After one last look at the Stockalper Palace, we leave the cosy and traditional town of Brig with its rich history. Soon the birds fly fearlessly around our heads, darting from bushes and nearby cornfields. The noises from the road, railway and industry are barely noticeable from the other side of the Rhone, perfectly «soundproofed» by the trees and river. Unassuming from the outside but spectacular on the inside, Brigerbad is the largest open-air thermal spa in the Alps: probably not the worst way to soothe aching muscles…

The route continues comfortably through Lalden and Baltschieder. Lucky visitors will be able to see a farmer shearing his sheep. The typical black-nosed sheep are sheared twice a year, as their long hair makes them very sensitive to heat. Lovers of German literature will be most delighted to reach the next destination. Known as the «Rilke village», Raron is a beautiful place that has been lovingly spruced up. The world-famous poet Rainer Maria Rilke (1875-1926) settled in Valais in 1921 and chose Raron’s castle hill as his final resting place.

Then suddenly, vineyards stretch as far as the eye can see. The Valais Wine Trail begins in Leuk and covers 83 kilometres all the way to Martigny. Just after Leuk is also where the Pfynwald Nature Park begins. Switzerland’s largest pine forest, a patchwork of extreme drought and idyllic alluvial landscapes, forms a unique habitat for 470 plant varieties and 130 species of breeding birds. Here, the cycle path on the wide main road runs slightly uphill once again. Despite the noise of an occasional truck, passing cyclists can still take in a healthy dose of the «Pfynwald atmosphere» between Leuk and Sierre. The Rhone Route is also dotted with gravel pits and quarries for them to admire. No wonder, as Valais seems positively surrounded by rock and stone. The route soon reaches Sierre, once dubbed «the town of a hundred hills» by the Romans. The wine capital of Valais also forms the language border between French-speaking Lower Valais and German-speaking Upper Valais.