel defined by its rig: two masts which are both square rig, square-rigged. Brigs originated in the second half of the 18th century and were a common type of smaller merchant vessel or warship from then until the ...
Emperor Charles IV
Charles IV ( cs, Karel IV.; german: Karl IV.; la, Carolus IV; 14 May 1316 – 29 November 1378''Karl IV''. In: (1960): ''Geschichte in Gestalten'' (''History in figures''), vol. 2: ''F–K''. 38, Frankfurt 1963, p. 294), also known as Charle ...
.
By the late 14th century, the counts of Savoy acquired the bishopric of Sion. The Zenden resisted his attempts to gather both spiritual and secular power in the valley. In 1375–76, Zenden forces defeated the army of the house of La Tour-Chatillon, and in 1388 routed the forces of the bishop, the count, and his nobles at Visp. The
German-speaking
German ( ) is a West Germanic language mainly spoken in Central Europe. It is the most widely spoken and official or co-official language in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and the Italian province of South Tyrol. It is also a ...
Zenden spread further into the valley. Starting in 1384 the Morge stream (a little below Sion) was recognized as the boundary between Savoyard,
French-speaking
French ( or ) is a Romance language of the Indo-European family. It descended from the Vulgar Latin of the Roman Empire, as did all Romance languages. French evolved from Gallo-Romance, the Latin spoken in Gaul, and more specifically in Nor ...
Lower Valais and German-speaking episcopal Upper Valais.
During the
Raron affair
The Raron affair (German: ''Raronhandel'') was a 15th-century rebellion in the Valais (the prince-bishopric of Sion) against the power of a local noble family, the Raron family. The rebellion brought several cantons of the Swiss Confederation in ...
rebellion from 1414 to 1420, some cantons of the
Swiss Confederation
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
took sides in the conflict.
Lucerne
Lucerne ( , ; High Alemannic German, High Alemannic: ''Lozärn'') or Luzern ()Other languages: gsw, Lozärn, label=Lucerne German; it, Lucerna ; rm, Lucerna . is a city in central Switzerland, in the Languages of Switzerland, German-speaking po ...
,
Uri Uri may refer to:
Places
* Canton of Uri, a canton in Switzerland
* Úri, a village and commune in Hungary
* Uri, Iran, a village in East Azerbaijan Province
* Uri, Jammu and Kashmir, a town in India
* Uri (island), an island off Malakula Islan ...
and
Unterwalden
Unterwalden, translated from the Latin ''inter silvas''(''between the forests''), is the old name of a forest-canton of the Old Swiss Confederacy in central Switzerland, south of Lake Lucerne, consisting of two valleys or ''Talschaften'', now t ...
supported the Upper Valais rebels, while
Bern
german: Berner(in)french: Bernois(e) it, bernese
, neighboring_municipalities = Bremgarten bei Bern, Frauenkappelen, Ittigen, Kirchlindach, Köniz, Mühleberg, Muri bei Bern, Neuenegg, Ostermundigen, Wohlen bei Bern, Zollikofen
, website ...
supported the noble Raron family. The uprising was successful in driving out the Rarons and almost brought the Confederation to civil war.
Following the Raron affair, the canton was the location of the
Valais witch trials
The Valais witch trials consisted of a witch-hunt and a series of witch trials which took place in the Valais (the House of Savoy and the prince-bishopric of Sion), today part of Switzerland, beginning in 1428. The Valais witch-hunt is the firs ...
between 1428 and 1447 in which at least 367 men and women were put to death. This event marks one of the earliest witch scares in late medieval Europe. The phenomenon later spread to other parts of the continent.
With the election of Walther von Supersax of Conches as bishop in 1457, the German-speaking part of the valley finally attained supremacy. At the outbreak of the
Burgundian Wars
The Burgundian Wars (1474–1477) were a conflict between the Burgundian State and the Old Swiss Confederacy and its allies. Open war broke out in 1474, and the Duke of Burgundy, Charles the Bold, was defeated three times on the battlefield in th ...
in 1475, the bishop of Sion and the Zenden made a treaty with Bern. In November of the same year, they seized all Lower or Savoyard Valais up to Martigny. In March 1476, after the victory of
Grandson
Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...
, they advanced and captured St Maurice,
Évian
Evian ( , ; , stylized as evian) is a French company that bottles and commercialises mineral water from several sources near Évian-les-Bains, on the south shore of Lake Geneva. It produces over 2 billion plastic bottles per year.
Today, Evia ...
,
Thonon
Thonon-les-Bains (; frp, Tonon), often simply referred to as Thonon, is a subprefecture of the Haute-Savoie department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in Eastern France. In 2018, the commune had a population of 35,241. Thonon-les-Bains is ...
and
Monthey
Monthey (; frp, Montê) is the capital of the district of Monthey in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.
History
The castle in the town center was built in 950 on a hill, the first houses of Monthey surrounded it. Monthey is first mention ...
. They had to give up the last three districts in 1477 but won them again in 1536. In the treaty of Thonon in 1569, Monthey, Val-d'llliez, and Le Bouveret were permanently annexed to Valais. These conquered districts in the Lower Valais were ruled as subject lands by the bishop and the Tithings of the Upper Valais until 1798. On March 12, 1529, Valais became an associate member (''Zugewandter Ort'') of the
Swiss Confederation
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
.
In the early 17th century, the aristocratic governors of the districts in the Upper Valais pressured the prince-bishop of Sion to abdicate secular power, which was achieved temporarily in 1613 and then permanently in 1634, when the country became the federal
Republic of the Seven Tithings
The Republic of the Seven Tithings (German language, German: ''Republik der Sieben Zenden'', French language, French: ''République des Sept-Dizains'') was a state in what is now the Swiss canton of Valais during the early modern period, and an a ...
under the rule of a ''
Landeshauptmann
Landeshauptmann (if male) or Landeshauptfrau (if female) (, "state captain", plural ''Landeshauptleute'') is the chairman of a state government and the supreme official of an Austrian state and the Italian autonomous provinces of South Tyrol an ...
''. The republic in its original form existed until 1798, when the districts of the Lower Valais, until then ruled as subjects, successfully revolted against the Seven Tithings and achieved equal status within the republic. During the French invasion of the Swiss Confederacy in the same year, Valais was incorporated into the
Helvetic Republic
The Helvetic Republic (, , ) was a sister republic of France that existed between 1798 and 1803, during the French Revolutionary Wars. It was created following the French invasion and the consequent dissolution of the Old Swiss Confederacy, ma ...
until 1802 when it became the separate Rhodanic Republic.
In 1810 the Rhodanic Republic was annexed by the
First French Empire
The First French Empire, officially the French Republic, then the French Empire (; Latin: ) after 1809, also known as Napoleonic France, was the empire ruled by Napoleon Bonaparte, who established French hegemony over much of continental Eu ...
Austrian
Austrian may refer to:
* Austrians, someone from Austria or of Austrian descent
** Someone who is considered an Austrian citizen, see Austrian nationality law
* Austrian German dialect
* Something associated with the country Austria, for example: ...
troops in late 1813, and on 4 August 1815 Valais finally entered the Swiss Confederation as a canton. In 1845, Valais joined the Catholic separatist league (''
Sonderbund
The Sonderbund War (german: Sonderbundskrieg, fr , Guerre du Sonderbund, it , Guerra del Sonderbund) of November 1847 was a civil war in Switzerland, then still a relatively loose confederacy of cantons. It ensued after seven Catholic cantons ...
'') which led to what is called the
Sonderbund War
The Sonderbund War (german: Sonderbundskrieg, fr , Guerre du Sonderbund, it , Guerra del Sonderbund) of November 1847 was a civil war in Switzerland, then still a relatively loose confederacy of cantons. It ensued after seven Catholic cantons ...
. 99,000 Swiss Federal troops under General
Henri Dufour
Guillaume Henri Dufour (15 September 178714 July 1875) was a Swiss military officer, structural engineer and topographer. He served under Napoleon I and held the Swiss office of General four times in his career, firstly in 1847 when he led the ...
were faced by 79,000 Separatists, but in the end, Valais chose not to fight.
The beginning of the modern history of Valais essentially coincides with the
exploration of the High Alps
The higher region of the Alps were long left to the exclusive attention of the inhabitants of the adjoining valleys, even when Alpine travellers (as distinguished from Alpine climbers) began to visit these valleys. It is reckoned that about 20 gla ...
, the
first ascent of the Matterhorn
The first ascent of the Matterhorn was a mountaineering expedition made by Edward Whymper, Lord Francis Douglas, Charles Hudson, Douglas Hadow, Michel Croz, and two Zermatt guides, Peter Taugwalder and his son of the same name, on 14 July 1865. ...
in 1865 marking the end of the
golden age of alpinism
The golden age of alpinism was the decade in mountaineering between Alfred Wills's ascent of the Wetterhorn in 1854 and Edward Whymper's ascent of the Matterhorn in 1865, during which many major peaks in the Alps saw their first ascents.
Promin ...
. The boom of tourism followed in the late 19th century. In 1878, the
Simplon Railway
The Simplon Railway is a line that links Lausanne in Switzerland and Domodossola in Italy, via Brig. The -long Simplon Tunnel (opened in 1906) is a major part of it. The line between Lausanne and Vallorbe is sometimes considered to form part of th ...
connected
Brig
A brig is a type of sailing vessel defined by its rig: two masts which are both square rig, square-rigged. Brigs originated in the second half of the 18th century and were a common type of smaller merchant vessel or warship from then until the ...
, the last town before the
Simplon Pass
The Simplon Pass (french: Col du Simplon; german: Simplonpass; it, Passo del Sempione, Lombard: ''Pass del Sempiün'') () is a high mountain pass between the Pennine Alps and the Lepontine Alps in Switzerland. It connects Brig in the canton of ...
Geneva
Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevra ; rm, Genevra is the List of cities in Switzerland, second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and the most populous city of Romandy, the French-speaki ...
and other major cities of the
Swiss Plateau
The Swiss Plateau or Central Plateau (german: Schweizer Mittelland; french: plateau suisse; it, altopiano svizzero) is one of the three major landscapes in Switzerland, lying between the Jura Mountains and the Swiss Alps. It covers about 30% of ...
.
Geography
Valais is the third largest canton of Switzerland by area. It is also one of its westernmost and southernmost cantons while being adjacent to central Switzerland. With a few exceptions, it lies almost entirely in the
Rhône
The Rhône ( , ; wae, Rotten ; frp, Rôno ; oc, Ròse ) is a major river in France and Switzerland, rising in the Alps and flowing west and south through Lake Geneva and southeastern France before discharging into the Mediterranean Sea. At Ar ...
basin, more precisely in the wide Alpine Rhône Valley, above
Lake Geneva
, image = Lake Geneva by Sentinel-2.jpg
, caption = Satellite image
, image_bathymetry =
, caption_bathymetry =
, location = Switzerland, France
, coords =
, lake_type = Glacial lak ...
