Saillon facts for kids

Saillon
Coat of arms
Country	Switzerland
Canton	Valais
District	Martigny
Area
• Total	13.74 km2 (5.31 sq mi)
Elevation	510 m (1,670 ft)
Population (Dec 2015 )
• Total	2,482
• Density	180.64/km2 (467.86/sq mi)
Postal code	1913
Surrounded by	Fully, Leytron, Riddes, Saxon
Twin towns	Barbentane (France)

Saillon is a municipality in the district of Martigny in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.

History

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, 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.

Images for kids

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  Town hall

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  Saillon village street

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  Fortifications

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  Bayard Tower