Ravines, vistas, ancient architecture and culture in Martigny, Switzerland

The Trient Ravine has a sense of stepping back to the beginning
of time (Taylor)

MARTIGNY, SWITZERLAND — Sometimes the best surprises come in the smallest packages. Such if the case of Martigny,Switzerland which is a gem hidden among Switzerland's many jewels.

Martigny is best known by the Swiss for its numerous alpine ski slopes such as Verbier. Lesser appreciated however, is that it is also a marvelous region for summer activities.

France and Italy are near the border of Martigny (Taylor)

Sitting at a junction of roads connecting Italy, France and Switzerland, Martigny is the gateway to Aosta over the St. Bernard Pass into Italy and to Chamonix in France over the col de la Forclaz. Thus, Martigny is a perfect base for day trips throughout Switzerland and her two European neighbors.

Located just 21 miles southeast of Montreux on the shores of Lake Geneva, Martigny lies at the foot of the Swiss Alps on the eastern edge of the Rhone Valley. The Rhone River makes a ninety degree turn in Martigny to flow north toward the Lake of Geneva, while the Dranse River flows from the Valais Alps into the Rhone.

Boardwalk clings to the face of
the ravine (Taylor)

Therefore, at an elevation of just over 1,500-feet, water plays a major role in the life of the region as it does throughout the tiny landlocked nation of Switzerland.

The most notable attraction of Martigny is the Pierre Gianadda Foundation Museum which is actually five museums in one.

When the Romans departed the area they left many archaeological treasures in the city including the amphitheater which was restored in 1978.

The Gianadda Foundation is
the pride of Martigny (Taylor)

When Leonard Gianadda began clearing land for a rental property in 1976, he discovered the ruins of an ancient Gallo-Roman temple on the property.

When his brother Pierre  died unexpectedly soon after the Roman excavations, Leonard began developing what has become Martigny's most prized cultural attraction in honor of his sibling.

The outdoor sculpture park is filled with landscape architecture and contemporary artwork  (Taylor)

Outside, at the rear of the contemporary building, are the Sculpture Park, Chagall Court and the Szafran Pavillion all set among landscape architecture featuring fountains, hedges and works of art by 20th century artists.

Excavated Roman ruins
(Taylor)

Rounding out the eclectic collection of exhibitions in the interior are the Greco-Roman Museum, a two-level expanse that incorporates the excavations that are the oldest of their kind in Switzerland, an Automobile Museum featuring over 50 classic cars dating between 1897 and 1939 and space for temporary traveling exhibitions created from various private collections.

The richness of the displays and importance of the Giannada Museum to Martigny justifiably lives up to the town nickname which is the "Art City."

Vintage cars are a favorite exhibit at Gianadda (Taylor)

Each year in October at the local festival known as the "Comptoir" the amphitheater plays host to non-lethal cow fights that pit animal against animal rather than animals against humans.

Just outside the city-proper, there are other compelling natural and manmade attractions for visitors to experience before heading off to nearby France and Italy.

The Trient Ravine is more than
650-feet deep (Taylor)

Among the natural wonders is the Trient Ravine with its impressive water landscape that was carved into the rock by a rushing mountain stream from the Mont Blanc massif.

The 655-foot ravine, a favorite spot for climbers, hikers and nature lovers, is like stepping into Jules Verne's "Journey to the Center of the Earth" with its eerie canyon walls and  wooden walkway that hugs the perimeter of the rock-face.

Pissevache Waterfall is part of the natural wonder (wikipedia.com)

Over 600-feet above the canyon floor, a bridge spans the chiseled gorge with its source from the glacier above the town of Trient, near the border of France. The ravine created by the River Trient is at its most narrow, deep and beautiful at Vernayaz, near Martigny.

It's an other worldly atmosphere with a primeval sense of being at the beginning of creation.

Cliff hugging trains will get
you to the summit (Taylor)

At the summit, the Mont Blanc Express train climbs steeply into the Trient Valley past the cascading waters of the 375-foot “Pissevache” waterfall before arriving at Chamonix in France. Even the great German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was impressed enough to write about it in 1779.

The Verticalp Funicular is one of the steepest in the world
(Taylor)

Not far from the Trient Ravine is the three stage lift system known as the "Verticalp" experience that takes visitors to the Emosson Dam. The combination funicular/train journey incorporates a panoramic train with one of the steepest funicular rides in the world that features an 87-degree incline.

Wildflowers seem to reach up
to touch the sky (Taylor)

The most impressive portion of the journey is the bottom leg where a funicular climbs almost vertically up the mountain high above the village of Chatelard.

When the Chatelard Funicular reaches its terminus, a tiny narrow gauge open-air train snakes along the mountainside that is filled with majestic views of Mont Blanc.

A tiny red funicular completes the journey to the summit (Taylor)

The final phase of the journey is a short ride in a bright red funicular that stops at the Emosson Dam and Reservoir which captures water from three glaciers.

The Emosson Dam is the third largest in Switzerland  (Taylor)

Located on the left bank of the Rhone above Martigny and fed by water from the Mont Blanc massif, the Emosson Dam is the third highest in Switzerland.

Swiss version of a summit conference with Italy and France in
the background  (Taylor)

Breathtaking scenery, beguiling transportation, a cavernous gorge, eclectic art, historic ruins, classic automobiles and the close proximity to Italy and France make Martigny an ideal location for travelers to spend some time in the Swiss canton of Valais.