. The main settlements are all along the Rhône or in its proximity, the largest city being
Sion
Sion may refer to
* an alternative transliteration of Zion
People
* Sion (name) or Siôn, a Welsh and other given name and surname, including a list of people and fictional characters with the name
* Shion or Sion, a Japanese given name
Pl ...
, followed by
Martigny
Martigny (; german: Martinach, ; la, Octodurum) is the capital city of the district of Martigny, canton of Valais, Switzerland. It lies at an elevation of , and its population is approximately 15000 inhabitants (''Martignerains'' or "Octodurie ...
,
Monthey
Monthey (; frp, Montê) is the capital of the district of Monthey in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.
History
The castle in the town center was built in 950 on a hill, the first houses of Monthey surrounded it. Monthey is first mention ...
,
Sierre
Sierre (; german: Siders, ; frp, Siérro, ) is the capital municipality of the district of Sierre, located in the canton of Valais, Switzerland. It has a population of 16,332.
Sierre is nicknamed City of the Sun (french: Cité du Soleil) for i ...
, and
Brig-Glis
Brig, officially Brig-Glis (french: Brigue-Glis; it, Briga-Glis), is a List of towns in Switzerland, historic town and Municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in the district of Brig (district), Brig in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. Th ...
. The canton is traditionally divided into three regions: Lower Valais (French: ''Bas-Valais''), Central Valais (French: ''Valais central''), and Upper Valais (German: ''Oberwallis''), with the linguistic border of the canton being at Pfynwald, between the two latter regions. While the more populous Lower and Central Valais are
French-speaking
French ( or ) is a Romance language of the Indo-European family. It descended from the Vulgar Latin of the Roman Empire, as did all Romance languages. French evolved from Gallo-Romance, the Latin spoken in Gaul, and more specifically in Nor ...
, Upper Valais is
German-speaking
German ( ) is a West Germanic language mainly spoken in Central Europe. It is the most widely spoken and official or co-official language in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and the Italian province of South Tyrol. It is also a ...
.
The Rhône Valley is a central Alpine valley, i.e. it lies well within the Alps and is shut off from both northern and southern plains. Valais is separated from the
Swiss Plateau
The Swiss Plateau or Central Plateau (german: Schweizer Mittelland; french: plateau suisse; it, altopiano svizzero) is one of the three major landscapes in Switzerland, lying between the Jura Mountains and the Swiss Alps. It covers about 30% of ...
to the north by the
Bernese Alps
, topo_map= Swiss Federal Office of Topography swisstopo
, photo=BerneseAlps.jpg
, photo_caption=The Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau
, country= Switzerland
, subdivision1_type=Cantons
, subdivision1=
, parent= Western Alps
, borders_on=
, l ...
and from the Po plains to the south by the
Valais Alps
The Pennine Alps (german: Walliser Alpen, french: Alpes valaisannes, it, Alpi Pennine, la, Alpes Poeninae), also known as the Valais Alps, are a mountain range in the western part of the Alps. They are located in Switzerland (Valais) and Italy ( ...
, respectively north and south of the Rhône. Valais is also one of the three large southern cantons lying partially in the Po basin, therefore south of the Alps, along with
Ticino
Ticino (), sometimes Tessin (), officially the Republic and Canton of Ticino or less formally the Canton of Ticino,, informally ''Canton Ticino'' ; lmo, Canton Tesin ; german: Kanton Tessin ; french: Canton du Tessin ; rm, Chantun dal Tessin . ...
. However, contrary to those two cantons, very few settlements are on the south side of the Alps, and they are all well above the plains. The largest regions not drained by the Rhône are the
Simplon Valley
The Simplon Valley or Divedro Valley (German: ''Simplontal'', Italian: ''Val Divedro'') is a valley of the Alps, situated between the Pennine and the Lepontine ranges. The valley is drained by the Diveria or ''Chrummbach'', a tributary of the To ...
(Po basin) and two uninhabited areas north of the Sanetsch and the
Gemmi Pass
Gemmi Pass is a high mountain pass across the Bernese Alps connecting Leukerbad (on the south) in the canton of Valais with Kandersteg (on the north) in the canton of Bern. The pass itself lies within the canton of Valais, at a height of above ...
basin).
Valais is the highest canton in terms of absolute, relative, and mean elevation. Therefore, its topography is extremely rugged, with the notable exception of the wide, glacial, Rhône valley. The latter valley dominates the geography of the canton. Many side valleys are branching off the main valley, often perpendicularly. These vary from narrow and remote to reasonably populous. On the south side of the Rhône, in the Valais Alps, some of the largest side valleys are (from east to west): the
Mattertal
The Matter Valley (German: Mattertal, or sometimes ''Nikolaital'') is located in southwestern Switzerland, south of the Rhone valley in the canton of Valais. The village of Zermatt is the most important settlement of the valley, which is surroun ...
(including the Saastal), the
Val d'Anniviers
The Val d'Anniviers (old name in German ''Eifischtal'') is a Swiss Alpine valley, situated in the district of Sierre in Valais, which extends south of the Rhône Valley, on the northern slopes of the Pennine Alps. The valley was home to six munic ...
, the
Val d'Hérens
Val d'Hérens is an alpine valley in the Valais canton of Switzerland. It was formed by the Hérens glacier, which retreated at the end of the last ice age. It is now the valley of the ''Borgne'' river, a tributary of the Rhone (confluence abov ...
, the
Val de Bagnes
Val de Bagnes, also called the Vallée de Bagnes (German: Bangital or Baniental) is a valley located in the Entremont District in the Canton of Valais of Switzerland.
Geography
Val de Bagnes is traversed by the Drance de Bagnes. In the upper pa ...
and the
Val d'Entremont
thumb
The district of Entremont is a district in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. It
has a population of (as of ).
Municipalities
It comprises the following municipalities:
Mergers
On 1 January 2021 the former municipalities of Bagnes ...
. On the north of the Rhône, in the Bernese Alps, the
Lötschental
The Lötschental is the largest valley on the northern side of the Rhône valley in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. It lies in the Bernese Alps, with the Lonza running down the length of the valley from its source within the Langgletscher ...
is the only large valley. East of Brig is the valley of
Goms GOMS is a specialized human information processor model for human-computer interaction observation that describes a user's cognitive structure on four components. In the book ''The Psychology of Human Computer Interaction''. written in 1983 by Stua ...
, the highest section of the Rhône Valley. The Rhône itself flows in the main valley from east to west from the
Rhône Glacier
, french: Glacier du Rhône, it, ghiacciaio del Rodano
, photo = Ghiacciaiorhone.jpg
, photo_caption = View towards the Tieralplistock
, type = Valley glacier
, location = Furka Pass, Valais, Switzerland
, coords ...
down to Martigny, then at a right angle north to its mouth in Lake Geneva. After the town of Saint-Maurice, the eastern banks of the river belong to the canton of
Vaud
Vaud ( ; french: (Canton de) Vaud, ; german: (Kanton) Waadt, or ), more formally the canton of Vaud, is one of the 26 cantons forming the Swiss Confederation. It is composed of ten districts and its capital city is Lausanne. Its coat of arms b ...
, although the western banks remain in Valais, down to
Le Bouveret
Le Bouveret () is a village in the commune of Port-Valais in the Swiss canton of Valais. Situated at the southernmost end of Lake Geneva and close to the French border, Le Bouveret is very much tourism-oriented with several amusement attractions ...
, on the shores of Lake Geneva. The main valley is bounded by the Bernese Alps in the north and the Valais Alps in the south, both ranges including numerous over 4,000 metre-high mountains, which are the highest in the country. Notables mountains include
Monte Rosa
:
, other_name = Monte Rosa massif
, translation = Mount Rose
, photo = Dufourspitze (Monte Rosa) and Monte Rosa Glacier as seen from Gornergrat, Wallis, Switzerland, 2012 August.jpg
, photo_caption = Central Mon ...
(highest), reaching , and the
Finsteraarhorn
The Finsteraarhorn () is a mountain lying on the border between the cantons of Bern and Valais. It is the highest mountain of the Bernese Alps and the most prominent peak of Switzerland. The Finsteraarhorn is the ninth-highest mountain and thi ...
(most prominent), reaching . Other iconic mountains are the
Matterhorn
The (, ; it, Cervino, ; french: Cervin, ; rm, Matterhorn) is a mountain of the Alps, straddling the main watershed and border between Switzerland and Italy. It is a large, near-symmetric pyramidal peak in the extended Monte Rosa area of the ...
and the
Jungfrau
The Jungfrau ( "maiden, virgin"), at is one of the main summits of the Bernese Alps, located between the northern canton of Bern and the southern canton of Valais, halfway between Interlaken and Fiesch. Together with the Eiger and Mönch, the J ...
, for a complete list, see
list of mountains of Valais
This is a list of mountains of the Swiss canton of Valais. Valais is a very mountainous canton and includes the highest mountains of Switzerland. The highest mountain ranges are the Pennine Alps, the Bernese Alps and the Mont Blanc massif. Topogr ...
. Located there are numerous glaciers including several of the largest in the Alps, such as the
Aletsch Glacier
The Aletsch Glacier (german: Aletschgletscher, ) or Great Aletsch Glacier () is the largest glacier in the Alps. It has a length of about (2014), has about a volume of (2011), and covers about (2011) in the eastern Bernese Alps in the Swiss ca ...
and the
Gorner Glacier
The Gorner Glacier (german: Gornergletscher) is a valley glacier found on the west side of the Monte Rosa massif close to Zermatt in the canton of Valais, Switzerland. It is about long (2014) and wide. The entire glacial area of the glacier rela ...
. Other ranges situated partially in Valais are the
Chablais Alps
The Chablais Alps are a mountain range in the western Alps. They are situated between Lake Geneva and the Mont Blanc Massif. The Col des Montets separates them from the Mont Blanc Massif in the south, and the Rhône valley separates them from the ...
, the
Mont Blanc Massif
The Mont Blanc massif (french: Massif du Mont-Blanc; it, Massiccio del Monte Bianco) is a mountain range in the Alps, located mostly in France and Italy, but also straddling Switzerland at its northeastern end. It contains eleven major indepen ...
, the
Uri Alps
The Uri Alps (also known as ''Urner Alps'', german: Urner Alpen) are a mountain range in Central Switzerland and part of the Western Alps. They extend into the cantons of Obwalden, Valais, canton of Bern, Bern, Canton of Uri, Uri and Nidwalden and ...
, the
Gotthard Massif
The Gotthard Massif or Saint-Gotthard Massif (german: Gotthardmassiv or ; it, Massiccio del San Gottardo; rm, Massiv dal Gottard) is a mountain range in the Alps in Switzerland, located at the border of four cantons: Valais, Ticino, Uri and Gra ...
, and the
Lepontine Alps
, topo_map= Swiss Federal Office of Topography swisstopo
, photo=MonteLeone0001.jpg
, photo_caption=Monte Leone
, country_type= Countries
, country=
, subdivision1_type= Cantons, Regions
, subdivision1=
, parent= Western Alps
, borders ...
.
