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About this place
La Soie castle ruins (French Château de la Soie, German Seta) stand on a rocky ridge above the Rhône valley in the municipality of Savièse, near Chandolin and a short distance from Sion in the canton of Valais. The ruin once belonged to the bishops of Sion, and its monumental gate is the part that still stands out most.
What is the history of La Soie castle?
The bishop of Sion had the castle built around 1200. The French entry of the Historical Dictionary of Switzerland gives 1219 instead, so sources disagree and the turn of the 13th century is the safe answer. A treaty in 1260 confirmed the bishops' ownership during their rivalry with the counts of Savoy. In the 14th century La Soie became the bishops' favourite residence.
In 1375 Bishop Guichard Tavel was killed here by the knight Antoine de la Tour after a family quarrel. In 1417, during the Raron affair, Valais troops set the castle on fire. It was never rebuilt, and villagers took its stones for houses and vineyard walls.
What can you see today?
The main survivor is the monumental gate. The site is split into three parts divided by ditches, and the outer castle is the best preserved. Finds on the hill show people lived here in the Neolithic and the Bronze Age, long before the medieval fortress.
A ground-penetrating radar survey in 2017 revealed further buried structures that cannot be seen at the surface. The ruins are open to visitors.
Who is it for?
Anyone who enjoys castle ruins, the history of Valais or a short outing with views over the Rhône valley. There are no restored interiors, so a visit means walking among the walls and ditches and looking at the gate. Combine it with the village of Savièse and the town of Sion to see more of the bishops' legacy.
Frequently asked questions
Where is La Soie castle? In the municipality of Savièse, Valais, on a rocky ridge on the right side of the Rhône, southwest of Savièse and Granois, near Sion.
When was it built? Around 1200. The French Historical Dictionary of Switzerland entry says 1219.
What is left of the castle? The monumental gate is the best-preserved feature. You can also make out three sections separated by ditches, with the outer castle in the best condition.
Why is the castle a ruin? Valais troops burned it in 1417 and it was abandoned. Locals later reused the stone for houses and vineyard walls.
Can you visit the ruins? Yes, the site is open to the public.
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