CURRENT LOCATION: Hรดtel de Ville, Sierre
On one level – the cycling level – it has been a pretty standard day. Dare I say boring? A flat ride, 90% off road on a good quality path beside the Rhรดne following the route of the EuroVelo 17 or, as it is known locally, national route 1. Sticking to just the cycling for a moment, I say โflat rideโโฆ I knew I was heading uphill but couldnโt help feel that I was heading downhill. After the turn to cycle east following my brief pause in Martigny, the wind was behind me so this may have added to the sensation of cycling down a very gentle gradient but I think of more significance is the valley itself. Iโve experienced this before (although not that dubious โElectric Brayโ place on the west coast of Scotland where I was singularly unimpressedโฆ) in northern Spain in 2019. There too I was cycling through a valley, knew I was cycling uphill beside a river heading in the opposite direction, but had a distinct feeling of going downhill all day. Itโs the brain seeing something – the narrow valley with steep slopes on either side – and convincing the body that it is indeed what the brain sees, despite conclusive evidence to the contrary. Namely the GPS route profile:
The rest of the stuff was quite interestingโฆ Setting off from the same spot as the Tour de France cyclists when they left Aigle back in July, heading south to Martigny and then east to Sierre via Sion. When you think of Switzerland, several clichรฉs come to mind; chalets, snow, cheese, chocolate, watches, banking, cuckoo clocksโฆ I wouldnโt have listed vineyards. Or, indeed, fruit farms or heavy industry. I found plenty of all three today. The entire length of the dog-legged valley from Lac Lรฉman to Sierre (probably further) is a substantial wine producing region. Have you ever drunk Swiss wine? I donโt think I have. According to Wikipedia, 98% of Swiss wine is drunk locally and most of the remaining 2% is exported to Germany. The vineyards in the Valais / Wallis Valley are predominant on the northern south-facing slopes but are also there in number on the southern side of the valley as well. And many of them are in seemingly difficult if not impossible areas to access high above the settlements in the valley floor and the lower slopes. Itโs difficult to imagine how they can make growing and harvesting the grapes in such difficult location profitable but they must do that as otherwise theyโd give the land over to sheep or cows.
The fruit farms are no less numerous but are positioned in the narrow plain of the valley in farm easier to access places; apples, pears, strawberries, tomatoesโฆ those are just the ones I can remember / identify. In a place like Switzerland so much is going on in the valley bottom as everything is squeezed in so tightly. So beside the fruit farms are the motorway, the main / minor roads, the Rhรดne, the cycle path on the bank of the Rhรดne, electricity pylons, the elongated towns and villages and, of course, all the heavy industry that so often is hidden out of view. But it needs to go somewhere and if your country is made up almost entirely of pretty valleys, youโre going to have to use the pretty valleysโฆ
Martigny was quite swish, especially its school that appears in the video. An impressive black block of steel and glass. Sion, with its castle on the hill appeared to be somewhat less swish (although in fairness I didnโt go into the city centre) and Sierre, where I am now, somewhere between the two.
In a few moments Iโll be heading off to my WarmShowers host. Iโve been promised a raclette party (to celebrate his fatherโs birthday rather than my arrival). Bearing in mind tomorrow is Sunday, Iโve stocked up in advance for tomorrowโs climb; bananas, apple, nuts and, err Tobleroneโฆ That should keep me going as I climb the 946m to Camping Brigga. I may need to restock for Monday but Iโll worry about that the day after tomorrowโฆ I am both excited and a little nervous.
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