Lake Geneva is the only truly large lake in the canton, although only a small fraction of it (about 10 km2) is in Valais, the plain of the Rhône comprehending only small lakes. There are however numerous sizable lakes in the high Alps, mostly artificial. The largest is
Lac des Dix
Lac is the resinous secretion of a number of species of lac insects, of which the most commonly cultivated is ''Kerria lacca''.
Cultivation begins when a farmer gets a stick that contains eggs ready to hatch and ties it to the tree to be infes ...
, closely followed by the
Lac d'Emosson
Lac is the resinous secretion of a number of species of lac insects, of which the most commonly cultivated is ''Kerria lacca''.
Cultivation begins when a farmer gets a stick that contains eggs ready to hatch and ties it to the tree to be infes ...
. Other large high-elevation lakes are
Lac de Mauvoisin
__NOTOC__
Lac de Mauvoisin is a reservoir in the canton of Valais, Switzerland. The reservoir is formed by the Mauvoisin Dam, which is high. The dam is the 11th highest in the world, and the 6th highest arch dam. It was built in 1951–1957, and ...
,
Mattmarksee
__NOTOC__
Mattmark dam is a reservoir in the Saas Valley of the Canton of Valais, Switzerland. The Mattmark dam was built from 1960 to 1965. The lake's surface area is .
The lake lies at a height of 2,197 metres above sea level, between the massif ...
,
lac de Salanfe
__NOTOC__
Lac de Salanfe is a lake in the municipality of Evionnaz, Valais, Switzerland. The reservoir is located at an elevation of 1925 m. Its surface area is .
It can be reached by 6.5 km-long footpath from Vernayaz.
The dam Salanfe was c ...
,
Lac de Moiry
__NOTOC__
Lac de Moiry is a reservoir in the municipality of Grimentz, Switzerland. Geography
The lake has a surface area of 1.40 km² and an elevation of 2,249 m. The maximum depth is 120 m.
The dam is 148 m high and was completed in 195 ...
and
Lac de Tseuzier
__NOTOC__
Lac de Tseuzier is an artificial lake in the canton of Valais, Switzerland. It is located in the municipalities of Ayent and Icogne. The reservoir has a volume of 51 mio m³ and a surface area of . It was formed by the dams of Zeuzier ...
(see
list of mountain lakes of Switzerland
This is a list of high-altitude lakes in Switzerland. It includes all significant lakes, natural or artificial, with an area over 4 hectares and a height over 800 metres above sea level. This height approximately corresponds to the transiti ...
for a more complete list). All these lakes are used for hydroelectricity production, but they are also popular for their scenic views over the Alps.
Due to the high mountains surrounding the plains of the Rhône, the climate of central Valais is particularly dry, much drier than in the rest of Switzerland. While locations at high elevations are highly exposed to rainfall and snowfall, average rainfall per year is only about 600 mm in Sion, corresponding to 50% of that of
Lucerne
Lucerne ( , ; High Alemannic German, High Alemannic: ''Lozärn'') or Luzern ()Other languages: gsw, Lozärn, label=Lucerne German; it, Lucerna ; rm, Lucerna . is a city in central Switzerland, in the Languages of Switzerland, German-speaking po ...
(south of the Alps). Officially, the driest location in Valais and Switzerland is
Stalden
Stalden () is a municipality in the district of Visp in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. It lies at the foot of the Mischabelhörner and Dom ().
History
Stalden is first mentioned in 1213 as ''Morgi''. In 1224 it was mentioned as ''Staldun ...
, with 545 mm of rainfall per year. Valais is often described as "semi-arid", although it is not in the climatic sense of the term. Therefore, in some areas, such as
Les Follatères
Fully () is a Municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in the district of Martigny (district), Martigny in the Cantons of Switzerland, canton of Valais in Switzerland.
History
Fully is first mentioned in the 11th Century as ''Fuliacum''.
Geog ...
, are found plants that are uncommon or absent in the rest of Switzerland, such as cactuses. On the lower south-facing slopes of the Bernese Alps, numerous vineyards are cultivated, between Fully and Leuk. Unlike in the rest of the country, irrigated agriculture is common in Valais.
The canton is renowned for its numerous towns and villages in the high Alps. In the Mattertal and adjoining Saastal are
Zermatt
Zermatt () is a municipality in the district of Visp in the German-speaking section of the canton of Valais in Switzerland. It has a year-round population of about 5,800 and is classified as a town by the Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO).
...
and
Saas Fee
Saas-Fee () is the main village in the Saastal, or the Saas Valley, and is a municipality in the district of Visp in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.
The village is situated on a high mountain plateau at 1,800 meters (5,900 feet), surrounded ...
. Other popular resorts are
Verbier
Verbier is a village located in south-western Switzerland in the canton of Valais. It is a holiday resort and ski area in the Swiss Alps and is recognised as one of the premier off-piste resorts in the world. Some areas are covered with snow all ...
,
Les Marécottes
Les Marécottes is a village in the Swiss Alps, located in the canton of Valais. The village is situated in the western part of the canton, in the Trient Valley, near Martigny, at a height of 1,110 metres. It belongs to the municipality of Salv ...
,
Champéry
Champéry (; frp, Champérié) is a municipality in the district of Monthey in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.
History
Champéry is first mentioned in 1286 as ''Champery''
The Hotel Dent-du-Midi opened in 1857. In 1969, Champéry becam ...
,
Grimentz
Grimentz is a village in the district of Sierre in the Swiss canton of Valais. An independent municipality before, it merged on 1 January 2009 with neighboring Ayer, Chandolin, Saint Jean, Saint-Luc and Vissoie to form the municipality of Annivi ...
,
Zinal
Zinal is a village in Switzerland, located in the municipality of Anniviers in the canton of Valais. It lies at an elevation of above sea level in the Swiss Alps in the ''Val de Zinal'', a valley running from the Zinal Glacier, north of Dent Blan ...
,
Anzère
Anzère is a small village in the canton of Valais, Switzerland, located in the municipality of Ayent and close to Sion
Sion may refer to
* an alternative transliteration of Zion
People
* Sion (name) or Siôn, a Welsh and other given name a ...
,
Crans-Montana
Crans-Montana is a municipality in the district of Sierre in the canton of Valais, Switzerland. On 1 January 2017 the former municipalities of Chermignon, Mollens, Montana and Randogne merged to form the new municipality of Crans-Montana.
Cr ...
,
Evolène
Evolène is a municipality in the district of Hérens in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.
It includes the villages of Evolène, Les Haudères, La Sage, Villa, La Forclaz, and Arolla, the hamlets of Lannaz and La Tour, and the hollow of Fe ...
,
Leukerbad
Leukerbad (french: Loèche-les-Bains, Walliser German: ''Leiggerbad'', although locally known as ''Baadu'') is a municipality in the district of Leuk in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.
History
The story of Leukerbad dates back to the 4th ...
and
Fiesch
Fiesch is a municipality in the district of Goms in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. Nearby Fiescheralp is administered by Fiesch and is accessible by the Eggishorn lift.
It has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site for its view of ...
. All of them are tourist destination in both summer and winter seasons.
The area of the canton is and only about half of the total area is considered productive. Valais shares borders with four other cantons: to the north are the cantons of
Vaud
Vaud ( ; french: (Canton de) Vaud, ; german: (Kanton) Waadt, or ), more formally the canton of Vaud, is one of the 26 cantons forming the Swiss Confederation. It is composed of ten districts and its capital city is Lausanne. Its coat of arms b ...
and
Bern
german: Berner(in)french: Bernois(e) it, bernese
, neighboring_municipalities = Bremgarten bei Bern, Frauenkappelen, Ittigen, Kirchlindach, Köniz, Mühleberg, Muri bei Bern, Neuenegg, Ostermundigen, Wohlen bei Bern, Zollikofen
, website ...
and to the east are the cantons of
Uri Uri may refer to:
Places
* Canton of Uri, a canton in Switzerland
* Úri, a village and commune in Hungary
* Uri, Iran, a village in East Azerbaijan Province
* Uri, Jammu and Kashmir, a town in India
* Uri (island), an island off Malakula Islan ...
and
Ticino
Ticino (), sometimes Tessin (), officially the Republic and Canton of Ticino or less formally the Canton of Ticino,, informally ''Canton Ticino'' ; lmo, Canton Tesin ; german: Kanton Tessin ; french: Canton du Tessin ; rm, Chantun dal Tessin . ...
. The canton shares international borders as well: to the south are the Italian regions of
Aosta Valley
, Valdostan or Valdotainian it, Valdostano (man) it, Valdostana (woman)french: Valdôtain (man)french: Valdôtaine (woman)
, population_note =
, population_blank1_title = Official languages
, population_blank1 = Italian French
...
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (ARA; ; frp, Ôvèrgne-Rôno-Ârpes; oc, Auvèrnhe Ròse Aups; it, Alvernia-Rodano-Alpi) is a region in southeast-central France created by the 2014 territorial reform of French regions; it resulted from the merger of Au ...
.
Political subdivisions
Districts
Valais is divided into 13 districts, with the district of Raron being further divided into two half-districts. The districts are listed here in geographical order:
Upper Valais:
*
Goms GOMS is a specialized human information processor model for human-computer interaction observation that describes a user's cognitive structure on four components. In the book ''The Psychology of Human Computer Interaction''. written in 1983 by Stua ...
with capital
Münster-Geschinen
Münster-Geschinen is a former Municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in the district of Goms (district), Goms in the Cantons of Switzerland, canton of Valais in Switzerland. It was formed in 2004, from the union of the municipalities of Müns ...
*
Östlich Raron
The district of Östlich Raron (fr. ''District de Rarogne oriental'') is an administrative district in the canton of Valais, Switzerland. The districts of Östlich Raron and Westlich Raron District, Westlich Raron share a single Community Identifi ...
(half-district) with capital
Mörel-Filet
Mörel-Filet is a Municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in the district of Östlich Raron in the Cantons of Switzerland, canton of Valais, Switzerland. It was formed on 1. January 2009 when Mörel, Switzerland, Mörel and Filet, Switzerland, ...
*
Brig
A brig is a type of sailing vessel defined by its rig: two masts which are both square rig, square-rigged. Brigs originated in the second half of the 18th century and were a common type of smaller merchant vessel or warship from then until the ...
with capital
Brig-Glis
Brig, officially Brig-Glis (french: Brigue-Glis; it, Briga-Glis), is a List of towns in Switzerland, historic town and Municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in the district of Brig (district), Brig in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. Th ...
*
Visp
Visp (french: Viège) is the capital of the district of Visp in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.
Geography
Visp lies in the Rhône valley, at the confluence of the Vispa and the Rhône, west of Brig-Glis.
Visp has an area, , of . Of ...
with capital
Visp
Visp (french: Viège) is the capital of the district of Visp in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.
Geography
Visp lies in the Rhône valley, at the confluence of the Vispa and the Rhône, west of Brig-Glis.
Visp has an area, , of . Of ...
Raron
Raron (french: Rarogne) is a municipality in the district of Raron in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.
History
Raron is first mentioned around 1101–1200 as ''Rarogni''. In 1146 it was mentioned as ''Rarun''.
