Saillon Facts for Kids

Saillon is first mentioned in 1052 as castellum Psallionis. The municipality was formerly known by its German name Schellon, however, that name is no longer used.

Geography

Saillon and surrounding communities

Saillon has an area, as of 2009^[update], of 13.7 square kilometers (5.3 sq mi). Of this area, 5.17 km² (2.00 sq mi) or 37.6% is used for agricultural purposes, while 2.81 km² (1.08 sq mi) or 20.5% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 1.12 km² (0.43 sq mi) or 8.2% is settled (buildings or roads), 0.31 km² (0.12 sq mi) or 2.3% is either rivers or lakes and 4.27 km² (1.65 sq mi) or 31.1% is unproductive land.

Of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 3.3% and transportation infrastructure made up 3.1%. Out of the forested land, 16.8% of the total land area is heavily forested and 3.1% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 6.2% is used for growing crops, while 24.2% is used for orchards or vine crops and 7.0% is used for alpine pastures. All the water in the municipality is flowing water. Of the unproductive areas, 13.2% is unproductive vegetation and 17.9% is too rocky for vegetation.

The municipality is located in the Martigny district, on the right bank of the Rhone. It consists of the village of Saillon and exclave of Euloi.