 the canton of valais (; , ) is one of the 26 cantons of switzerland, situated in the southwestern part of the country, around the valley of the rhÃ´ne from its headwaters to lake geneva, separating the pennine alps from the bernese alps. the canton is simultaneously one of the driest regions of switzerland in its central rhÃ´ne valley and among the wettest, having large amounts of snow and rain up on the highest peaks found in switzerland. the canton of valais is widely known for the matterhorn and resort towns such as saas fee, verbier, and zermatt. it is composed of 13 districts (hence the 13 stars on the flag) and its capital is sion. ==history==  the romans called the upper rhÃ´ne valley vallis poenina. the vallis poenina was won by the romans after a great fight at octodurus (martigny) in 57 b.c., and was so thoroughly romanized that both the celtic original inhabitants and the germanic burgundian invaders of the 5th century, became romance-speaking peoples. according to a tradition which can be traced back to the middle of the 8th century, the theban legion was martyred at agaunum (now saint maurice) about 285 or 302. from 888 onwards the lands were part of the kingdom of jurane burgundy. thumb|left|valais in 1300 valais formed part of the kingdom of transjurane burgundy, which fell to the holy roman empire in 1032. it became part of the duchy of burgundia minor, which was held from the emperors by the house of zÃ¤hringen (which went extinct in 1218). in 999, king rudolph iii of burgundy gave all temporal rights and privileges to the bishop of sion, who was later styled praefect and count of the valais and is still a prince of the holy roman empire. the count-bishops then struggled to defend their area against the zÃ¤hringer and then the dukes of [[s
Arpitany Cantons_of_Switzerland Cantons_of_the_Helvetic_Republic Valais Wine_regions_of_Switzerland