iCyclades - Cyclades Discovery Guide

These recommendations are selected according to our experience or to verified opinions of other travelers. You can trust them!

You can also share your own good addresses!

View of the door of the Chapel of All Saints, along the path linking Place Maurice-Zermatten to the Basilica of Valère. Built in 1325, it was restored in 1964. With the exception of the porch, its architecture is Romanesque, even though it was built at the height of the Gothic age. The interior remains a mystery, as the door was locked when we shot the panoramas.

On Rue des Châteaux, the former Chancellery and Prison have been disused and converted into an exhibition centre for the Valais Cantonal Museums, housing temporary exhibitions from the Art Museum, History Museum and Nature Museum. On the ground floor, a room displays all the stelae from the Petit-Chasseur necropolis, one of the most famous Neolithic burial sites in the Alps, dating back some 5,000 years.

After a hundred metres or so of ascent from Rue du Grand-Pont, we arrive at the entrance to the castle-church of Valère, the sacred centre and former residence of the canons. Perched on a rocky ridge, it has been relatively unaffected by the devastation that Sion has suffered over the centuries. Its construction apparently dates back to the end of the 13th century, according to the few surviving historical sources.

Standing in the middle of Rue du Grand-Pont, the Lion Fountain was built in 1610 near the northern corner of Rue des Châteaux, then moved to the middle of the Grand-Pont, next to the Grenette, before moving to its current location in 1984 to free up the axis of the street. Listed in the canton's inventory of historic monuments, it was essential for watering cattle and ensuring the smooth running of the market, which was already held on this street at the time.

Here we are at the intersection of Rue des Châteaux and Rue du Tunnel. On our left is the Nature Museum, a reference institution for the natural heritage of the Valais, whose collections bear witness to the richness and variety of the region's fauna, flora and geology. On our right, the Castle of Majorie rises above the esplanade. Comprising two main buildings, the Majorie and the Vidomnat, it houses the Museum of Art, which offers a tour focusing on the landscape, the imaginary world of the mountains and the leading artists of its collections.

Here we are at the heart of the "SPOT", Sion's theatrical centre, which offers a programme centred on current and regional creation, with around forty shows per season (theatre, dance, circus arts, concerts). In summer, the square hosts cultural events such as the Pollen Festival and the Spot Estival. Formerly known as Place des Jésuites (here stands the Jesuit church, now desecrated and hosting classical music concerts), Place des Théâtres is the link between several historic cultural buildings, including Théâtre de Valère, Petithéâtre and the buildings of Harmonie municipale and Haute Ecole de Musique (HEMU).

At the foot of the Tourbillon and Valère hills, this beautiful square is home to an open-air cinema and a refreshment bar during the summer months. It bears the name of a famous twentieth-century writer from the Valais who wrote in a wide range of literary genres (novels,, short stories, plays, essays and biographies). Our panorama here is oriented towards the ruins of Tourbillon Castle, perched on a rocky outcrop. Our virtual stroll doesn't take you there, but it does go up to the Basilica of Valère, on the right.

Even if the silly tags and cracked facades often give the impression of grandeur and decadence, the narrow streets exude a rather magical atmosphere. Don't hesitate to get off the beaten track to explore the old town of Sion - you'll never get lost, and you're sure to fall under the spell of this incredible journey into the past.

Here we are at the very bottom of Rue du Grand-Pont (to the right of the panorama), facing Rue de Lausanne which leads down to Place de la Planta. On our left, Rue du Rhône leads down to Place du Midi, another local landmark. Behind us is Rue de la Lombardie, which leads to a labyrinth of narrow streets in the old town.

To climb up to the Valère Basilica and Tourbillon Castle, go left of the Town Hall from Rue du Grand-Pont and follow this street, which leads to Place Maurice-Zermatten, nestling between the two hills. It's a relatively steep climb, but well worth the effort. Beware: from Place Zermatten, there is still quite a bit of climbing to do to reach the basilica or the castle!

Lined with shops and restaurants, this street in the heart of the old town is a must for locals and tourists alike. Despite its name ("Big Bridge Street"), you won't see there any bridge. Actually, a river (the Sionne) runs through the town and, following major flooding, it was covered over for some 400m between the 17th and 18th centuries, giving rise to Rue du Grand-Pont.

