Discover Venthône

Venthône is a village in the municipality of Noble-Contrée, in the Sierre district of the canton of Valais, Switzerland. It lies at an altitude of 799 metres, within an elevation range of 606 to 963 metres above sea level. The village includes Anchettes, Darnona and Le Moulin. From Venthône, panoramic views are particularly focused on the mountains of Val d’Anniviers and Haut-Valais. History, village trails and landscape offer different ways to shape your stay in Venthône.

Historic Heritage and Village Walks

Venthône’s historic architectural heritage includes buildings dating from the 12th to the 19th century. In Switzerland, the village is listed among settlements of national importance; Venthône is also included in the Swiss Inventory of Sites of National Importance to be Protected. The entire historic built area of Vieux-Village, Le Moulin and Anchettes was inventoried, classified and made available to the public in 2005. This period can be connected to specific buildings by exploring the village’s history.

Château de Venthône was built at the end of the 12th century and is used as an exhibition venue. The historic village walk identifies and briefly describes 26 buildings; its shorter version is a 45-minute loop through the village centre. A historical trail also introduces the village’s heritage through educational panels. This lets you choose between a short circular walk and an exploration with a stronger focus on buildings and local history.

Muzot Chapel and Historical Traces

Muzot Chapel also connects Venthône with its earlier history. The present-day chapel dates from the 18th century. Nicolas Im Winkelried of Venthône built it as a votive chapel on the site of a former parish church, which stood along a path between Veyras and Miège. This former parish church is thought to have belonged to a medieval village. Today, the only remaining structure from that village is the inhabited fortified house where Rainer Maria Rilke lived from 1921 to 1926. The information about the chapel, church and house refers to different historical periods; Rilke’s time there refers to the house, not the chapel.

Trails Through Forest and Water Landscapes

The Sentier du Bénou starts either at the Obabao car park, the SMC bus stop at Rétana, or Sainte-Marguerite Chapel. Check the local signage before setting out. Thematic panels and a smartphone app explain the history of the bisse and water management along the route. Water, as part of local history, is therefore the focus of this trail.

The Parcours de l’Engoulevent offers a different theme: it runs in ten stages through a Valais forest and introduces typical animal and plant species, as well as the seasonal facets of forest life. While the Sentier du Bénou explores the bisse and the management of water, the Parcours focuses on fauna, flora and the changing seasons. From Venthône, panoramic views of the mountains of Val d’Anniviers and Haut-Valais complement the landscape experience.

Routes and Activities

For a sporting route, the Trail de la Noble Contrée offers specific details: the 27-kilometre route passes through Venthône, Miège and Veyras, climbing 1,500 metres in elevation, and finishes with an ascent below Château de Venthône. A shorter option is the 10.8-kilometre Benou run, with 350 metres of positive elevation gain. You can compare the scope of the two routes by distance and elevation gain.

Obabao is a place for play and social interaction, where different generations can find activities to suit their interests. The facilities include two purpose-built pétanque courts. Obabao is open in spring and summer when weather conditions are favourable. As this seasonal opening depends on the weather, it is advisable to check the information before visiting.

Another local connection can be found in Darnona, where sage is harvested for use in Ricola production. Together with the historic buildings and trails exploring forest and water themes, this connection highlights Venthône’s different facets without reducing them to a single reason to visit.

Discover more destinations: Anniviers, Ayer, Chandolin, Crans-Sur-Sierre, Lens, Miège, Sierre, Chalais Vs.

For the broader travel overview: Sierre.