St. Léonard - Sion

We cross the Rhône Valley to reach the Bramois Gorge to the hermitage of Longeborgne. The 178 Ex Voto plaques in the twin chapels testify to the enduring popularity of the pilgrimage site. On the way to the capital Sion/Sitten, we cross the Rhône Valley again. The episcopal town offers sacred highlights that make for a longer stay. In the left side altar of the gloomy Cathedral of Notre Dame des Glariers, we find James the Greater. Right next to the cathedral is the Theodul Church. Outside on the façade, two small stone devils carry a bell that they had to carry from Rome to Sion as part of a bet with Bishop Theodul. In the fortress church Valeria on the town hill, we encounter the oldest playable organ in a swallow's nest. And finally, on a Roman stone plaque at the entrance of the Renaissance town hall, we read the first sign of Christian faith in Switzerland.