Car Hire Switzerland
Driving from Geneva to Martigny
In a previous post, we suggested Lausanne as a great place for a day-trip during a Geneva car hire holiday. In this post, we’ll look at another place that you can visit if you hire a car whilst you are staying in Geneva – the town of Martigny, which is situated in Switzerland’s Valais region, and which is often referred to as ‘a gateway to the Alps’.
Getting to Martigny from Geneva
If you hire a car in Geneva, you can drive to Martigny within an hour and a quarter. Simply head out of Geneva on the A1 toll road and follow it for about 49km. Take exit 17 and follow the signs for Lausanne in order to continue on the A1. Take exit 19 and follow the signs for Montreux in order to get onto the A9 toll road. Leave the A9 at exit 21 and follow the signs into Martigny.
Switzerland Car Hire – Martigny Attractions – St. Bernard Dog Museum and Kennels
Martigny’s attractions include The St. Bernard Dog Museum and Kennels (Musée et Chiens du Saint-Bernard) on Rue de Levant. The kennels are located in an enclosure just outside of the building, and you can see a number of dogs there. The museum itself contains exhibits relating to the history of the St. Bernard breed, together with information about the Great St. Bernard Hospice and Pass.
There is also a restaurant and a gift shop at the museum and you can park your Geneva rental car in the museum’s car park.
Switzerland Car Hire – Martigny Attractions – Roman Remains
Martigny is also known for its Roman remains, which include an amphitheatre and the Mithraeum, a temple dedicated to Mithras, a sun-god. You can also see the remains of the Temenos, a complex which would have included a temple together with accommodation for pilgrims, and the remains of a private house.
Switzerland Car Hire – Martigny Attractions – The Pierre Gianadda Foundation
Another of Martigny’s key attractions is The Pierre Gianadda Foundation (Rue de Forum 59, 1920 Martigny). The building houses Martigny’s Museum of Gallic-Roman Archaeology (Musée Gallo-Romain), where you can see some of the artefacts discovered when the Roman sites in Martigny were excavated together with the remains of a Roman temple.
The Pierre Gianadda Foundation building is also the home of Martigny’s Automobile Museum (Musée de l’Auto), which has a collection of cars dating from the early 20th century, and there are also regular temporary exhibitions of art held there. There is also a Sculpture Park outside of the building, which contains works by a number of famoussculptors, including Henry Moore and Auguste Rodin.
The Pierre Gianadda Foundation has a visitors’ car park, so you can leave your car there while you explore the museums.
Switzerland Car Hire – Other Martigny Attractions
Other attractions in Martigny include: the Manoir de la Ville, an eighteenth century house which is now used as a venue for contemporary art exhibitions; Moulin Semblanet, a 19th century watermill; and Château de la Bâtiaz, a 13th century castle. You can also take a break from your hire car by taking a tour of the town on the “La Baladeur” tourist train or walking along the Vineyard Trail, which leads from Martigny to Château de la Bâtiaz.