A settlement on the Heidnisc ...
*
Leuk
Leuk (french: Loèche-Ville) is a municipality in the district of Leuk in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. On 1 January 2013, the former municipality of Erschmatt merged into the municipality of Leuk.Leuk
Leuk (french: Loèche-Ville) is a municipality in the district of Leuk in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. On 1 January 2013, the former municipality of Erschmatt merged into the municipality of Leuk.Sierre
Sierre (; german: Siders, ; frp, Siérro, ) is the capital municipality of the district of Sierre, located in the canton of Valais, Switzerland. It has a population of 16,332.
Sierre is nicknamed City of the Sun (french: Cité du Soleil) for i ...
with capital
Sierre
Sierre (; german: Siders, ; frp, Siérro, ) is the capital municipality of the district of Sierre, located in the canton of Valais, Switzerland. It has a population of 16,332.
Sierre is nicknamed City of the Sun (french: Cité du Soleil) for i ...
Sion
Sion may refer to
* an alternative transliteration of Zion
People
* Sion (name) or Siôn, a Welsh and other given name and surname, including a list of people and fictional characters with the name
* Shion or Sion, a Japanese given name
Pl ...
with capital
Sion
Sion may refer to
* an alternative transliteration of Zion
People
* Sion (name) or Siôn, a Welsh and other given name and surname, including a list of people and fictional characters with the name
* Shion or Sion, a Japanese given name
Pl ...
*
Conthey
Conthey is a municipality in the district of Conthey in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.
History
Conthey is first mentioned about 800 as ''curtis Contextis''. In 1146 it was mentioned as ''ecclesiam de Plano Contesio''.
Geography
Cont ...
with capital
Conthey
Conthey is a municipality in the district of Conthey in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.
History
Conthey is first mentioned about 800 as ''curtis Contextis''. In 1146 it was mentioned as ''ecclesiam de Plano Contesio''.
Geography
Cont ...
Sembrancher
Sembrancher () is a municipality in the district of Entremont in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.
History
Sembrancher is first mentioned in 1177 as ''Sancti Pancratii de Branchi''. Its German name ''St Branschier'' is no longer used.
Ge ...
*
Martigny
Martigny (; german: Martinach, ; la, Octodurum) is the capital city of the district of Martigny, canton of Valais, Switzerland. It lies at an elevation of , and its population is approximately 15000 inhabitants (''Martignerains'' or "Octodurie ...
with capital
Martigny
Martigny (; german: Martinach, ; la, Octodurum) is the capital city of the district of Martigny, canton of Valais, Switzerland. It lies at an elevation of , and its population is approximately 15000 inhabitants (''Martignerains'' or "Octodurie ...
Monthey
Monthey (; frp, Montê) is the capital of the district of Monthey in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.
History
The castle in the town center was built in 950 on a hill, the first houses of Monthey surrounded it. Monthey is first mention ...
with capital
Monthey
Monthey (; frp, Montê) is the capital of the district of Monthey in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.
History
The castle in the town center was built in 950 on a hill, the first houses of Monthey surrounded it. Monthey is first mention ...
The western part of Valais (Central and Lower Valais) is French-speaking, while the eastern part (Upper Valais) is German-speaking. The language border crosses the Rhône between the towns of
Sierre
Sierre (; german: Siders, ; frp, Siérro, ) is the capital municipality of the district of Sierre, located in the canton of Valais, Switzerland. It has a population of 16,332.
Sierre is nicknamed City of the Sun (french: Cité du Soleil) for i ...
and
Salgesch
Salgesch (French: ''Salquenen'') is a municipality in the district of Leuk in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.
History
Salgesch is first mentioned in the 11th Century as ''Salconio''. In 1225 it was mentioned as ''Salquenum''.
The transform ...
and follows the mountain ridge including
Bella Tola
The Bella Tola is a mountain of the Swiss Pennine Alps, overlooking Saint-Luc, Switzerland, Saint-Luc in the canton of Valais. With an elevation of 3,025 metres above sea level, it is the highest summit of the subrange north of the Meidpass (2,7 ...
,
Weisshorn
The Weisshorn (German, lit. ''white peak/mountain'') is a major peak of Switzerland and the Alps, culminating at above sea level. It is part of the Pennine Alps and is located between the valleys of Anniviers and Zermatt in the canton of Valai ...
, and
Dent Blanche
The Dent Blanche is a mountain in the Pennine Alps, lying in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. At -high, it is one of the highest peaks in the Alps.
Naming
The original name was probably ''Dent d'Hérens'', the current name of the nearby D ...
. At the 2000 census, 62.8% of the population of Valais spoke French or Arpitan, 28.4% spoke
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ger ...
or
Walser German
Walser German (german: Walserdeutsch) and Walliser German (, locally ) are a group of Highest Alemannic dialects spoken in parts of Switzerland (Valais, Ticino, Grisons), Italy (Piedmont, Aosta Valley), Liechtenstein (Triesenberg, Planken), an ...
, 2.2% spoke
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance language
*** Regional Ita ...
and 6.6% spoke other languages. Only 114 people reported speaking Romansh.
The canton is sparsely populated. Its population (as of ) is . , the population included 57,061 foreigners, or about 19.1% of the total population. The largest towns are the capital
Sion
Sion may refer to
* an alternative transliteration of Zion
People
* Sion (name) or Siôn, a Welsh and other given name and surname, including a list of people and fictional characters with the name
* Shion or Sion, a Japanese given name
Pl ...
(''Sitten''),
Monthey
Monthey (; frp, Montê) is the capital of the district of Monthey in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.
History
The castle in the town center was built in 950 on a hill, the first houses of Monthey surrounded it. Monthey is first mention ...
,
Sierre
Sierre (; german: Siders, ; frp, Siérro, ) is the capital municipality of the district of Sierre, located in the canton of Valais, Switzerland. It has a population of 16,332.
Sierre is nicknamed City of the Sun (french: Cité du Soleil) for i ...
,
Martigny
Martigny (; german: Martinach, ; la, Octodurum) is the capital city of the district of Martigny, canton of Valais, Switzerland. It lies at an elevation of , and its population is approximately 15000 inhabitants (''Martignerains'' or "Octodurie ...
and
Brig-Glis
Brig, officially Brig-Glis (french: Brigue-Glis; it, Briga-Glis), is a List of towns in Switzerland, historic town and Municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in the district of Brig (district), Brig in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. Th ...
. There is no major city located in the canton. As of 2017, 77% of total population was
Roman Catholic
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
, while only 6% were members of
Swiss Reformed Church
The Protestant Church in Switzerland (PCS), (EKS); french: Église évangélique réformée de Suisse (EERS); it, Chiesa evangelica riformata in Svizzera (CERiS); rm, Baselgia evangelica refurmada da la Svizra (BRRS) formerly named Federation o ...
.
Historical population
The historical population is given in the following table:
Politics
Federal election results
: FDP before 2009, FDP.The Liberals after 2009
: "*" indicates that the party was not on the ballot in this canton.
Williamine
Williamine is a brand of Poire Williams, an eau de vie produced with Williams pears, in Martigny, Canton of Valais, Switzerland.
The trademark ''Williamine'' belongs to the Distillerie Louis Morand & Cie SA.
Williamine's William pears originate ...
" and "Abricotine" are some of the main production of the canton. Agriculture is often irrigated, notably through small open-air wooden canals bringing the water from the glaciers above. These are called ''bisses'' in French and ''Suonen'' in German. They also constitute popular hiking routes because of their low declivity. Vineyards are grown on terraces, typically on the south-facing slopes overlooking the Rhône Valley, where they have become an integral part of the landscape. The
wine
Wine is an alcoholic drink typically made from fermented grapes. Yeast consumes the sugar in the grapes and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Different varieties of grapes and strains of yeasts are m ...
industry of the canton is the largest in Switzerland. There are also a large number
orchard
An orchard is an intentional plantation of trees or shrubs that is maintained for food production. Orchards comprise fruit- or nut-producing trees which are generally grown for commercial production. Orchards are also sometimes a feature of larg ...
s in the area, among which apricot trees. The apricot has become the emblematic fruit of the canton. In
Mund
Mund is a former municipality in the district of Brig in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. On 1 January 2013 the former municipalities of Mund and Birgisch merged into the municipality of Naters.saffron
Saffron () is a spice derived from the flower of ''Crocus sativus'', commonly known as the "saffron crocus". The vivid crimson stigma and styles, called threads, are collected and dried for use mainly as a seasoning and colouring agent i ...
is also gathered.
Agriculture in Valais also consists of
cattle
Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, cloven-hooved, herbivores. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus ''Bos''. Adult females are referred to as cows and adult mal ...
breeding in the mountains and
dairy farming
Dairy farming is a class of agriculture for long-term production of milk, which is processed (either on the farm or at a dairy plant, either of which may be called a dairy
A dairy is a business enterprise established for the harvesting or ...
in the plains. The canton is notable for its cheese and dried meat production. The Hérens cattle are also used in organised cow fights.
Secondary sector
Europe's tallest
gravity dam
A gravity dam is a dam constructed from concrete or stone masonry and designed to hold back water by using only the weight of the material and its resistance against the foundation to oppose the horizontal pressure of water pushing against it. ...
is located at
Grande Dixence
__NOTOC__
The Grande Dixence Dam is a concrete gravity dam on the Dixence at the head of the Val d'Hérémence in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. At high, it is the tallest gravity dam in the world, sixth tallest dam overall, and the tall ...
in the canton, closely followed by the
Mauvoisin Dam
Mauvoisin Dam is a concrete variable radius arch dam across the Val de Bagnes on the Dranse de Bagnes stream, in the canton of Valais, Switzerland. Initial construction on the dam commenced in 1951 and was completed in 1957, with the reservoir fil ...
.
Hydroelectric
Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies one sixth of the world's electricity, almost 4500 TWh in 2020, which is more than all other renewable sources combined and ...
power plants from the canton produce about a quarter of Swiss electricity.
The west part and the most industrial region of the canton is called
Chablais
Chablais () was a province of the Duchy of Savoy. Its capital was Thonon-les-Bains.
Chablais was elevated to a duchy in 1311 by Henry VII, Holy Roman Emperor.
This region is currently divided into three territories, the ''Chablais savoyard'', the ...
. The area is very important for the economy. The lands from Lake Geneva to the town of St-Maurice are located in the Chablais. There are a lot of factories, the most important are the subsidiaries of
Novartis
Novartis AG is a Swiss-American multinational pharmaceutical corporation based in Basel, Switzerland and
Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States (global research).name="novartis.com">https://www.novartis.com/research-development/research-loc ...
and
Syngenta
Syngenta AG is a provider of agricultural science and technology, in particular seeds and pesticides with its management headquarters in Basel, Switzerland. It is owned by ChemChina, a Chinese state-owned enterprise.
Syngenta was founded in 2 ...
, in
Monthey
Monthey (; frp, Montê) is the capital of the district of Monthey in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.
History
The castle in the town center was built in 950 on a hill, the first houses of Monthey surrounded it. Monthey is first mention ...
