Chemin du Vignoble
Overview
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Distance 49 km
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Ascent 1250 m
Intro
French-style joie-de vivre in Sion, the quaint main town, back-breaking work in the hot, steep vineyard slopes, perspiring round bends on tiny, boiling-hot mountain roads, your reward a wine-tasting session to tickle the taste buds and refresh the palate.
Description
Sion is recognizable from afar thanks to the high towers of Castle Tourbillon and the Castle of Valeria. These iconic landmarks stand guard over the sun-drenched capital of the canton of Valais. Right from the start, the stage leads through lively city districts and up into the vineyards, all the while accompanied by a spectacular view of the mountains. It’s a sporty route that takes you through towns such as Grimisuat, Signèse and Argnou beforeswinging back down to the plain and into St. Léonard.
At Les Condémines, a few sandstone formations jut out strangely from a small forest. They are somewhat reminiscent of the pyramids of ancient Egypt, or perhaps the earth pyramids of Euseigne on the other side of the valley. The route between Flanthey and Ollon, takes in both a “chemin du vignoble” (vineyard trail),and a“chemin des pressoirs” (wine-pressing trail) where you can admire a stately wine press right on the bike path, just next to a bench. Before arriving in Venthône, you first have to cross the 4,192 meter-long Sierre-Montana railway. The funicular opened in 1911 and is one of the longest in the world, and climbing 931 meters – with a huge average gradient of 48 per cent – to reach the modern holiday resort of Crans-Montana.
The picturesque village of Venthône is home to a 15th century castle and a Gothic church. In Veyras, fans of the Austrian poet and playwright Rainer Maria Rilke can visit the Château de Muzot, in whose tower Rilke lived in seclusion from 1921. The wine village of Salgesch is straddles the language border between Upper and Lower Valais, just above the Rhone and the Pfyn-Finges Nature Reserve. You can experience this linguistic phenomenon for yourself in the town’s round restaurant, where on one side of the building you’ll hear French, while on the other side, patrons chat away in the “Wallissertitsch” (Walser German) dialect. Constantly ascending and descending, you continue through the wine village of Varen and finally make your way to Leuk. Leuk is home to the oldest vine in Switzerland, a variety known as Cornalin, that was planted there in 1798.
An enjoyable tour includes the careful planning of the same. Please inform yourself in advance at the local information center about the route and weather conditions. Depending on the season and weather conditions, this route may be blocked or interrupted
| Start location |
Sion
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|---|---|
| Destination |
Leuk
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| Ascent |
1250 m
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| Descent |
1300 m
|
| Distance |
49 km
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| Distance on tarred ways |
45 km
|
| Distance on natural surface |
4 km
|
| Physical requirements |
Difficult
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| Theme |
Through a vineyard
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Quick Facts
Route number
