Saillon

Saillon sits on a rock spur above the Rhone plain, its medieval walls and the round Tour Bayart largely intact, with vineyards running down the slope below. Two things beyond the walls are worth knowing. The Vigne a Farinet is a plot of three vine rows, about a square and a half of ground, described as the smallest vineyard in the world; it was given to the Dalai Lama in 1999 and its honorary ownership has passed to other figures since, with the tiny harvest sold for charity. Farinet himself was a nineteenth-century counterfeiter who minted coins in these hills and became a local folk hero. A thermal spa sits on the plain below the village.

What's there

• Intact medieval walls - the circuit and the Tour Bayart on the spur.
• The Vigne a Farinet - three vine rows, billed as the world's smallest vineyard.
• A counterfeiter turned folk hero - Farinet's story attached to the hills.
• Vineyards down the slope - the Valais wine country below the walls.

When to go

April to October. Half a day.

Practical notes

The vineyard is a curiosity of a few square metres, not a visit in itself. The village is small - an hour covers it. The spa on the plain is a separate modern complex. Parking above is limited.

Nearby

Martigny and the Gianadda foundation are west; Sion is east.

Key facts