1936 On the Continent

is very interesting. A little way from Sion is Mayens de Sion, where there is a quaint old chapel set amidst vast forests.
    Farther along the valley we come to Evolène, where there are some very old houses in the ancient Valaisianarchitecture; here too can be seen some of the old costumes of the Valais, which the women wear on Sundays. At one fork at the end of the valley is Arolla, with Mont Collon as a background. Here there are many glaciers, but the village owes its fame chiefly to the Swiss stone pine forests, the “arole” to which it owes its name. This pine is becoming increasingly rarer and Arolla is one of the few places where it can be found. The village is a favourite spot for the mountaineer.
    Leading into the Val d’Herens just after Mayens de Sion is the Val d’Hérémence, in which can be seen the Pyramids of Euseigne, which are one of the freaks of nature. These pinnacles arise from a terminal moraine and each point is protected by a stone, which was left there by nature. We must continue on our journey and arrive at Martigny, where the Rhône valley makes a sharp bend to the north-west. Near the market-place in Martigny is the Monastery of St. Bernard, the parent house of the famous Great St. Bernard Hospice on the Pass.
Martigny
    Martigny is built on the remains of the Roman town of Octodurum, but there is little left to suggest its antiquity. On a hill nearby are the ruins of the Château de la Bâtiaz, which are said to be partly Roman. From Martigny-Bourg, we can go by train or by motor along the Entremont Valley. At Sembrancher we can branch off down the Val de Bagnes; here rich meadows cover the lower slopes and there are numerous hamlets. As we proceed up the valley past le Chable, the scenery becomes wilder. Passing through the village of Lourtier we must continue on foot; the road becomes steeper and ascends above the falls of the Dranse and we get a fine retrospective view of the Dent du Midi. Soon after the falls the space widens and we come to a small plain where there are small black chalets and a few white hotels. Fionnay lies at the meeting-place of several valleys at the foot of the Grand Combin, and some fine ascents can be made from here, notably up La Ruinette, le Pleureur and Mont Avril.
    If we continue up the main valley from Sembrancher we come to Orsières, whence a motor road leads up theCattogne hill-side, and we finally come to the lovely Lake of Champex. At one time this was one of the most secluded spots to be found in Switzerland, but there is now a group of hotels on the lakeside, testifying to the growing popularity of the district. Various climbs can be made from here, that up Mont Cattogne being one of the most attractive, as from the summit the view reaches as far as the Lake of Geneva. Pursuing our way up the Val d’Entremont from Orsières the road winds up the flank of Mont Brun and, passing through Liddes, we reach Bourg St. Pierre where, in the inn, we can see the chair in which Napoleon sat down to breakfast before crossing the Pass to Italy.
St. Maurice
    Now the road winds steadily upwards, through ever wilder country and numerous gorges until we reach the Cantine de Proz. From here the ascent is made through the Pas de Marengo, so called in commemoration of Napoleon’s battle, through the desolate Combe des Morts, till at last we reach the famous hospice on the Pass. The hospice was founded about the tenth century, and the dogs kept there have become famous for their work in rescuing travellers who have strayed from the path or been overcome by the cold. Even now the dogs still go out at sunrise and sunset to search for lost travellers. Just beyond the hospice is a small lake besides which is a stone marking the Italian frontier. At Bourg St. Pierre we can see another interesting stone outside the church, which marks the twenty-fourth Roman mile from Martigny.
    We have to return by the way we have come as far as Martigny; another excursion is up the Trient Valley. At Salvan we come to the wild, romantic gorge of the Trient which tears along between the hills. At Finhaut we come to a plateau on which lies the picturesque village. There are many fine walks in this valley which is of rather stern character. The next stop, Chatelard, lies on the bank of the Eau Noire and is very beautiful. The railway continues to Chamonix, but as Chatelard is the last stop in Swiss territory, we must retrace our steps.
    From Martigny the railway continues alongside the