Two hills rise from the floor of the Rhône valley at Sion, and on top of each stands a medieval landmark: the fortified church of Valère on one, the ruined castle of Tourbillon on the other. They give the capital of the Valais one of the most striking skylines in Switzerland, and around them the old town, with its narrow lanes, squares and cafés, has a relaxed, almost southern feel. Sitten is the German name; most locals speak French and call it Sion.
The Valère basilica holds a treasure: an organ that is one of the oldest playable organs in the world, built in the fifteenth century, and concerts are still held on it in summer. The town was the seat of powerful bishops, who ruled the Valais for centuries, and the Tourbillon castle was their stronghold until it burned in the eighteenth century. From the top of either hill, the view over the valley, the vineyards and the mountains is superb.
This is the heart of Swiss wine country. The Rhône valley is one of the sunniest and driest places in Switzerland, and its slopes are covered with vineyards on steep terraces held up by dry stone walls, some of them centuries old. The local wines include Fendant, made from Chasselas, as well as Petite Arvine, Cornalin and Humagne, varieties found almost only here. For centuries, the farmers have brought water from the glaciers through irrigation channels called bisses, which run along the mountainsides, and many of them can be followed on foot.
The riding around Sion is excellent. Roads climb from the valley floor to the villages on the slopes, with tight hairpins and views over the valley, and some continue into the side valleys, such as the Val d'Hérens, with its strange earth pillars, the Pyramides d'Euseigne, or to the Col du Sanetsch, a high road to a dam and a lake. The main valley road is busy, and the motorway requires a vignette, which applies to motorcycles too. Watch for vineyard tractors and cyclists on the narrow roads.
Sion has fuel, food and every service, and the old town has plenty of restaurants. Try raclette, the cheese dish of the Valais, melted and scraped onto potatoes, with a glass of Fendant.