Col de la Traversette — Hannibal's Lost Route

Your journey begins at Place de la Planta, the beating heart of Sion. Named after the noble Planta family, this central square has been the convergence point for pedestrian streets since the 19th century, surrounded by 17th and 18th-century buildings. Here, weekly markets see locals exchange news and goods, just as they did centuries ago. You collect your first clues, observing the places that have seen so many generations pass, including, perhaps, Hannibal's scouts looking for provisions before their difficult crossing of the Alps.

The ascent to Tourbillon Castle is a key stage in your reconnaissance of Sion's Castles. Built around 1294 by Bishop Boniface de Challant, this fortified residence dominates the city from a rocky promontory at 476 m altitude. Its Savoyard Gothic fortifications, although destroyed by a fire in 1788 and partially restored in the 20th century, bear witness to the power of the Bishops of Sion until the 17th century. Here, you identify the best observation points to monitor the Rhône Valley, a strategic axis for any moving army.

Just opposite, the Basilica Notre-Dame de Valère stands, a fortified church built between 1235 and 1447, a continuous episcopal seat since the 13th century. Its 52 m high bell tower, classified as a Swiss historical monument in 1905, houses historical organs from 1431, among the oldest in Europe still in working order. This religious fortress, residence of the Bishop-Princes of Valais until 1798, is a symbol of resilience. You search for secret passages or hiding places that could have been used by former occupants, valuable knowledge for your army's survival.

The Pont du Rhône, a 120 m long medieval stone bridge, rebuilt in 1540 after devastating floods, represents a vital crossing linking Sion to the Rhône plain since the 14th century. Its main arch, with a 25 m span, was restored in 1995 for structural consolidation. As you cross, you imagine Hannibal's caravans, elephants, and the colossal logistics needed to cross this river. Further on, the Majorie archaeological site, with its Gallo-Roman remains from the 1st-4th centuries AD, reveals public baths and a craft district. The mosaics and hypocausts discovered as early as 1961, and visible in the underground museum since 1991, remind you that even before the Romans, this land was a crossroads of exchanges and passages.

Your reconnaissance concludes on the Chemin des Châteaux, a 1 km pedestrian path with a 200 m elevation gain, laid out in the 19th century and fitted with stone stairs dating from the 15th century. It connects Tourbillon Castle and Valère Basilica, offering a panoramic view of Sion, a city of art and history and a UNESCO tentative site since 2011. This thematic circuit allowed you to understand the strategic importance of this historical Capital of Valais. As a scout, you not only discovered the monuments of Valais but also felt the weight of history and the challenges that awaited Hannibal, setting the stage for the legend of his passage through the Alps.