. In the town of
Collombey-Muraz
Collombey-Muraz is a Municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in the district of Monthey (district), Monthey in the Cantons of Switzerland, canton of Valais in Switzerland. There was an oil refinery in the town.
History
Collombey is first men ...
, there is an
oil refinery
An oil refinery or petroleum refinery is an industrial process plant where petroleum (crude oil) is transformed and refined into useful products such as gasoline (petrol), diesel fuel, asphalt base, fuel oils, heating oil, kerosene, lique ...
.
The
Lonza Group
Lonza Group is a Swiss multinational manufacturing company for the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and nutrition sectors, headquartered in Basel, with major facilities in Europe, North America and South Asia. Lonza was established under that name in ...
has large factories in Visp. Near
Visp
Visp (french: Viège) is the capital of the district of Visp in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.
Geography
Visp lies in the Rhône valley, at the confluence of the Vispa and the Rhône, west of Brig-Glis.
Visp has an area, , of . Of ...
there is a large
aluminium
Aluminium (aluminum in American and Canadian English) is a chemical element with the symbol Al and atomic number 13. Aluminium has a density lower than those of other common metals, at approximately one third that of steel. I ...
processing plant. Other metal products and chemicals are produced around Visp and
Sierre
Sierre (; german: Siders, ; frp, Siérro, ) is the capital municipality of the district of Sierre, located in the canton of Valais, Switzerland. It has a population of 16,332.
Sierre is nicknamed City of the Sun (french: Cité du Soleil) for i ...
, including
Swiss Diamond International
Swiss Diamond International is a Swiss based cookware company. It is a privately held company, headquartered in Sierre, Switzerland and founded in 2001.
The company was founded to oversee production of cookware with the coating after it was a ...
aluminum cookware.
Tertiary sector
Valais has a long touristic tradition. Hoteliers were at the base of the development of Valais Tourism. Many of them, such as
César Ritz
César Ritz (23 February 1850 – 24 October 1918) was a Swiss hotelier and founder of several hotels, most famously the Hôtel Ritz in Paris and the Ritz and Carlton Hotels in London (the forerunners of the modern Ritz-Carlton Hotel Compan ...
, spent time and money to satisfy a clientele from around the world. The canton is nowadays a year-round destination, renowned for its wild landscapes and numerous tourist facilities. In winter, skiing and other snow-related sports are the most popular activities. In summer, hiking and trekking are particularly popular. Climbing and mountaineering can be practised year-round, with the highest mountains of western Europe surrounding Valais. Many of the huts owned by the
Swiss Alpine Club
The Swiss Alpine Club (german: Schweizer Alpen-Club, french: Club Alpin Suisse, it, Club Alpino Svizzero, rm, Club Alpin Svizzer) is the largest mountaineering club in Switzerland. It was founded in 1863 in Olten and it is now composed of 111 s ...
are located in the canton.
Valais counts more than 120 winter and summer destinations, including:
*
Goms (district)
Goms (french: District de Conches) is a district of the canton of Valais in Switzerland. It covers a larger area than its geographical counterpart, the geographical region of Goms, namely the upper most part of the Rhône valley between its source ...
:
Fiesch
Fiesch is a municipality in the district of Goms in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. Nearby Fiescheralp is administered by Fiesch and is accessible by the Eggishorn lift.
It has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site for its view of ...
-
Eggishorn
The Eggishorn is a mountain in the southeastern part of the Bernese Alps, located north of Fiesch in the Swiss canton of Valais. A cable car station is located on a secondary summit named ''Fiescherhorli'' (2,893 m), 500 metres south of the main ...
,
Bellwald
Bellwald is a municipality in the district of Goms in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.
History
Bellwald was first used to refer to the nearby mountain 1273 ''Beliwalt'' and 1293 ''Belwalt''. The name then came to mean the main village bel ...
,
Binn
Binn (Walser German: ''Bìi'') is a municipality in the district of Goms in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.
The Binn Valley is known for its rich mineral deposits, some types of which are unique to the area. The notable Lengenbach Quar ...
,
Ernen
Ernen is a municipality in the district of Goms in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. In 2005 Ernen incorporated the formerly independent municipalities of Ausserbinn, Mühlebach, and Steinhaus.
In 1979, Ernen was awarded the Wakker Prize for ...
, Obergoms,
Oberwald
Oberwald is a village in the municipality of Obergoms in Goms District in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.
It is situated at an elevation of 1,377 m and had a population of 277 in December 2007. It is located at the end of the Goms, directly ...
*
Aletsch
The Aletsch Glacier (german: Aletschgletscher, ) or Great Aletsch Glacier () is the largest glacier in the Alps. It has a length of about (2014), has about a volume of (2011), and covers about (2011) in the eastern Bernese Alps in the Swiss can ...
(UNESCO World Heritage):
Bettmeralp
Bettmeralp is a municipality in the district of Raron in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. On 1 January 2014 the former municipalities of Betten and Martisberg merged into the municipality of Bettmeralp.Riederalp
Riederalp () is a municipality in the district of Raron in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. It was created in 2003 through the merger of Goppisberg, Greich and Ried-Mörel.Brig-Glis
Brig, officially Brig-Glis (french: Brigue-Glis; it, Briga-Glis), is a List of towns in Switzerland, historic town and Municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in the district of Brig (district), Brig in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. Th ...
Belalp
Belalp is a village and ski resort in the Swiss canton of Valais, situated at approximately above sea level in the municipality of Naters. Because of its altitude, Belalp is a vantage point offering views of the Dom and Fletschhorn mountains a ...
,
Mund
Mund is a former municipality in the district of Brig in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. On 1 January 2013 the former municipalities of Mund and Birgisch merged into the municipality of Naters.Termen
Termen is a municipality in the district of Brig in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.
History
Termen is first mentioned in 1201 as ''Terman''.
Geography
Termen has an area, , of . Of this area, 42.2% is used for agricultural purposes, wh ...
,
Birgisch
Birgisch is a former municipality in the district of Brig in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. On 1 January 2013 the former municipalities of Birgisch and Mund merged into the municipality of Naters.Visp
Visp (french: Viège) is the capital of the district of Visp in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.
Geography
Visp lies in the Rhône valley, at the confluence of the Vispa and the Rhône, west of Brig-Glis.
Visp has an area, , of . Of ...
and surrounding area:
Visperterminen
Visperterminen (Walser German: ''Tärbinu'') is a municipality in the district of Visp in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.
History
Visperterminen is first mentioned in the 11th Century as ''Termenum''. In 1221 it was mentioned as ''Terminum ...
,
Bürchen
Bürchen (Walliser German: ''Birchu'') is a municipality in the district of Raron in the German-speaking part of the canton of Valais in Switzerland.
History
Bürchen is first mentioned in 1307 as ''ze Birke''. In 1363 it was mentioned as ''Birk ...
,
Eischoll
Eischoll is a municipality in the district of Raron in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.
History
Eischoll is first mentioned in 1250 as ''Oiselz''. In 1336 it was mentioned as ''Oysol'' and in 1418 as ''Eysoll''.
Geography
Eischoll has an a ...
,
Stalden
Stalden () is a municipality in the district of Visp in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. It lies at the foot of the Mischabelhörner and Dom ().
History
Stalden is first mentioned in 1213 as ''Morgi''. In 1224 it was mentioned as ''Staldun ...
,
Törbel
Törbel is a municipality in the district of Visp in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. The highest point is the peak of the Augstbordhorns at .
History
Törbel is first mentioned in 1034 as ''Dorbia''.
Geography
Törbel has an area, , of . ...
,
Unterbäch
Unterbäch is a municipality in the district of Raron in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.
History
Unterbäch is first mentioned about 1280 as ''Underbechque''.
On 18 August 1957, Unterbäch was the first community in Switzerland to establis ...
*
Zermatt
Zermatt () is a municipality in the district of Visp in the German-speaking section of the canton of Valais in Switzerland. It has a year-round population of about 5,800 and is classified as a town by the Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO).
...
with
Matterhorn
The (, ; it, Cervino, ; french: Cervin, ; rm, Matterhorn) is a mountain of the Alps, straddling the main watershed and border between Switzerland and Italy. It is a large, near-symmetric pyramidal peak in the extended Monte Rosa area of the ...
and the largest summer ski area of Switzerland, on the southern slopes of
Breithorn
The Breithorn (German for literally "broad horn"; 13,661 ft. or 4,164 m) is a mountain range of the Pennine Alps with its highest peak of the same name (but also called ''Breithorn (Western Summit)''), located on the border between Switzerland a ...
reachable from the cable car station of the
Klein Matterhorn
The Klein Matterhorn (sometimes translated as ''Little Matterhorn'') is a peak of the Pennine Alps, overlooking Zermatt in the Swiss canton of Valais. At above sea level, it is the highest place in Europe that can be reached by aerial tramway or ...
*
Saas Valley
The Saastal or the Saas Valley is an alpine valley in the district of Visp, in the eastern part of the Canton of Valais, Switzerland. It is the valley of the river Saaser Vispa. It is separated from the Mattertal to the west by the Mischabel ...
:
Saas-Fee
Saas-Fee () is the main village in the Saastal, or the Saas Valley, and is a municipality in the district of Visp in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.
The village is situated on a high mountain plateau at 1,800 meters (5,900 feet), surrounded ...
,
Saas-Almagell
Saas-Almagell is a municipality in the district of Visp in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.
History
Saas-Almagell is first mentioned in 1291 as ''Armenzello''. In 1307 it was mentioned as ''Almenkel''.
The settlement, at the upper end of ...
,
Saas-Grund
Saas-Grund is a municipality in the district of Visp in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. It lies east of Lenzspitze and Dom.
History
Saas-Grund is first mentioned in 1438 as ''grunderro''.
Geography
Saas-Grund has an area, , of . Of thi ...
with
Fee Glacier
The Fee Glacier (german: Feegletscher) is a long glacier (2005) situated in the Pennine Alps in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. In 1973, it had a length of and an area of . It lies east of the Mischabel range, between the summit of Dom o ...
, the second largest summer ski area in Switzerland
*
Leukerbad
Leukerbad (french: Loèche-les-Bains, Walliser German: ''Leiggerbad'', although locally known as ''Baadu'') is a municipality in the district of Leuk in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.
History
The story of Leukerbad dates back to the 4th ...
*
Sierre
Sierre (; german: Siders, ; frp, Siérro, ) is the capital municipality of the district of Sierre, located in the canton of Valais, Switzerland. It has a population of 16,332.
Sierre is nicknamed City of the Sun (french: Cité du Soleil) for i ...
,
Salquenen
Salgesch (French: ''Salquenen'') is a municipality in the district of Leuk in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.
History
Salgesch is first mentioned in the 11th Century as ''Salconio''. In 1225 it was mentioned as ''Salquenum''.
The transfor ...
and
Anniviers
Anniviers is a municipality in the district of Sierre in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. It was formed through the merger of six municipalities in Val d'Anniviers: Ayer, Chandolin, Grimentz, Saint-Jean, Saint-Luc and Vissoie. The merger be ...
,
Chandolin
Chandolin is a village in the district of Sierre in the Swiss canton of Valais. An independent municipality before, it merged on 1 January 2009 with neighboring Ayer, Grimentz, Saint Jean, Saint-Luc and Vissoie to form the municipality of Anniv ...
Grimentz
Grimentz is a village in the district of Sierre in the Swiss canton of Valais. An independent municipality before, it merged on 1 January 2009 with neighboring Ayer, Chandolin, Saint Jean, Saint-Luc and Vissoie to form the municipality of Annivi ...
,
Vercorin
Vercorin is a village in the Swiss Alps, located in the canton of Valais. The village is situated in the central part of the canton near Sierre, at a height of , on a plateau overlooking the Rhone valley. It belongs to the municipality of Chalai ...
,
Zinal
Zinal is a village in Switzerland, located in the municipality of Anniviers in the canton of Valais. It lies at an elevation of above sea level in the Swiss Alps in the ''Val de Zinal'', a valley running from the Zinal Glacier, north of Dent Blan ...
*
Crans-Montana
Crans-Montana is a municipality in the district of Sierre in the canton of Valais, Switzerland. On 1 January 2017 the former municipalities of Chermignon, Mollens, Montana and Randogne merged to form the new municipality of Crans-Montana.
Cr ...
*
Sion
Sion may refer to
* an alternative transliteration of Zion
People
* Sion (name) or Siôn, a Welsh and other given name and surname, including a list of people and fictional characters with the name
* Shion or Sion, a Japanese given name
Pl ...
and surrounding area:
Anzère
Anzère is a small village in the canton of Valais, Switzerland, located in the municipality of Ayent and close to Sion
Sion may refer to
* an alternative transliteration of Zion
People
* Sion (name) or Siôn, a Welsh and other given name a ...
,
Val d'Hérens
Val d'Hérens is an alpine valley in the Valais canton of Switzerland. It was formed by the Hérens glacier, which retreated at the end of the last ice age. It is now the valley of the ''Borgne'' river, a tributary of the Rhone (confluence abov ...
,
Arolla
Arolla is a village in the municipality of Evolène in the Swiss canton of Valais. It is situated at the end of the Val d'Hérens, south of the cantonal capital, Sion.
Geography
Arolla is situated at 1998 m above sea level, at the foot o ...
Evolène
Evolène is a municipality in the district of Hérens in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.
It includes the villages of Evolène, Les Haudères, La Sage, Villa, La Forclaz, and Arolla, the hamlets of Lannaz and La Tour, and the hollow of Fe ...
,
Hérémence
Hérémence is a municipality in the district of Hérens in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.
History
Hérémence is first mentioned in 1195 as ''Aremens''.
Geography
Hérémence has an area, , of . Of this area, 18.0% is used for agric ...
,
Mase
Mason Durell Betha (born August 27, 1975), better known by his mononym Mase (formerly Murda Mase and stylized as Ma$e), is an American rapper and minister. In the late 1990s, he recorded on the Bad Boy Records label alongside its founder Sean ...
Nendaz
Nendaz is a municipality in the district of Conthey in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.
History
Nendaz is first mentioned in 984 as ''Nenda''. It was also known under its German name ''Neind'' though that name is no longer used.
Geograph ...
,
Verbier
Verbier is a village located in south-western Switzerland in the canton of Valais. It is a holiday resort and ski area in the Swiss Alps and is recognised as one of the premier off-piste resorts in the world. Some areas are covered with snow all ...
,
Veysonnaz
Veysonnaz is a municipality in the district of Sion in the Swiss canton of Valais.
Geography
Veysonnaz has an area, , of . Of this area, or 29.1% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 44.5% is forested. Of the rest of the land, or 26 ...
Chablais
Chablais () was a province of the Duchy of Savoy. Its capital was Thonon-les-Bains.
Chablais was elevated to a duchy in 1311 by Henry VII, Holy Roman Emperor.
This region is currently divided into three territories, the ''Chablais savoyard'', the ...
and
Portes du Soleil
Les Portes du Soleil (literally "The Doors of the Sun") is a major skisports destination in the Alps, encompassing thirteen resorts between Mont Blanc in France and Lake Geneva in Switzerland. With more than 650 km of marked pistes (claimed ...
,
Champéry
Champéry (; frp, Champérié) is a municipality in the district of Monthey in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.
History
Champéry is first mentioned in 1286 as ''Champery''
The Hotel Dent-du-Midi opened in 1857. In 1969, Champéry becam ...
,
Champoussin
Champoussin is a village in the Swiss Alps, located in the canton of Valais. The village is situated in the western part of the canton, near Champéry, in the municipality of Val-d'Illiez.
Champoussin lies at a height of 1,597 metres above sea le ...
,
Morgins
Morgins is a village in the municipality of Troistorrents in the district of Monthey in the canton of Valais in southern Switzerland.
It is noted for skiing and is part of the Portes du Soleil ski resort. It is located at 1333 m in the Val de Mo ...
,
Les Crosets
Les Crosets is a village and ski resort in the Canton of Valais, Switzerland. It is part of the Val-d'Illiez municipality, and Portes du Soleil ski area.
Location and access
At , Les Crosets is the highest altitude of any resort of the Swiss ...
,
Torgon
Torgon is a village in the Swiss Alps, located in the canton of Valais. It lies in the western part of the canton, in the region of the Chablais, at an altitude of 1,085 metres. The village sits on a sunny terrace overlooking the Rhone valley, ab ...
,
Val-d'Illiez
Val-d'Illiez is a municipality in the district of Monthey in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.
Geography
Val-d'Illiez has an area, , of . Of this area, or 38.3% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 36.7% is forested. Of the res ...
,
Le Bouveret
Le Bouveret () is a village in the commune of Port-Valais in the Swiss canton of Valais. Situated at the southernmost end of Lake Geneva and close to the French border, Le Bouveret is very much tourism-oriented with several amusement attractions ...
Monthey
Monthey (; frp, Montê) is the capital of the district of Monthey in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.
History
The castle in the town center was built in 950 on a hill, the first houses of Monthey surrounded it. Monthey is first mention ...
,
Evionnaz
Evionnaz is a municipality in the district of Saint-Maurice in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.
History
Evionnaz is first mentioned in 1263 as ''Eviona''. It became an independent municipality in 1822, when it separated from Saint-Maurice ...
,
St. Gingolph Saint-Gingolph is a small town situated on the south bank of Lake Geneva (Lac Léman). It sits at the France–Switzerland border and is administratively divided into Saint-Gingolph, Valais (Switzerland) and Saint-Gingolph, Haute-Savoie (France). I ...
* St. Bernard Region:
Les Marécottes
Les Marécottes is a village in the Swiss Alps, located in the canton of Valais. The village is situated in the western part of the canton, in the Trient Valley, near Martigny, at a height of 1,110 metres. It belongs to the municipality of Salv ...
, Bruson,
La Fouly
La Fouly is a village in Val Ferret in the Swiss canton of Valais. At an altitude of 1,600 metres, it is part of the municipality of Orsières (900 m). It sits at the foot of Mont Dolent (3,823 m) and the Tour Noir (3,836m) in the Mont Blanc ma ...
, Champex, Vichères-Liddes
The
Matterhorn
The (, ; it, Cervino, ; french: Cervin, ; rm, Matterhorn) is a mountain of the Alps, straddling the main watershed and border between Switzerland and Italy. It is a large, near-symmetric pyramidal peak in the extended Monte Rosa area of the ...
near
Zermatt
Zermatt () is a municipality in the district of Visp in the German-speaking section of the canton of Valais in Switzerland. It has a year-round population of about 5,800 and is classified as a town by the Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO).
...
is one of the biggest tourist attractions in the Swiss mountains, as is its sister valley immediately east
Saas Fee
Saas-Fee () is the main village in the Saastal, or the Saas Valley, and is a municipality in the district of Visp in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.
The village is situated on a high mountain plateau at 1,800 meters (5,900 feet), surrounded ...
. Other parts of the mountains of the canton further west are popular as well, such as the more French-speaking resorts near
Verbier
Verbier is a village located in south-western Switzerland in the canton of Valais. It is a holiday resort and ski area in the Swiss Alps and is recognised as one of the premier off-piste resorts in the world. Some areas are covered with snow all ...
Arolla
Arolla is a village in the municipality of Evolène in the Swiss canton of Valais. It is situated at the end of the Val d'Hérens, south of the cantonal capital, Sion.
Geography
Arolla is situated at 1998 m above sea level, at the foot o ...
region. The resorts on the north side of the main Rhône valley are popular, looking out southwards towards the Peninne Alps and still part of the southern slope of the Bernese Alps, such as the family-oriented resort of
Crans-Montana
Crans-Montana is a municipality in the district of Sierre in the canton of Valais, Switzerland. On 1 January 2017 the former municipalities of Chermignon, Mollens, Montana and Randogne merged to form the new municipality of Crans-Montana.
Cr ...
. The resorts in the
Goms (district)
Goms (french: District de Conches) is a district of the canton of Valais in Switzerland. It covers a larger area than its geographical counterpart, the geographical region of Goms, namely the upper most part of the Rhône valley between its source ...
are slightly less known, yet also receive attention during the summer hiking season and the winter
ski
A ski is a narrow strip of semi-rigid material worn underfoot to glide over snow. Substantially longer than wide and characteristically employed in pairs, skis are attached to ski boots with ski bindings, with either a free, lockable, or partial ...
season.
Transport
The only natural low-elevation access to Valais is via the banks of
Lake Geneva
, image = Lake Geneva by Sentinel-2.jpg
, caption = Satellite image
, image_bathymetry =
, caption_bathymetry =
, location = Switzerland, France
, coords =
, lake_type = Glacial lak ...
, which have several railways and highways leading towards
Martigny
Martigny (; german: Martinach, ; la, Octodurum) is the capital city of the district of Martigny, canton of Valais, Switzerland. It lies at an elevation of , and its population is approximately 15000 inhabitants (''Martignerains'' or "Octodurie ...
,
Sion
Sion may refer to
* an alternative transliteration of Zion
People
* Sion (name) or Siôn, a Welsh and other given name and surname, including a list of people and fictional characters with the name
* Shion or Sion, a Japanese given name
Pl ...
, and the rest of the canton. The major axis is on the north side of the lake and passes via
Vevey
Vevey (; frp, Vevê; german: label=former German, Vivis) is a town in Switzerland in the canton of Vaud, on the north shore of Lake Geneva, near Lausanne. The German name Vivis is no longer commonly used.
It was the seat of the district of ...
in the canton of
Vaud
Vaud ( ; french: (Canton de) Vaud, ; german: (Kanton) Waadt, or ), more formally the canton of Vaud, is one of the 26 cantons forming the Swiss Confederation. It is composed of ten districts and its capital city is Lausanne. Its coat of arms b ...
Simplon Railway
The Simplon Railway is a line that links Lausanne in Switzerland and Domodossola in Italy, via Brig. The -long Simplon Tunnel (opened in 1906) is a major part of it. The line between Lausanne and Vallorbe is sometimes considered to form part of th ...
