The medieval Château de la Bâtiaz in Martigny, Valais, Switzerland.

© Traveller70/Shutterstock

Château de la Bâtiaz

Top choice in Valais


Clinging to a crag above town, 800-year-old Bâtiaz Castle is worth the 15-minute uphill climb. Once there, add another 120 steps to the top of castle for far-reaching views over the surrounding vineyards and Rhône Valley. Slightly less appealing is the gruesome collection of medieval torture instruments inside. The château's medieval tavern, À la Part des Anges is now a highlight with its medieval menu. Although opening times are set, look for the blue flag flying to confirm it's open.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Valais attractions

2. Fondation Pierre Gianadda

0.69 MILES

This renowned gallery harbours a stunning art collection with works by Picasso, Cézanne and Van Gogh. The sculpture garden (with cafe and picnic area)…

3. Musée et Chiens du Saint-Bernard

0.73 MILES

A tribute to the lovably dopey St Bernard, this museum next to Martigny's Roman amphitheatre includes real-life fluff bundles in the kennels. You can join…

4. Roman Amphitheatre

0.76 MILES

Revisit Martigny’s fascinating Roman past at the meticulously restored Roman Amphitheatre.

5. Mont Fort Sunrise

12.09 MILES

Nothing stirs the soul quite like seeing the sun rise from the top of Mont Fort, at a panoramic 3329m. The Médran cable car offers departures on Thursdays…

6. Grotte de Glace

14.01 MILES

Step directly inside the glacier at this tunnel of ice, reshaped every year for the past half-century, which sparkles with perennially recreated ice…

7. Mer de Glace

14.44 MILES

France’s largest glacier, the 200m-deep 'Sea of Ice', flows 7km down the northern side of Mont Blanc, scarred with crevasses formed by the immense…

8. Musée de la Vigne et du Vin

15.17 MILES

Two thousand years of wine making are evoked in the compelling Musée de la Vigne et du Vin, a thoroughly modern and interactive wine museum inside Aigle’s…