Making More of Martigny

Most skiers pass through Martigny on the way from Geneva to Zermatt, Verbier, Crans-Montana and other ski resorts in western and central Switzerland.

It sits just off the motorway in the Rhone Valley and is on the main railway line.

Just a handful of people used to stop, but that is now changing as Martigny has rather reinvented itself.

It is a genuine mountain town at an historic crossroads of the Alps between Switzerland, Italy and France.

Now it offers much more than people may think.

We report on the town itself and the ski resorts nearby, but we start in LôDzè Quartier –  the new jewel in the crown of Martigny that represents its changes and its aspirations.

LôDzè Quartier is rooted in community and built on design, creativity and wellbeing.

A place to eat, rest, connect and restore – Alphonse, Les Bains Publics, Le Cercle restaurant, Borsari hotel and Sauciteque.

The project cost CHF 41.5m (£35m) and opened a year ago.

The Borsari hotel feels more like one of the boutique hotels of Zermatt or Verbier – but at a fraction of the price.

Rooms start at CHF 195 (£186 per night) for two people and suites are CHF 450 (£380).

There are 50 rooms and the hotel can accommodate over 100 people.

The hotel is a member of the Design Hotel group that has 322 hotels in the worldwide portfolio, with just four in Switzerland

In its centre, or ‘heart’, is a courtyard where one feels one could easily be in Tuscany.

It is ultra modern and the Borsari hotel is the polar opposite of the traditional family run Swiss hotel.

Here is PlanetSKI’s bedroom: 03.1

 

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Some rooms nod to the Swiss chalet heritage.

LôDzè Quartier has quickly become an integral part of the town of Martigny and reflects the changes taking place.

Many locals come to eat, drink and relax.

“We don’t want to be a hotel behind closed doors, but rather an integral part of the local community,” said the founder and owner, John Cretton.

Creating it has been his passion since he first has the idea 12 years ago.

“We are not trying to be Verbier but we do want to attract its visitors as they pass by on their way to or from the Swiss resort.”

“We see a growing number of Swiss who go to Verbier and other resorts at the weekend and then stop here on their way home on Sunday night.”

“We pride ourselves on attention to detail and I am proud to say that the builders began as labourers, but ended up as craftsmen.”

This can be seen in ‘Les Bains Publics’ in the basement of the hotel.

More of the baths later.

Oh, and in case you are wondering ‘LôDzè’ means ‘Water Energy’ in the local patois dialect.

Then there is the town of Martigny itself.

It sits at 471m above sea level and has a population of around 20,000 people.

It feels more like a French town, than a Swiss one.

It has had some notable travellers passing through over the centuries.

It is littered with relaxing bars and it has much more of a ‘vibe’ than it used to.

Here’s the Whitefrontier micro brewery, with beer tastings on offer.

There are some high quality and discreet restaurants.

Perhaps its most famous tourist attraction is Barryland.

It is home to the St Bernard dogs that in the summer head to the St Bernard Monastery on the border between Switzerland and Italy.

There are currently 34 dogs housed in a newly constructed kennels and exhibition centre.

It cost CHF 25m (£21m) and opened in June 2025.

It sees up to 1,000 visitors a day in peak season.

Meet Edène who weighs in at 70kg.

And her friends.

There is more to Barryland that the dogs themselves as it is part museum with details of the St Bernard Monastery and the alpine history of the region.

Then there is La Batiaz, the castle fortification that towers over the town.

It was built in the mid-13th century and holds a strategic position at the head of the Rhone Valley.

There’s an amphitheater on the edge of town that was built following the Roman conquest of the region in 57BC.

It is used today for concerts and exhibitions, and this July it is hosting a silent disco.

There are art exhibitions and events at the Fondation Pierre Gianadda.

There is plenty to do for families, and then there is this:

See more here – TrapGame.

People use Martigny as a base for skiing the many surrounding ski resorts.

“We see LôDzè Quartier as a basecamp, so people can explore the surrounding ski resorts and mountains,” said Sophie Dommet from LôDzè Quartier.

“They can try the many different ski areas and if the weather is poor, or they simply want a day off, there is plenty to enjoy in Martigny.”

Montreux and Lausanne are also a short distance away by road or rail.

It is quite simply one of the best alpine bases that I know if you want to visit a multitude of resorts from an historic alpine town.

Though much smaller, it has a passing resemblance to those other historic alpine gateway towns of Aosta in Italy and Innsbruck in Austria that PlanetSKI knows well.

Verbier & Chamonix can be easily reached by road and rail from Martigny.

As is Crans-Montana with its fabulous views across the Alps.

So too is Zermatt, but it is a longer journey.

Unless you go by helicopter – there is a helipad near the LôDzè Quartier where you can fly to the famous Swiss resort.

Or there is heli-skiing available from Martigny to the Petit Combin across the valley from Verbier for CHF 700 (£670) for a group of four people.

There are numerous other resorts within reach including Villars and Les Marecottes that are on the Magic Pass.

From Martigny it is a one hour drive to Aosta through the St Bernard tunnel, with the fabulous resort of Crevacol on the way.

• Avoiding the crowds in the Aosta Valley; Crevacol

Others in the Aosta Valley including Pila and La Thuille.

Then there is the mighty Portes du Soleil with its 12 resorts and more than 600kms of pistes, that can be accessed from Morgins or Les Crossets on the Swiss side of the linked ski area.

What I like is not so much the number of resorts and size of areas within reach, but the variety of skiing and snowboarding on offer.

There is something for everyone within reach of Martigny.

Earlier we mentioned Les Bains Publics in the basement of the Borsari hotel in the LôDzè Quartier.

It is part of the hotel, and like all the areas in LôDzè Quartier it is open to the public.

We’ll  let the pictures do the talking:

On my brief visit I never found time for a dip as I was too busy experiencing some of the other attractions Martigny has to offer.

Next time…

I’ll be back and suggest you put Martigny on your list of places to visit if you want an altogether different experience in the Swiss Alps.

It won’t disappoint.

Useful Links:

• Martigny
• LôDzè Quartier
• Verbier
• Crans-Montana

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