, ultimately leading to Italy via the
Simplon Pass
The Simplon Pass (french: Col du Simplon; german: Simplonpass; it, Passo del Sempione, Lombard: ''Pass del Sempiün'') () is a high mountain pass between the Pennine Alps and the Lepontine Alps in Switzerland. It connects Brig in the canton of ...
and
Simplon Tunnel
, it, Galleria del Sempione
, line = Simplon line, (Lötschberg railway line)
, location = Traversing the Lepontine Alps between Switzerland and Italy
, coordinates = –
, system = Swiss Federal Railways (SBB CFF FF ...
respectively. On the south side of Lake Geneva, from the French border, is only a highway and the historical Tonkin Railway, now operating in Valais only.
The canton is surrounded by high mountains, but some major mountain passes connect it with the rest of Europe. The main road passes are those of the
Grimsel
The Grimsel Pass (german: Grimselpass; french: Col du Grimsel; it, Passo del Grimsel) is a mountain pass in Switzerland, crossing the Bernese Alps at an elevation of . The pass connects the Haslital, the upper valley of the river Aare, with the ...
(towards the canton of
Bern
german: Berner(in)french: Bernois(e) it, bernese
, neighboring_municipalities = Bremgarten bei Bern, Frauenkappelen, Ittigen, Kirchlindach, Köniz, Mühleberg, Muri bei Bern, Neuenegg, Ostermundigen, Wohlen bei Bern, Zollikofen
, website ...
and the
Swiss Plateau
The Swiss Plateau or Central Plateau (german: Schweizer Mittelland; french: plateau suisse; it, altopiano svizzero) is one of the three major landscapes in Switzerland, lying between the Jura Mountains and the Swiss Alps. It covers about 30% of ...
Nufenen
Nufenen (Italian: ''Novena'', Romansh: ''Nueinas'') is a former municipality in the Viamala Region in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. On 1 January 2019 the former municipalities of Hinterrhein, Nufenen and Splügen merged to form the new muni ...
Morgins
Morgins is a village in the municipality of Troistorrents in the district of Monthey in the canton of Valais in southern Switzerland.
It is noted for skiing and is part of the Portes du Soleil ski resort. It is located at 1333 m in the Val de Mo ...
(France). Also notable are the historical and pedestrian passes of the Sanetsch, Rawil,
Gemmi
Gemmi Pass is a high mountain pass across the Bernese Alps connecting Leukerbad (on the south) in the canton of Valais with Kandersteg (on the north) in the canton of Bern. The pass itself lies within the canton of Valais, at a height of above se ...
, and the
Lötschberg
The Lötschberg is an Alpine mountain massif and usually associated with a major, historically important transit axis of the Alps in Switzerland with, at its core, the Lötschen Pass (german: Lötschenpass, Swiss German: ''Lötschepass''). The m ...
, connecting Valais with the Swiss Plateau, through the
Bernese Oberland
The Bernese Oberland ( en, Bernese Highlands, german: Berner Oberland; gsw, Bärner Oberland; french: Oberland bernois), the highest and southernmost part of the canton of Bern, is one of the canton's five administrative regions (in which context ...
.
The Lötschberg, together with the Simplon, is one of the main north-south axes of Switzerland. The historical
Lötschberg Railway
The Lötschberg is an Alpine mountain massif and usually associated with a major, historically important transit axis of the Alps in Switzerland with, at its core, the Lötschen Pass (german: Lötschenpass, Swiss German: ''Lötschepass''). The mou ...
opened in 1913. It connects directly
Brig
A brig is a type of sailing vessel defined by its rig: two masts which are both square rig, square-rigged. Brigs originated in the second half of the 18th century and were a common type of smaller merchant vessel or warship from then until the ...
to the Swiss Plateau across the
Bernese Alps
, topo_map= Swiss Federal Office of Topography swisstopo
, photo=BerneseAlps.jpg
, photo_caption=The Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau
, country= Switzerland
, subdivision1_type=Cantons
, subdivision1=
, parent= Western Alps
, borders_on=
, l ...
, via
Spiez
Spiez is a town and municipality on the shore of Lake Thun in the Bernese Oberland region of the Swiss canton of Bern. It is part of the Frutigen-Niedersimmental administrative district. Besides the town of Spiez, the municipality also includes ...
in the canton of Bern, through the high-elevation
Lötschberg Tunnel
, line = Lötschberg Line
, location = Circumventing the Lötschen Pass in the Bernese Alps in Switzerland(Canton of Bern, canton of Valais)
, coordinates = –
, system = BLS, SBB CFF FFS
, status =
, st ...
. In 2007, the importance of that axis was further increased with the opening of the low-elevation
Lötschberg Base Tunnel
, line = Lötschberg Line
, location = Traversing the Bernese Alps in Switzerland
, coordinates = –
, system = BLS, SBB CFF FFS
, status =
, start = Frutigen, canton of Bern,
, end = Raro ...
, the first high-speed railway connecting Valais to Bern, following essentially the same route, but at the level of the plains. The Lötschberg Base Tunnel was the longest land tunnel in the world when opened, and seen as a revolution, finally opening up Valais to northern Switzerland. The summit railway, through the historical tunnel, is still used for regional traffic and car transportation across the Lötschberg. The old train line is popular for its highly scenic sections in both cantons on either side of the old tunnel.
Another railway axis connects Valais with central and eastern Switzerland. This is a metre-gauge railway owned by the
Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn
The Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn is a narrow gauge railway line and a railway company (Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn AG, MGB) in Switzerland. The track width is . It was created in 2003 through an amalgamation of Furka Oberalp Bahn (FO) and BVZ Zermatt- ...
, which ultimately leads to
Disentis
Disentis (German) or Mustér (, Romansh), with its official name Disentis/Mustér is a village and a municipality in the Surselva Region in the Swiss canton of Graubünden.
The skiing and summer tourism resort high up in the Rhine valley is th ...
Zermatt
Zermatt () is a municipality in the district of Visp in the German-speaking section of the canton of Valais in Switzerland. It has a year-round population of about 5,800 and is classified as a town by the Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO).
...
via
Visp
Visp (french: Viège) is the capital of the district of Visp in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.
Geography
Visp lies in the Rhône valley, at the confluence of the Vispa and the Rhône, west of Brig-Glis.
Visp has an area, , of . Of ...
and
Brig
A brig is a type of sailing vessel defined by its rig: two masts which are both square rig, square-rigged. Brigs originated in the second half of the 18th century and were a common type of smaller merchant vessel or warship from then until the ...
. The main railway goes through the
Furka Base Tunnel
The Furka Base Tunnel is a Swiss railway base tunnel on the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn's Furka–Oberalp line, an east-west railway connecting the cantons of Valais and Uri. Its west portal lies east of Oberwald (VS), at above sea level and its ...
in the extreme east of the canton, with the older
Furka Summit Tunnel
The Furka Summit Tunnel (german: Furka-Scheiteltunnel) is a long railway tunnel in southern Switzerland. It lies at an altitude of . The summit tunnel was completed in 1925, and first opened on 3 July 1926. It links the Furka railway station, in ...
being popular for its highly scenic sections as well. The
Glacier Express
The Glacier Express (GEX) is a direct train connecting railway stations of the two major mountain resorts of Zermatt and St. Moritz via Andermatt in the central Swiss Alps. The train is not an "express" in the sense of being a high-speed train ...
connects directly
Zermatt
Zermatt () is a municipality in the district of Visp in the German-speaking section of the canton of Valais in Switzerland. It has a year-round population of about 5,800 and is classified as a town by the Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO).
...
with St. Moritz, using both Mattherhorn Gotthard Bahn and
Rhaetian Railway
The Rhaetian Railway (german: Rhätische Bahn; it, Ferrovia retica; rm, Viafier retica), abbreviated RhB, is a Swiss transport company that owns the largest network of all private railway operators in Switzerland. Headquartered in Chur, the RhB ...
network.
The canton comprehends a very extensive road network, with elevations ranging from that of Lake Geneva at
Le Bouveret
Le Bouveret () is a village in the commune of Port-Valais in the Swiss canton of Valais. Situated at the southernmost end of Lake Geneva and close to the French border, Le Bouveret is very much tourism-oriented with several amusement attractions ...
to that of the
Nufenen Pass
Nufenen Pass (Italian: ''Passo della Novena'', German: ''Nufenenpass'') (el. 2478 m.) is the highest mountain pass with a paved road within Switzerland. It lies between the summits of Pizzo Gallina (north) and the Nufenenstock (south).
The pass r ...
, the highest paved road in Valais. The A9, the only motorway, serves the valley up to
Sierre
Sierre (; german: Siders, ; frp, Siérro, ) is the capital municipality of the district of Sierre, located in the canton of Valais, Switzerland. It has a population of 16,332.
Sierre is nicknamed City of the Sun (french: Cité du Soleil) for i ...
, the extension towards
Brig
A brig is a type of sailing vessel defined by its rig: two masts which are both square rig, square-rigged. Brigs originated in the second half of the 18th century and were a common type of smaller merchant vessel or warship from then until the ...
being currently built. All inhabited side valleys are accessible to motorized transport since the 1960s; the high-elevation reservoirs built during those years, notably the
Grande Dixence
__NOTOC__
The Grande Dixence Dam is a concrete gravity dam on the Dixence at the head of the Val d'Hérémence in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. At high, it is the tallest gravity dam in the world, sixth tallest dam overall, and the tall ...
, necessitating paved roads as well. As in most other cantons, localities are essentially served by
PostBus Switzerland
PostAuto Switzerland, PostBus Ltd. (known as in Swiss Standard German (), in Swiss French (), in Swiss Italian (), and in Romansh () is a subsidiary company of the Swiss Post, which provides regional and rural bus services throughout Swit ...
, which also operates numerous tourist lines on the Alpine passes and to the high-elevation lakes. Martigny, Sion, Sierre and Brig are hubs of public transportation. The winding mountain roads of Valais are very popular with drivers, bikers, and cyclists for their spectacular scenery and are the highlights of competitions such as
Tour de Suisse
The Tour de Suisse ( en, Tour of Switzerland) is an annual road cycling stage race. Raced over eight days, the event covers two weekends in June, and along with the Critérium du Dauphiné, it is considered a proving ground for the Tour de France ...
and the
Rallye International du Valais The Rallye International du Valais is a yearly rally in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. It was founded by Philippe Simonetta, a local wine dealer in 1960. Since 1980 it has been part of the European Rally Championship and in 2007 and 2008 it ...
. For a list of high-elevation paved roads, see
list of highest paved roads in Switzerland
This is a list of the highest paved roads in Switzerland. It includes paved roads in the Alps that are over long and whose culminating point is over above sea level. This height approximately corresponds to that of the highest major settlements ...
.
Because of tourism, there are many railways and cable cars in the mountains. Railways serving side valleys are the Aigle–Ollon–Monthey–Champéry railway, the
Martigny–Orsières Railway
The Martigny–Orsières Railway (''Chemin de fer Martigny–Orsières''; MO) was a railway company in the Canton of Valais in Switzerland. It merged in 2000 with the Martigny-Châtelard Railway (''Chemin de fer Martigny-Châtelard'', MC) to form ...
