Wine trail: Saillon to Sion (stage 2)

Saillon
2/10°
The second stage of the wine trail leads through the sunny vineyards of the Rhone Valley from the medieval thermal spa village Saillon to the capital city Sion.
Difficulty
IntermediateLength
21.73 kmDuration
6:45 hDescription
The wine trail follows a panoramic route along the sunny south-facing slopes of the Rhone Valley and through charming winegrower villages of the Valais wine region. The wine trail can be explored in three ways – by car, by bike, or on foot. On the 65-kilometer hike consisting of 4 stages, you will not miss any of the numerous sights.
The second stage of the wine trail connects two fascinating places: the medieval village Saillon with the cantonal capital Sion. Both have a historic core at the foot of rocky hills with castles and are therefore worth a visit.
Shortly after you leave the winding alleys of Saillon, the path crosses the Salentse, known especially for its legendary gorge. Here Joseph-Samuel Farinet, known as the Swiss “Robin Hood” coin forger, hid from the authorities. The Salentse is just one of several streams crossed on this stage.
Above Leytron, the path leads below high rocks over the large debris cone in Chamoson. This was formed by rockfalls from ancient times and has now been converted into vineyard land.
The extraordinary variety of topography and geology of the region enables the cultivation of many different types of wine. Many of the winegrower villages along the wine trail are known for the cultivation of certain wines: for example Leytron for Humagne or Vétroz for Amigne. Along the route, numerous atmospheric restaurants and cellars invite you to taste selected wines and regional products.
Highlights of the hike:
- Saillon – the unique medieval village with thermal baths, wine educational trail, via ferrata, and suspension bridge.
- Dramatic landscapes with rocks and gorges and spectacular views over the Rhone Valley.
- Numerous restaurants and cellars with opportunities for wine tastings.
- Sion with its long history: castles, museums, churches, and cathedrals are worth a visit.
Turn-by-turn directions
At the foot of the hill of the historic village center of Saillon is the bus stop «Les Moilles» near the starting point of the hike. A path leads towards the historic village center to the start.
The path is well marked and easy to follow. It passes some sights worth seeing, for example the Swiss Museum of Speleology above Chamoson. A beautiful wine trail connects Chamoson with the medieval village of St-Pierre-de-Clages just before Sion. A nature trail lets you discover the reed landscape around the peaceful lake below Mont d’Orge.
The path ends at the northern outskirts of Sion, where the Sionne comes to the surface from the underground canal. From there a bus goes to the train station – however, if time and energy permit, the walking path through the historic town center below the two famous castles on the hills of Sion is recommended.
Start
Saillon (bus stop «Les Moilles»). (509m)
Destination
Sion (bus stop «Brasserie») (562m)
Author's recommendation
Technical information
Altitude
694m
483m
Ascent
+716m
Descent
-655m
Stamina
Experience
Landscape
Best time of the year
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Tags
Public transport
Approach
Parking
Source
This activity is brought to you by Valais/Wallis Promotion





