Simplon Pass is one of the most scenic mountain passes in Switzerland. When the weather dawned bright and sunny one morning, we set out to find it. Our rough plan was to spend a leisurely day driving south, then east over the pass before heading into Italy. Unfortunately it’s almost impossible to leave Switzerland without passing something new begging to be explored. This was certainly the case while driving through the town of Sion in the Valais, the southern sun-belt of Switzerland. Stunned to see not one, but two massive castles perched on dueling hilltops, we stopped to explore. All thoughts of Italy went out the window as we instead spent the day exploring three castles in Sion – Château de la Majorie, Château de Valère, and Tourbillon Castle – before ending up in the French Alps. Castle buffs will love this little town.
Language Tip: Château is French for castle or manor house. Châteaux is plural, meaning castles.
Château de la Majorie – Majorie Castle
Château de la Majorie, or Majorie Castle, dates from the 13th-century. The castle was once the home of the local bishop. In 1947 it was largely converted into an art museum: Le Musée d’art du Valais, or the Valais Museum of Art. Art fans might want to pop in to the museum for a bit.
Castle buffs will want to head straight for the other two castles: Tourbillon and Valerie. Either way, you’ll likely pass the Château de la Majorie since there are very few paths – by car or by foot – that lead to the other castles.
Château de Valère – Valere Castle
Dating from the 11th-13th century, the Château de Valère has the most to actually see during a visit.
The castle is in good condition and has several noteworthy attractions.
Hikers who make the short trek up the hill can explore All Saints’ Chapel just below the castle, the much larger Basilique Valère on top, and quaint, narrow cobblestone streets with low arched doorways.
If you don’t want to book a guided tour, visiting the castle and basilica are free.
Inside the Basilique de Valère, the organ dates from 1435 and is the oldest playable pipe organ in the world.
Château de Tourbillon – Tourbillon Castle
Another 13th-century castle, the Château de Tourbillon, was once a summer home for the religious elite in Sion.
Unlike Valère, Tourbillon Castle is in ruins, destroyed by a fire in 1788. Though a slender watchtower and some of the inner walls survived, what mostly remains of the massive castle is just a shell. That said, it’s an impressive shell!
Access to the hilltop monster requires hiking. Once on top, the views of the surrounding Alps, the town of Sion, and the adjacent Valere Castle are outstanding.
Scenic Drive From the Valais to Chamonix, France
If you have access to a car and are feeling adventurous after visiting the castles of Sion, the resort town of Chamonix, France is just one incredibly scenic drive away.
When we finally left the three castles in Sion, we only had a couple of hours of daylight left, but we decided to keep on driving. Backtracking a few miles to the Swiss town of Martigny, we headed up over the mountain pass into France.
As soon as we turned onto the Rte de la Forclaz in Martigny, our road became a narrow two-lane road with hairpin turns and patches of ice and snow. We were in heaven, but I would only recommend the drive in summer or for folks who’re accustomed to driving rural, winding highways in the snow.
After miles of twisty icy roads and beautiful snowy mountain scenery, we passed through a tunnel and suddenly, voilà, we were in France!
Sadly, Customs wasn’t there to greet us. We expected a friendly welcome. Balloons. Some sort of fanfare.
Perhaps they went for a coffee run.
Luckily, the mountains just kept getting bigger, craggier, and more beautiful, so we quickly forgot this oversight.
When we came around a corner and were confronted with a line of peaks that form part of the Mont Blanc massif, my mouth dropped.
By the time we arrived in Chamonix, it was nearly dark. After poking around in town for a bit, we discovered a mouth-watering bakery and attempted to buy some pastries and cappuccinos. Unfortunately we only had Swiss francs with us and the shop would only accept cash. Such a rookie mistake, leaving home without euros!
Our dejection quickly faded as we retraced our route back through the jagged peaks, back over the Col des Montets mountain pass. During the drive home, all we could think about was returning to do more exploring.
Don’t miss Chateau de Gruyeres (Gruyeres Castle)!
- Incredibly, Sion actually has a fourth castle the Château Montorge.
- The castles are dog friendly as long as they’re on leash. We visited with our dog and even took her into the Basilique de Valere, with permission from a clergyman on site.
