Page 104 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Switzerland

26 Four castles stand guard over the town
St-Pierre-de-Clages of Sion: Valère, Tourbillon, Majorie and
Montorge, each dating back to the 13th
! B5 @ £ century or earlier.
The tiny medieval village of
St-Pierre-de-Clages is set on
the southern, vineyard- sur rounding Rhône valley is on an invisible linguistic border
covered slopes of the Rhône renowned for its apricots and separating French speakers
EXPERIENCE Mittelland, Bernese Oberland and Valais
valley. Apart from an annual indiginous Fendant vineyards. from their German compa-
book festival and some well- The Château de Tourbillon triots. The town enjoys a won-
stocked antiquarian book- itself is now in ruins, but many derfully sunny climate and is
shops in the village, its main of the ramparts remain. The sur rounded by vine yards. It
attraction is a beautiful chapel, with ribbed vaulting contains several historic
Romanesque church with an and carved capitals, contains buildings, including a 16th-
octagonal bell tower. Dating medieval wall paintings. The century castle, the Château
from the late 11th to the early nearby Château de Valère is a des Vidomnes. The Baroque
12th century, it was originally 12th-century fortified church town hall contains a small
part of a Benedictine priory. with 15th-century murals and museum of pewter objects.
The rib-vaulted interior is the world’s oldest working The local winemaking
almost entirely devoid of organ, dating from 1430. tradition is documented by
decoration, and this pleasing the Wine Museum Sierre,
austerity is accentuated by Château de Tourbillon which has fascinating
the unadorned stonework of § 027 606 47 45 # Mid-Mar– collections displayed in two
the walls and columns. The Apr & Oct–mid-Nov: 11am– places. One part occupies a
stained-glass dates from 1948. 5pm daily; May–Sep: 10am– wing of the 16th-century
6pm daily Château de Villa in Sierre,
the other the 16th-century
27 Château de Valère Zumofenhaus in Salgesch
§ 027 606 47 15 # Jun–Sep:
(Salquenen in French), a vil-
Sion 10am–6pm daily; Oct–May: lage east of Sierre. The scenic
10am–5pm Tue–Sun 6-km (4-mile) Sentier Viticole,
! C5 @ £ n Place de la or wine route, wends through
Planta; www.siontour
isme.ch villages and vineyards, with a
28
The capital of the canton of
Valais sits along the Rhône, Sierre HIDDEN GEM
at the foot of two hills. Four ! C5 £ @ n 10 Place Lac St Léonard
castles stand guard over de la Gare; www. Between Sion and
the town of Sion: Valère, sierretourisme.ch Sierre lies Europe’s
Tourbillon, Majorie and largest underground
Montorge, each Located in the Rhône lake, the Lac St Léonard
dating back to the valley, Sierre (Siders (www.lac-souterrain.
13th century or in German) lies com). You can visit it
earlier. The mid-March to November
– in summer, concerts
are staged on the water.

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