The development of this neighbourhood which initially formed the centre of Sierre began in the 14th century. It is an open space, with no surrounding walls or ramparts. From the 17th century onwards, fine patrician houses were built here. This is the neighbourhood of the nobility, where merchants and craftsmen came to settle in the 19th century. The quartier of Bourg is also home to the Church of Sainte-Catherine, a baroque masterpiece built in the 17th century.
Glarey, from the Latin ‘Glaretum’, meaning ‘a place where floods leave behind gravel’, marks the boundary between the languages spoken in Sierre: French and German. Glarey is a picturesque neighbourhood renowned for its bistros and its lively atmosphere. Surnames from Upper Valais blend harmoniously with those of the people of Anniviers, for whom this neighbourhood served as the gateway to the plain during their annual migration.
The quartier of Borzuat is a heaven of peace and quiet just a stone’s throw from the town centre. Flanked to the south by the old town and the Chapel of Notre-Dame-des-Marais, this little village-within-the-town runs alongside
its main thoroughfare, lined with traditional houses closely linked to the region’s transhumance heritage. Until the 1990s, the quartier was also known for its many bistros and iconic events.
Located at the foot of the vineyard-covered hillside, the quartier where the people of Saint-Jean settled has remained completely unspoilt. In addition to a few famous carnotzet wine cellars, it is home to the Maison du
Remuage, a reminder of the days when the livestock were led to and from the summer pastures. The decorations put up by the locals add a touch of magic to this picture-postcard quartier.
Muraz, the ‘terrace’ of Sierre, cultivates its Mediterranean character, nestled amongst vineyards and old stone buildings. The traditional way of life in Muraz is similar to that found in the Val d’Anniviers, with its threshing floors for threshing wheat, its granaries for storing grain, and its barns for hay and livestock. The church in Muraz, with its neo-Gothic décor, is well worth a visit. This neighbourhood is also renowned for its abundance of wine cellars and its relaxed way of life.
Villa, a neighbourhood situated in the north-west of the town, is home to its iconic 16th-century château, which houses the very best in wine and local produce. Bathed by the sometimes turbulent waters of the Monderèche, this charming neighbourhood still boasts a few unassuming wine cellars and upholds its traditions, including, amongst other things, its ‘Corps de Dieu’, its local association which is still very active.
The quartier of Noës constitutes a separate community in the locality of Sierre. Flanking the mountainside, it maintains a certain independence from the town thanks to the many local community associations still very
much in evidence today. Nestling between the vineyards, the River Rhône and sprawling orchards, Noës is an unspoilt and picturesque neighbourghood-village.
To escape the regular flooding of the as yet undyked River Rhône, the first Sierre settlements grew up on the hillsides of Géronde, Goubing and Planzette. Planzette, located between the oases of cool air created by the
Petits Lacs and the Lac de Géronde, is today still home to beautiful houses surrounded by a flourishing vineyard.
The village of Granges, a short way down the Rhône Valley, merged with Sierre in 1972. The village, huddling against two mountainsides and dominated by three castles, was an important place of passage through the Rhône
lowlands. After the river was dyked, several orchards were established around the old town. Today, this haven of calm in a perfect location between Sierre and Sion is home to a population of nearly 1,500.
