Carry-of-Scex

The Carry-of-Scex the is a locality located at the North-East of the village of Vouvry in the canton of the Valais in Suisse, on the cantonal road St-Maurice - St-Gingolph. It is a crossing point tightened between the foot of a peak of Préalpes and the the Rhone. A small castle, which resembles a strong house more, keeps the passage.

Toponymy

The orthography of this locality varied during the centuries: Saix, Scé, Sex to arrive at the current SCEX/of Latin saxum, a calcareous balance of rock maintaining a little recut to let pass the road.

History

Before 1500

Until 1358, the files of Vouvry do not speak about the locality Carry-of-Scex. But some lucky finds however testify to an older history. A polished stone axe was found in a slit of the rock dominating the current road. Hippolyte Pignat, president of the commune of 1855 to 1876 and author of historical notes, speak to us about Roman currencies (disappeared since) discovered in a kind of small fort builds close to the passage.
In 1358, the Tavelli Lords of the Tower are authorized by the Count AmédéeVI of Savoy to establish brackets on one their seigniories. The selected place is it Carry-of-Saix. Later, these gibets will be planted in Proz, in an island of the Rhone.

From 1500 to 1700

In 1536, the Berneses conquered the possessions of the Dukes of Savoy. The communes downstream from Saint-Maurice ask for the protection of High-Were worth. Vouvry lends oath of fidelity on February 7th, 1536, just like the other communes of the current district of Monthey. At that time, a toll existed with Carry-of-Saix. Perhaps a first building existed there, the files do not say anything of it. On the other hand, a large ditch dug in 1591 downstream from the current castle costs 400 guilders, paid by the communes of the ten-line stanza of Monthey.
In 1597, the construction of a castle starts and in fact still the communes of the ten-line stanza will pay it. As for Vouvry and Vionnaz, it is necessary for them to ensure the payment of the pay of the guards in charge of the monitoring of the passage, perhaps the top of the small tower from which one distinguishes the ruins on the old photographs. The time is disturbed, of the foreign armies often cross the country. In a notarial act of 1639, one mentions rampart of Carry-of-Scex.
In 1658, one starts to dig the Stockalper channel and in 1661, the commune of Vouvry sells in Gaspard Jodoc Stockalper, alone importing of salt for Were worth, a piece of ground located with Under-Vanel, against 51 ducats and a tank of wine to drinking with the next Easter.
Of 1672 to 1678, one rebuilds a new castle, that which we know by the oldest photographs. The lord of the manor of Bouveret is authorized to come to reside in the new masonry but it will never come there. At that time, the passage is extremely animated and the very attended vat. The files bring back the used tariffs of toll but also the many litigations, incidents and facts of smugglings.

From 1700 to 1900

In 1743, one builds a signal on the rock with the expenses of the ten-line stanzas, Vouvry having to provide the firewood for the guards.
the French political changes touch Were worth it. Since 1798, we belong to the Swiss République, but times are disturbed, the devastated country. Napoleon decides the annexation of Were worth in France in 1810. At that time, the castle is degraded and almost given up, there remains a soldier and a caretaker there. Schiner Description of the Department of the Simplon.
In 1815, Were worth it becomes a Swiss canton but the country saw years of misery. Whole families leave towards Americas. One on several occasions consolidates the castle and his ramparts, mined by the floods and the water of the marshes. About 1820, customs and a cabaret animate the places. In spite of the various episodes of civil war between the Top and Low-Were worth it, in 1938 one replaces the vat by a solid bridge covered out of wood of larch. Rodolphe Töppfer and its pupils passes there in 1841. It leaves us a description and a sketch of the places. In spite of its political struggles, Were worth it opens in the world and engages in the construction industry of the railroad, One creates dams to maintain the Rhone in his bed and to protect the way. One prolongs the channel to cleanse the marshes. The Ligne of Tonkin is inaugurated in 1859.

As of the XXème century

In spite of the work undertaken in all Were worth it, the Rhone overflows regularly and, in 1902, the river drowns the plain. The north-eastern frontage of the castle collapses and the bridge is ruined. One hesitates then one repairs what remains building. As for the wood bridge, it is replaced in 1904 by the iron bridge which we know. The Door of Scex becomes the residence of the cantonal gendarmerie until 1967.
In 1937, the crenelated wall must be cut down to facilitate the motor vehicle traffic in full expansion.
In 1940, the castle takes again service. One partly builds an anti-tank stopping still visible in the north of the castle and a small fort inside the Partly empty rock
, the castle is degraded slowly during the years of post-war period. Thanks to the will of the vouvryens and their president Bernard Dupont, the restoration of the monument is undertaken and its cultural role defined by a convention signed in 1976.

Sources

Castle of Carry-of-Scex the
Plate published at the time of the restoration. Commune of Vouvry, 1976
Collection of notes and historical documents on Vouvry
Hippolyte Pignat, president of the commune of Vouvry of 1855 to 1876.
" Were worth of 1798 with 1840" by Michel Salamin, Editions of the Manor, Sierre 1978

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