(notably serving
Verbier
Verbier is a village located in south-western Switzerland in the canton of Valais. It is a holiday resort and ski area in the Swiss Alps and is recognised as one of the premier off-piste resorts in the world. Some areas are covered with snow all ...
), the
Martigny–Châtelard Railway
The Martigny–Châtelard Railway, abbreviated MC, French ''Chemins de fer Martigny–Châtelard'', is a rack railway in the canton of Valais, Switzerland.
The transport company "Chemin de fer de Martigny–Châtelard" merged in 2001, the re ...
(serving the
Trient Valley
The Trient (french: Le Trient) is a river in western Valais. It takes its source at the Trient Glacier in the Mont Blanc Massif and joins the Rhone between Vernayaz and Martigny. Only two villages are located along the Trient: Trient and Vernaya ...
Zermatt
Zermatt () is a municipality in the district of Visp in the German-speaking section of the canton of Valais in Switzerland. It has a year-round population of about 5,800 and is classified as a town by the Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO).
...
, the
Gornergrat Railway
The Gornergrat Railway (german: Gornergrat Bahn; GGB) is a mountain rack railway, located in the Swiss canton of Valais. It links the resort village of Zermatt, situated at above mean sea level, to the summit of the Gornergrat. The Gornergr ...
and the
Klein Matterhorn
The Klein Matterhorn (sometimes translated as ''Little Matterhorn'') is a peak of the Pennine Alps, overlooking Zermatt in the Swiss canton of Valais. At above sea level, it is the highest place in Europe that can be reached by aerial tramway or ...
cable car are respectively the highest open-air railway and highest public transport in Europe.
In Valais are two ports on Lake Geneva served by the CGN:
St. Gingolph Saint-Gingolph is a small town situated on the south bank of Lake Geneva (Lac Léman). It sits at the France–Switzerland border and is administratively divided into Saint-Gingolph, Valais (Switzerland) and Saint-Gingolph, Haute-Savoie (France). I ...
and
Le Bouveret
Le Bouveret () is a village in the commune of Port-Valais in the Swiss canton of Valais. Situated at the southernmost end of Lake Geneva and close to the French border, Le Bouveret is very much tourism-oriented with several amusement attractions ...
. The largest airport is located at Sion.
Culture
The size and particular geographical situation of the canton within the Alps helped Valais develop a culture that is distinct from that of the cantons of the Swiss Plateau and the northern Alpine foothills. As a bilingual canton, Valais itself includes some cultural diversity as well. The most common denominator is a strong mountain culture, symbolized by the archetypal tenacious and austere mountain dweller facing the difficult conditions and dangers of nature.
Monuments
Many monuments dot the Valais landscape. The best known are the
Valère Basilica
The Valère basilica (french: Basilique de Valère), also called Valère castle (french: Château de Valère), is a fortified church situated in Sion in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. It is situated on a hill and faces the Château de Tourbi ...
, where the oldest organ in the world still playable is found, and the territorial
Abbey of Saint-Maurice
The Abbey of Saint Maurice, Agaunum (french: Abbaye de Saint-Maurice d'Agaune or ''Saint-Maurice-en-Valais'') is a Swiss monastery of canons regular in Saint-Maurice, Canton of Valais, which dates from the 6th century. It is situated against a ...
, which dates from the 6th century. Valais has several castles of historical importance, frequently built-in formerly strategic locations:
Tourbillon Castle
Tourbillon Castle ( French: ''Château de Tourbillon'') is a castle in Sion in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. It is situated on a hill and faces the Basilique de Valère, located on the opposite hill.
It was built at the end of the 13th ...
Stockalper Palace
The Stockalper Palace (German: ''Stockalperpalast'') is a castle in Brig-Glis, Switzerland. It was built between 1658 and 1678 by Kaspar Stockalper, a silk merchant of Brig. The Stockalper Palace was the largest private construction in Switzerl ...
Majorie Castle
Majorie Castle is a castle in the Municipalities of Switzerland, municipality of Sion, Switzerland, Sion in the Canton of Valais, Switzerland. It is a Swiss Swiss inventory of cultural property of national and regional significance, heritage site ...
, the episcopal Leuk Castle etc. Amongst religious buildings are several churches that present quality architecture, in particular, those due to the architect Ulrich Ruffiner (16th century) who left many buildings between
Sion
Sion may refer to
* an alternative transliteration of Zion
People
* Sion (name) or Siôn, a Welsh and other given name and surname, including a list of people and fictional characters with the name
* Shion or Sion, a Japanese given name
Pl ...
Raron
Raron (french: Rarogne) is a municipality in the district of Raron in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.
History
Raron is first mentioned around 1101–1200 as ''Rarogni''. In 1146 it was mentioned as ''Rarun''.
A settlement on the Heidnisc ...
and church of
Ernen
Ernen is a municipality in the district of Goms in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. In 2005 Ernen incorporated the formerly independent municipalities of Ausserbinn, Mühlebach, and Steinhaus.
In 1979, Ernen was awarded the Wakker Prize for ...
. In the valley of Goms, are also several notable baroque churches. Contemporary religious architecture has also given rise to interesting buildings, such as the works of the Genevan architect Jean-Marie Ellenberger (1913-1988) in Sierre (Sainte-Croix church) or Verbier.
In the civil architecture, two hospices, each located at one of the passes leading to Italy, formerly provided food for pilgrims who went to Rome and travelers in general: the Great St. Bernard Hospice and the Simplon Hospice. There are also interesting Roman remains, such as the amphitheater in Martigny. Sion is also a major site of European prehistory. In particular, are the dolmens of
Le Petit-Chasseur
Le Petit Chasseur is the name of a megalithic site in Sion, Switzerland, Sion, Valais, Switzerland.
Discovered in 1961, it consists of three dolmen, dated to between 2900 and 2200 BC.
It is associated with the Saône-Rhône culture, part of the ...
, a group of large collective burials dating back to the 3rd millennium BC. Bridges are also an important element of the Valais-built landscape. Due to its mountainous terrain which requires crossing many natural obstacles, the canton has several bridges, old or modern, often daring, including the Gueuroz Bridge which was once the highest bridge in Europe, and the
Ganter Bridge
Ganter Bridge is a multi-span reinforced-concrete road bridge that is the second longest spanning bridge in Switzerland after Poya Bridge. It spans the Ganter River valley and is located along the Simplon Pass road about south of Brig in the c ...
, on the Simplon road.
Visible from central Valais, the statue of Christ the King in
Lens
A lens is a transmissive optical device which focuses or disperses a light beam by means of refraction. A simple lens consists of a single piece of transparent material, while a compound lens consists of several simple lenses (''elements''), ...
recalls the Catholic tradition of the canton.
Among the most important museums in the canton, the
Gianadda Foundation
Fondation Pierre Gianadda, inaugurated in 1978, administers museums and exhibitions located in Martigny, Switzerland. The permanent exhibitions include the Automobile Museum, Gallo-Roman
Gallo-Roman culture was a consequence of the Romaniza ...
in Martigny attracts many visitors from all over Switzerland and neighboring countries. The canton also owns several large museums in Sion, the Cantonal Museum of Fine Arts, the Cantonal History Museum, and the Cantonal Museum of Natural History. Other museums owned by the canton are the Vine and Wine Museum in
Salgesch
Salgesch (French: ''Salquenen'') is a municipality in the district of Leuk in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.
History
Salgesch is first mentioned in the 11th Century as ''Salconio''. In 1225 it was mentioned as ''Salquenum''.
The transform ...
and the Museum of Traditions and Boats of Lake Geneva in
St. Gingolph Saint-Gingolph is a small town situated on the south bank of Lake Geneva (Lac Léman). It sits at the France–Switzerland border and is administratively divided into Saint-Gingolph, Valais (Switzerland) and Saint-Gingolph, Haute-Savoie (France). I ...
.
Gastronomy
Traditional food products of Valais are wines, cheeses,
dried meat
Dried meat is a feature of many cuisines around the world. Examples include:
*Kulen Slanina Pečenica
*Aliya, sun-dried meat from Kenya
* Bakkwa or rougan, Chinese salty-sweet dried meat sheets.
* Biltong, a cured meat that originated in Southe ...
, and
rye bread
Rye bread is a type of bread made with various proportions of flour from rye grain. It can be light or dark in color, depending on the type of flour used and the addition of coloring agents, and is typically denser than bread made from wheat f ...
. Wines are essentially produced in the Rhone Valley, but also in the lateral valleys, up to Visperterminen, which has the highest vineyards in the canton. Wines are typically white. Some of the most popular are
Fendant
Chasselas or Chasselas blanc is a wine grape variety grown mainly in Switzerland, France, Germany, Portugal, Hungary, Romania, New Zealand, Croatia and Chile. Chasselas is mostly vinified to be a full, dry and fruity white wine. It is al ...
Humagne Blanche
Humagne Blanche or Humagne is a white Swiss wine grapeHumagne Blanc ,
< ...
,
Syrah
Syrah (), also known as Shiraz, is a dark-skinned grape variety grown throughout the world and used primarily to produce red wine. In 1999, Syrah was found to be the offspring of two obscure grapes from southeastern France, Dureza and Mondeuse B ...
and
Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir () is a red-wine grape variety of the species ''Vitis vinifera''. The name may also refer to wines created predominantly from pinot noir grapes. The name is derived from the French language, French words for ''pine'' and ''black.' ...
. The numerous cheeses notably include
raclette
Raclette (, ) is a Swiss dish, also popular in the other Alpine countries, based on heating cheese and scraping off the melted part, then typically served with boiled potatoes. Raclette cheese is historically a dish originating from the canton of ...
, which is both a variety of cheese and a dish. Along with
fondue
Fondue (, , ) is a Swiss melted cheese dish served in a communal pot ( ''caquelon'' or fondue pot) over a portable stove () heated with a candle or spirit lamp, and eaten by dipping bread into the cheese using long-stemmed forks. It was promote ...
, the latter has become an emblematic dish associated with mountain culture. Other dishes of Valais include the
Cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine by some strains of the bacterium ''Vibrio cholerae''. Symptoms may range from none, to mild, to severe. The classic symptom is large amounts of watery diarrhea that lasts a few days. Vomiting and ...
, a pastry containing various ingredients, and the , a simple dish consisting of roasted chestnuts eaten along with various local cheeses and charcuterie. The latter is often served in autumn near the chestnut groves of the canton.
Franco-Provençal language
Franco-Provençal (also Francoprovençal, Patois or Arpitan) is a language within Gallo-Romance originally spoken in east-central France, western Switzerland and northwestern Italy.
Franco-Provençal has several distinct dialects and is separ ...
*
List of mountains of Valais
This is a list of mountains of the Swiss canton of Valais. Valais is a very mountainous canton and includes the highest mountains of Switzerland. The highest mountain ranges are the Pennine Alps, the Bernese Alps and the Mont Blanc massif. Topogr ...