The beautiful building you see on the left is the Grenette, a former covered market from the second half of the 19th century that originally served as a grain market. Today, the first floor is occupied by the former municipal gallery, now a space showcasing the work of emerging and established artists, while the ground floor is home to a nice bar and a cheese dairy known far and wide. To the left of the Grenette, Ruelle Garbaccio climbs up to the castles.

To the north, Rue du Grand-Pont leads to the roundabout where Avenue Ritz begins. On the edge of this avenue stands the Tour des Sorciers ("Tower of the Sorcerers"), a vestige of the city's ancient walls. (Go left at the end of Rue du Grand-Pont.) But for the moment, our virtual stroll ends here, and we'll extend it at a later date...

At the very top of Rue de la Majorie is the tunnel that joins Rue des Châteaux, passing under the bottom of the Tourbillon Hill. Cross the tunnel and you will come to an esplanade where you can visit the Nature Museum and the Valais Art Museum. You can also continue up Rue des Châteaux to arrive at Place Maurice-Zermatten, at the foot of the hills where the spectacular citadels of Tourbillon and Valère stand.

This picturesque street leads off from Rue des Châteaux, which you will no doubt climb on your way to visit the Valère Basilica. To discover Sion, you can follow the excellent discovery walk put together by the Tourist Office, with its 14 explanatory panels, but if you have an adventurous spirit you'll find plenty of more secret places as you lose yourself in the narrow streets of the old town. Countless surprises await you!

Continue up Rue des Châteaux to Place Maurice-Zermatten, then on to Valère and Tourbillon. But if you want to take an alternative bucolic route up to the Valère basilica, take Ruelle de Tous-Vents ("All Winds Lane") here. Further up, the path that runs along the side of the hill is not easy to find, but if you follow the arrows embedded in the panoramas, you won't miss it.

You'll only pass through this alleyway if you deviate from the usual tourist itineraries. It bears witness to the close links forged over the centuries between the Valais and Italy, as it is named after Jean-Baptiste Garbaccia (1790-1865), a Piedmontese who settled in Sion as a master mason in the early 19th century and made numerous donations to the city's poor and to charitable institutions. This generous man also bequeathed various buildings to the Municipality, including an imposing building (now demolished) at the bottom of this lane.

The "official" route up to the Valère Basilica is via Rue des Châteaux, but it is not the most spectacular. This path, which is an extension of Ruelle de Tous-Vents, is much more bucolic and offers magnificent views of the old town and the mountains. Behind us, the lower-angle view of the castle and Valère basilica is particularly impressive and almost eerie.

Standing on Rue du Grand-Pont, this magnificent Renaissance-style building was built in the second half of the 17th century to assert the authority of the Bourgeoisie of Sion, which had over the years eroded the power of the bishop, until then the supreme authority of the city. It is now occupied by the bourgeois and municipal authorities, but can be visited on guided tours organised by the Tourist Office. Pass to the left or the right of the building to climb up to the Tourbillon and Valère castles.

The church of Notre-Dame de Valère (Our Lady of Valère) is a magnificent example of Romanesque-Gothic architecture built between the 12th and 13th centuries. It was elevated to the rank of minor basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1987. Its 15th-century organ was restored in 2005 and is the oldest playable organ in the world. From June to September the church is open daily from 11am to 6pm, and the rest of the year from 11am to 5pm, Tuesday to Sunday. The choir is only accessible during guided tours and special events.

Here we are at an intersection of some of Valère's paths. On the left, the paved path climbs towards the basilica, while on the right it descends towards the chapel of Tous-les-Saints and Place Maurice-Zermatten. In the centre, the bucolic path leads down to the old town, skirting the Valère hill. Behind us, the carriage path makes a loop, sloping gently down towards Place Maurice-Zermatten (despite the car you see, don't even think of driving up there - only taxis can climb up to the square!)

Before visiting the basilica, be sure to admire the view from this panoramic west-facing terrace. Beyond its old town, Sion is too modern and urbanised to be charming, but the views over the valley and mountains are spectacular. The peaks on either side of the mast are, on the left, the Grand Chavalard (2899m) and, on the right, the Haut de Cry (2969m), still well covered in snow in this early spring.

Don't miss the opportunity to admire the Valère castle-church from different angles as you stroll around the hill, but be careful and stay on the paths. This panorama was shot from a beautiful view point to the east of the citadel, but if you look back you will see that the cliff is not far away...