The Valere Basilica, an ancient fortified church in Sion, Canton of Valais, Switzerland.

© Peter Stein/Shutterstock

Château de Valère

Top choice in Valais


Slung on a hillock opposite Château de Tourbillon is this 11th- to 13th-century château that grew up around a fortified basilica. The church interior reveals beautifully carved choir stalls, a frescoed apse and the world’s oldest playable organ from 1440; summertime concerts on Saturday (4pm) are magical. The château also hosts the Musée Cantonal d’Histoire and nestles a lunchtime cafe with view within its walls.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Valais attractions

2. Musée d’Art

0.16 MILES

Lodged in a small château, this well-curated fine-arts museum showcases works by Swiss artists including Ernest Bieler and Caspar Wolf, alongside star…

3. Château de Tourbillon

0.21 MILES

Lording it over the fertile Rhône Valley from its hilltop perch above Sion, the crumbling remains of this medieval stronghold, destroyed by fire in 1788,…

4. Lac Souterrain St Léonard

3.33 MILES

Tiny St Léonard, 5.5km northeast of Sion, hides Europe’s biggest underground lake. To see the emerald waters shimmer, join a 30-minute guided tour by boat…

5. Fondation Pierre Arnaud

5.22 MILES

Don't miss this stunning art gallery with mountain peaks looming large on its dazzling mirrored facade and silver-leafed edelweiss in the Alpine rooftop…

6. Vercorin

8.14 MILES

At the mouth of the valley on its western side, Vercorin is geared up for families with gentle skiing on 35km of downhill slopes. It can be accessed by…

8. Peak Walk by Tissot

9.98 MILES

On clear days the views from this world-first peak-to-peak footbridge are heaven-sent; think legendary Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn, plus Eiger, Mönch…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "switzerland/sion/attractions/chateau-de-valere/a/poi-sig/1425907/1314842",
      "destination": "Valais",
      "continent": "Europe",
      "country": "Switzerland",
      "region": "Valais",
      "position": "superzone"
    }