Saint-Léonard Vs: Lake, Vineyards and Historic Traces

Saint-Léonard Vs lies on the right bank of the Rhône between Sion and Sierre, amid sunny vineyards. An underground lake, paths through the vineyards, wine and historical evidence give the area a variety of travel highlights. If you are looking for a hotel, you can first consider whether your stay will focus primarily on visiting the lake, walking through the vineyard landscape or exploring local history.

The Underground Lake

The underground lake of Saint-Léonard stretches for 300 metres and lies 30 to 70 metres beneath the vineyard slope. It is the largest natural navigable underground lake in Europe. Visitors explore the fully flooded cave by rowboat; each boat can carry up to 40 people. Tours are seasonal, so it is advisable to check current visiting options before your trip. A guided tour lasts 30 minutes; it is best to confirm the duration in advance.

Paths Through Vineyards and Countryside

The Bisse de Sillonin is a 9-kilometre trail that is partly marked. It passes through a vertiginous rocky passage secured by a handrail cable. The trail continues as far as Vaas. There, you can visit the Musée des Cornalins at Château de Vaas and taste regional wines.

The A flanc de côteau walking trail starts at the CFF railway station, passes through Saint-Léonard and then climbs to the vineyards above the underground lake. Almost the entire trail runs through vineyards; it has very little elevation change and offers views over the Rhône plain. As trail conditions may change seasonally, check them before setting out.

The Chemin du Vignoble leads to the Liène gorges, descends to Saint-Léonard and crosses the river there. On the other side, it climbs uphill through the vineyards. The routes described therefore differ considerably in their course and scenery: from the partly marked bisse to the walking trail with little elevation change, and the climb through the vineyards.

Cycling and Wine

The Châteaux de Sion cycle route also passes through Saint-Léonard. Its descent to Saint-Léonard is mostly along a narrow vineyard road. The route is considered fairly challenging and is intended for athletic cyclists; this classification can help you factor the ride into your trip planning.

For wine enthusiasts, La Brunière combines a walk along vineyard walls with a wine tasting in a vineyard hut. La Brunière offers vineyard and cellar tours as well as wine tastings on request; arrange a time in advance. Cave Bétrisey specialises in unusual grape varieties such as Rèze, Roussane and Fumin. The vineyard landscape can therefore be experienced not only along the trails but also through the tastings and insights into grape varieties on offer.

Archaeology and Local History

A Carolingian crucifix found in Saint-Léonard is kept at the Musée de Valère in Sion and is considered evidence of the existence of a religious community in the 9th century. The first church in Saint-Léonard was built in 1210; the municipality and village have been mentioned since the 11th century. The underground lake is also part of the area's more recent history: Jean-Jacques Pittard first explored it in 1943, and it has been open to visitors since 1949.

Neolithic archaeological evidence dating from 5500 to 2200 BC represents the most significant archaeological period for Saint-Léonard. Excavations at the «Sur le Grand Pré» site between 1957 and 1962 made Saint-Léonard a landmark site in European prehistoric archaeology. In 1974, Neolithic rock engravings were discovered at the «La Crête des Barmes» site; in 1976, several Chamblandes-type graves were excavated at «Les Bâtiments».

Discover more destinations: Savièse, Veysonnaz, Arbaz, Sion, Grimisuat.

Go to the main travel overview: Sion.