Picturesque Saillon is a well-preserved medieval village with a lively present and a fascinating past. The southern feel to the climate allows vineyards, almond and fig trees to flourish.

Saillon’s unusual climate allows not only vineyards (approx.190 ha) but also numerous almond and fig trees to flourish. One special feature is the world’s smallest vineyard, measuring just 1.67m2 and holding three vines. It was created in honour of forger and «Robin Hood» of the Alps, Joseph-Samuel Farinet and the Dalai Lama is its current honorary «owner». The vineyard is surrounded by stones brought from all over the world as well as a 600kg block of marble representing the Stone of Freedom. This shows the distances to other cult sites on our planet e.g. the Pyramids of Giza and Ayers Rock.

The landmark of the village is the Bayart tower, a 19-metre-high keep built by the Count of Savoy and giving glorious views over the village and Rhone Valley.

The St. Jacques manse is a former hospice which offered shelter to pilgrims travelling towards Jerusalem and Santiago de Compostela and also served as a hospital. It is one of the oldest buildings in Canton Valais. One of the oldest sacral buildings in the canton is found on the way out of Saillon in the direction of Leytron: the Chapel of St. Laurent. It was built in the 5th or 6th century as the private chapel of an old Roman villa and enlarged to a church in 1527. After the building of the parish church on the cliffs above Saillon, the building reverted back to a chapel, of which only the choir now remains.

In the 19th century the village became world famous for its marble, quarried at 1000 metres altitude at the foot of the Grande Garde. The quarry was closed in 1926 but can still be seen today, giving an idea of the beauty of the material it yielded.

Saillon also has a thermal spa with a full range of wellness attractions. The pleasantly located springs are reached in a 40-minute walk from the village centre.

Highlights

• Medieval village centre with one of the oldest buildings in Canton Valais, the Bayart tower and the Chapel of St. Laurent, one of the oldest sacral buildings
• Thermal springs and spa
• Farinet Trail with 21 giant stained-glass designs
• Counterfeit Money Museum a unique exhibition including on forger Farinet