Les Mayens-de-Sion
Origin of the name Les Mayens-de-Sion
The place bears the name of the town of Sion, whose inhabitants have stayed in their mayens since the 17th century. When the name first appears is not known.[1]
Founding of Les Mayens-de-Sion
Les Mayens-de-Sion are linked to the summer stays of the people of Sion. From the 17th century, the families of Sion were in the habit of spending time in their mayens to escape the heat and epidemics. For those settled above the bisse des Mayens, the local name of the Grand Bisse of Vex, the lower chapel and the parish church of Vex were too far away. Burghers of Sion, landowners and members of the ruling class, from the Charvet, de Riedmatten, Kuntschen, Ambuel and de Torrenté families, then founded a second chapel on the territory of the municipality of Vex. Many of the founders were women, such as Marie Judith de Riedmatten and Marie Cécile de Torrenté.[1]
History of Les Mayens-de-Sion
1453. The Grand Bisse of Vex, called here the bisse des Mayens, is recorded.[1][2]
17th century. The people of Sion take up the habit of staying in their mayens.[1]
1680-1684. Near the village of Les Agettes stands the chapel of Notre-Dame de la Visitation, known as the lower chapel.[1]
1770. According to the list of its founders, the upper chapel was reportedly founded that year.[1]
1773. Completion of the works and opening of the upper chapel, which receives its first ex-voto.[1]
1774. Bishop François Melchior Zen Ruffinen, a benefactor of the chapel, has a chalet built nearby.[1]
1786. The chapel has eight endowed masses, against three at the start. There are 13 in 1820, 18 in 1837 and 23 in 1884.[1]
1874. From 22 to 24 August, the festival of the Swiss Alpine Club in Sion continues in the mayens. Participants camp near the chapel, and Flavien de Torrenté gives the club an erratic boulder from his property.[1]
2001. The Bourgeoisie of Sion becomes owner of the lower chapel.[1]
2014. The upper chapel also passes to the Bourgeoisie of Sion.[1]
2019-2022. Restoration of the upper chapel: drainage in 2019, new roof in 2020, repainting of the whole building in 2022.[1]
Historic sites in Les Mayens-de-Sion
Chapel of Notre-Dame du Bon Conseil. Known as the upper chapel, it stands in the municipality of Vex, above the bisse des Mayens. Its dedication was probably inspired by the icon of the Madonna of Genazzano, very popular in the 18th century. Its ex-votos painted between 1773 and 1803 come largely from the Rabiato-Koller workshop.[1]
Chapel of Notre-Dame de la Visitation. Known as the lower chapel, it stands near the village of Les Agettes, on the territory of that municipality.[1]
Legends of Les Mayens-de-Sion
The stranger and the sand. According to tradition, as the founders hesitate to build their chapel on this spot, a poorly dressed stranger arrives, perhaps an angel, and shows them where to find the sand needed for the building. Marie de Riedmatten is the first to record the story, in her manuscript « Trois mois sur la montagne ». Jules Monod takes it up around 1900, then Maurice Zermatten in 1941.[1]
Sources
- Anne Andenmatten, Patrick Elsig, Gisèle Carron, Nathalie Allet, « Notre-Dame du Bon Conseil. La chapelle d'en haut », Sedunum Nostrum, bulletin 96, Sion, 2023 (avec la Bourgeoisie de Sion)
- Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz (Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse), « Vex » (Catherine Raemy-Berthod, version du 03.01.2015, version allemande)
- Office fédéral de la statistique (OFS), STATPOP, chiffres provisoires au 31.12.2025, via citypopulation.de
- geo.admin.ch, recherche de lieux (coordonnées)
Other villages near Les Mayens-de-Sion
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