IsérablesBuilt on a steep slope, this vertiginous village overlooking Riddes in the Rhône Valley has been secluded during centuries, until the construction of a cable car in 1942 and of a road in 1960.Built on a steep slope, this vertiginous village overlooking Riddes in the Rhône Valley has been secluded during centuries, until the construction of a cable car in 1942 and of a road in 1960.
When you see Isérables from the plain, roughly halfway between Martigny and Sion, you can't help but be surprised: to the south, a gap in the mountains, houses clinging to a vertiginous slope, a highly unlikely site for building a village...
For centuries, only a winding path connected the village to the plain, and it took an hour and a half to walk there, with a 640-metre climb. Although it remained almost inaccessible until the 20th century, Isérables has existed since time immemorial. It is mentioned under the name Aserablos in 1227, but much older remains have been found there, dating back to the Iron Age and Roman times.
The construction of one of the first cable cars in Valais in 1942 and a road in 1960 brought the village out of its isolation. Curiously, a large watch factory was established there in 1957, and in the 1960s and 1970s, assembly plants created many jobs. Ski lifts and other mechanical lifts appeared in 1970, but tourism development remained modest.
A peaceful destination away from the crowds, Isérables intrigues and charms visitors with its spectacular views of the plains and mountains. Devastated by fire in the 17th and 19th centuries, the village was partially rebuilt in stone, but wood remains very present in the buildings.
Incredible but true: surrounded by terraced fields and old ‘raccards’ (granaries), the village has been, despite its isolation, the breadbasket of Martigny until the 19th century. Next to Saint-Théodule Church, the Isérables Museum preserves a wealth of heritage, with the main theme being adaptation to the slope, a major challenge for the ‘Bédjuis’ (Iserablans).
Our recommendation: take the cable car rather than the car to visit Isérables, and you won't have any parking problems! It departs from the lower station in Riddes every half hour throughout the year, except in strong winds. (There is also a post bus, but the little cable car is much more fun!)
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