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Villages / Valais / Conthey district / Brignon

Brignon

Canton of Valais · District: Conthey · No published figure for the locality; the municipality of Nendaz has 7'352 inhabitants (31.12.2025, provisional FSO figure)
Part of the municipality of Nendaz
Origin of the name Founding Historical timeline Must-see historical sites Remains Sources and references Nearby villages

Origin of the name Brignon

Named from 1163 among the villages paying the grain tithe, Brignon bears a name whose meaning is not known.[2]

Founding of Brignon

Brignon is a village of the municipality of Nendaz. In the Middle Ages it was the seat of a majorie covering Baar, Brignon, Beuson, Heiss and Clèbes. The Chapter of Sion held most of its Nendaz lands nearby, and the earliest vineyards of the municipality known from documents lay at Brignon. Count Peter II of Savoy had a castle built here, destroyed soon afterwards.[1][2][3]

History of Brignon

1163. Bishop Amédée de la Tour receives from Abbot Burchard of Agaune the parish of Saint-Léger de Nendaz and the grain tithe levied, among other places, at Brignon.[2]

Around 1250. A major of Brignon is recorded for the first time.[2]

1260. Petrus, major of Brignon, tries to force the men of Veysonnaz to work on the castle. The same year a manifesto of the bishop of Sion accuses the people of Brignon of picking quarrels and robbing people of Sion who had come up to the alp with their cattle.[2]

Around 1261. Peter II of Savoy has a castle built at Brignon and installs a castellan. He has it destroyed as early as 1266 (around 1265, by Bishop Henri de Rarogne, according to another source), and Brignon returns to the rank of majorie.[1][2]

1342. Jacquemodus is major of Brignon. The office then passes to Théobaldus de Breyssia and later to his son Jean.[2]

1364. The Count of Savoy assigns payments due to the Chapter of Sion on the major of Brignon.[2]

Around 1422. The major Jean resigns his office.[2]

1434. On 31 May, at Conthey, Aymon de Corbières grants Perronet Cavelli the office of the majories of Brignon, Clèbes and Heys.[2]

First half of the 20th century. The first hotel of the municipality is built on the ruins of the old tower.[4]

Historic sites in Brignon

Castle mound. On the mound where a watchtower stood in the Middle Ages there is now the Château de Brignon restaurant, which has also hosted art exhibitions.[4][5]

Remains in Brignon

Castle ruins. The ruins of the Savoyard castle are still clearly visible.[1][4]

Sources

  1. Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Nendaz » (Pierre Carruzzo), version du 02.11.2010
  2. Lucien Lathion, « Nendaz au moyen âge », communication à l'assemblée de la Société d'histoire du Valais romand, Nendaz, 24 mai 1931, via RERO DOC
  3. Rose-Claire Schüle, « Nendards et Contheysans (Patois et tradition) », communication à l'assemblée de la Société d'histoire du Valais romand, Châteauneuf, 20 juin 1965, via RERO DOC
  4. Nendaz Tourisme, « Brignon »
  5. Commune de Nendaz, Nendaz Panorama n° 114, avril 2014
  6. Office fédéral de la statistique (OFS), STATPOP, chiffres provisoires au 31.12.2025, via citypopulation.de
  7. geo.admin.ch, recherche de lieux (Brignon)

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