Le Rhone

We got an early start and said our goodbyes to Anaïs, Laurent and the boys, then we started pedalling up the Rhône. We followed the river mostly as we rode to Brig. The trail felt flatter than we'd expected, likely helped by a moderate tailwind. Leaving Brig we took some side roads to avoid the traffic of the main highway, but the elective additional elevation gain felt oppressive given the heat of the day. As we climbed higher the valley narrowed, although there were still pastures even on the very steep slopes. Close to Fiesch we found a suspension bridge across the Rhône where the river had carved a deeper canyon. Then we were up in the flatter alpine pasture lands where small villages dotted the landscape with distinctive sun-darkened wood houses. After 75 km we called it a day and found a small forested campsite along the 'young Rhône', also called the Rotte, for a refreshing sleep in the alpine air.Read more