Strategically perfectly placed in front of the pass road to the Great St. Bernard, the castle was built in the 13th century as a replacement for the fortress of La Crête. The Duke of Savoy did not agree with the construction and declared war on the Bishop of Martigny, who owned the castle.
During the Burgundian Wars, the castle repeatedly changed hands from the Savoys to the Bishop of Sion until it was burned down in 1518 on the orders of the Valaisans.
Today the castle is used as a wedding venue or for culinary journeys into the Middle Ages as well as medieval markets.
Legend of the Great St. Bernard
The strategic importance of the pass, which was controlled by the fortress, dates back much further. The Romans had already used Jupiterberg as a pass road. The current name, however, comes from Saint Bernard. He is said to have climbed the mountain with nine pilgrims when suddenly thunder and lightning with a lot of wind appeared. Satan suddenly appeared from the black clouds in the form of a fire-breathing dragon. Bernard remained calm and threw a stole around the demon's neck, which soon turned into a chain. This enabled his companions to defeat the devil himself.
The defeated dragon can still be seen today in the tower of the fortress.
Access
From the hamlet of La Bâtiaz, where there are parking spaces on the main road, it is about a 10-minute walk to the castle. If you like, you can also take the local train up.
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