Monthey: City History, Culture and Hiking Routes

Monthey combines city history and cultural venues with routes in the mountains. During your stay, you can focus on historic fountains, industrial history and cultural offerings, or compare routes by distance, elevation gain and theme.

City History and Cultural Venues

The Musée du Vieux-Monthey explores the development of the town, its population and its local associations. Former crafts and local industry are also among its topics. A tour of companies that emerged as factory activity along the Vièze gradually declined after electricity arrived in Monthey in 1893 offers another perspective on industrial history. The Meunières supplied the first industries with hydropower and powered the waterwheels of a tannery and a glassworks.

At Château-Vieux, the foundations, part of the square tower and remnants of the walls around the former settlement have been preserved. Château de Monthey is used for exhibitions, concerts and other cultural activities. At Malévoz Quartier Culturel, Théâtre du Raccot stages intimate theatrical works; the gardens are home to the permanent Galerie du Laurier, which hosts exhibitions every year.

Other cultural venues have their own distinctive character: Le Kremlin is located in the former Monthéolo cinema and offers films, concerts and other creative work. Pont Rouge is a concert hall with a stage for contemporary music. Those interested in stained glass can visit École Suisse de Vitrail et de Création, take introductory courses or complete a full course of study. The introduction to traditional stained-glass techniques is open to a wide audience and requires no prior knowledge.

Walks Around the City

The fountain walks explore the history of Monthey’s historic water sources, including fountains made of precious marble or created by well-known artists. The “La ville était village” walk invites you to explore the town’s streets and historic treasures. For a different perspective, the “Monthey: les coulisses” cycling tour connects the town’s cultural venues. The “Blocs Erratiques” walk, by contrast, focuses on remnants of the last ice age.

Hiking Routes and Landscapes

The guided “Monthey en montagnes” walk is a six-kilometre loop starting from Vallon de They. Along the way, it explores the geography, geology, alpine farming and cultural heritage of Monthey’s mountain areas. Another route passes through the Gorges de la Vièze, where seven information panels cover the geological, biological and historical heritage. The trail crosses a 90-metre-long suspension bridge, 60 metres above the ground, to the village of Choëx.

Distance and elevation gain are especially useful for comparing two longer routes. The moderate Monthey–Massongex–Monthey loop is 11 kilometres long, with 339 metres of ascent and descent; it starts and finishes at Vieux-Pont Monthey. For the return journey from Massongex, travelling by train is an option. The Monthey–Les Cerniers route is shorter at 7.5 kilometres, but is rated difficult and has 888 metres of ascent and 28 metres of descent. It passes through forests and pastures in the Monthey mountain area and offers open views of the Rhône plain. Check the current timetable if travelling by train.

The Forest Tour is rated easy and is 6.1 kilometres long, with 296 metres of ascent and descent. Starting from Les Cerniers, it follows the winter snowshoe trail through the forest and passes several viewpoints. At 6.1 kilometres, it is shorter than both routes mentioned above; unlike Monthey–Les Cerniers, it has the same amount of ascent and descent.

Markets, Events and Information

Monthey Carnival runs from Thursday to Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. Masks, floats, Guggenmusik and other events fill the town centre during this period. The Sunday parade addresses local, regional or international issues and draws a large crowd every year. Since the dates depend on Ash Wednesday, check the dates for your chosen year of travel before making plans.

The Wednesday market takes place on Place Tübingen and Avenue de la Gare. It offers regional produce, local crafts and fresh products from the area. Casa Nova complements this information with tourist information about the region, a book-lending service, tickets for performances and a varied events programme.

Parc de la Torma also brings together a range of themes: contemporary art and municipal greenhouses share its 11,000 m² grounds, and the park offers views of Monthey and the Vaud mountains. You can tailor your stay to your interests, with city history, culture, a market visit or a route in the mountains.

Discover more destinations: Vouvry, Val-D'illiez, Saint-Gingolph, Torgon, Morgins, Troistorrents, Champéry, Vionnaz.

For the main travel overview: Monthey.