Monthey Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Monthey

Monthey from Pierre des Marmettes

Coat of arms

Monthey

Location in Switzerland

Monthey

Location in Canton of Valais

Switzerland

Area

• Total

28.7 km² (11.1 sq mi)

Population

(Dec 2020 )

• Total

17,820

• Density

620.9/km² (1,608/sq mi)

Demonym(s)

Les Montheysans

Postal code

1870

Surrounded by

Bex (VD), Châtel (FR-74), Collombey-Muraz, Massongex, Montriond (FR-74), Ollon (VD), Troistorrents, Val-d'Illiez, Vérossaz

Twin towns

Diekirch (Luxembourg), Ivrea (Italy), Tübingen (Germany), Göd (Hungary)

Monthey is a town in Switzerland. It is the main town of the Monthey district in the Valais canton.

Monthey from above in 1949

History of Monthey
Geography of Monthey
Monthey's Coat of Arms
People and Culture in Monthey
- Monthey's Population
- Sports and Fun in Monthey
Economy in Monthey
Education in Monthey
Famous People from Monthey
Twin Towns
Gallery
See also

History of Monthey

Monthey has a long history! The town's castle was built way back in 950 on a hill. The first houses of Monthey grew up around this castle.

Monthey was first mentioned in official records in 1215. In the 1200s, the counts of Savoy owned the village and its surrounding area. In 1352, Count Amédée VI gave the people of Monthey more freedom. During the early 1300s, Monthey had several industries, including silk production and grinding mills.

Geography of Monthey

A street in Monthey's old town

Monthey covers an area of about 28.6 square kilometers (11 square miles). A large part of this land, about 45%, is covered by forests. Another 27.5% is used for farming. About 19% of the land is built up with buildings and roads.

Monthey is the main town of the Monthey District. It sits on the left bank of the Rhône River, where the Vieze river flows into it. The town is also at the entrance to the Val d'Illiez valley. Monthey is located on the west side of the Rhône valley, south of Lake Geneva.

Monthey in winter

Monthey's Coat of Arms

The town's coat of arms shows a green oak tree growing from green hills on a gold background.

People and Culture in Monthey

Monthey's Population

Monthey has a population of over 18,000 people. About 29% of the people living in Monthey are from other countries. Over the past 10 years, the population has grown quite a lot!

Most people in Monthey speak French as their first language. Other languages spoken include Italian and Portuguese.

About 24% of the population are children and teenagers (under 19 years old). Adults (20-64 years old) make up about 62% of the population, and seniors (over 64 years old) make up about 13.6%.

Sports and Fun in Monthey

Monthey is a lively town with lots of sports and cultural events!

In 2005, Monthey hosted the European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF), which is a big sports event for young athletes.
Monthey is home to the BBC Monthey, a basketball team that has won the Swiss Basketball League championship twice.
The town also has a football (soccer) club called FC Monthey, which was started in 1910.
Every winter, Monthey hosts a very popular Carnival. It's a big celebration with parades and music that people from all over the region enjoy!

Carnival in Monthey (2007)

A Guggenmusik band at Monthey Carnival

Economy in Monthey

Monthey is an important place for Swiss industry. It has large companies like Novartis and Syngenta, which are chemical companies. There is also a company called Giovanola that works with metals. Near Monthey, in Collombey-Muraz, there is even an oil refinery.

The town is also close to the famous winter sports area called the Portes du Soleil, which brings many tourists.

Monthey is also home to Bolliger & Mabillard, a world-famous company that designs exciting roller coasters!

Many people in Monthey work in different areas. A lot of jobs are in manufacturing and construction. Many others work in sales, transportation, hotels, restaurants, and healthcare.

Education in Monthey

Monthey has good educational opportunities. About one-third of the people in Monthey have finished high school. Many have also gone on to higher education at universities or special colleges.

The town has a library called the Médiathèque de Monthey. It has over 41,000 books and other media, and it loans out many items each year.

The Stained Glass Arts and Fine Arts College is also located in Monthey, offering special training in art.

Famous People from Monthey

Kaja Eide Norena, 1909

Many talented people have come from Monthey, including:

Eidé Norena (1884 – 1968), a famous Norwegian singer.
Pierre Mariétan (born 1935), a Swiss composer who creates unique music.
Philippe Pottier (1938 – 1985), a Swiss football player.
Jean-Luc Benoziglio (1941 – 2013), a Swiss writer.
Pierre-Yves Borgeaud (born 1963), a Swiss film director.
André Simonazzi (1968 – 2024), a Swiss politician.
Steve Morabito (born 1983), a Swiss professional road bicycle racer.
Ralph Boschung (born 1997), a Swiss racing driver.

Twin Towns

Monthey is connected to other towns around the world through "twin town" partnerships. These partnerships help towns share culture and ideas. Monthey is twinned with: