The footpath along the west side of our valley to La Luette is now clear of snow, so today I decided to take my mountain bike for a spin down to Sion and then alongside the river Rhone to Saillon.
Some of you may be surprised to know that Switzerland produces quite a lot of wine, though only a fraction of it is exported (mainly to Germany). The Rhone valley is one of the sunniest areas of Switzerland, so there are vineyards to be seen almost everywhere.
Saillon is a beautiful village and its Bayard Tower and fortifications make it a Swiss heritage site of national significance.
Sorry – I mean a dragon !
In case you are wondering – I caught the bus back from Sion ! 🙂
Alittlebitoutoffocus 
Looks like Spring! Lovely photos, glad you took a bus back😉
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Yes, the Rhone valley is usually around 5 degrees warmer than where we live, so the plants are much more advanced. The route was around 40 miles (though a lot of it downhill of course) but it would have been a hard climb back home !
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You wouldn’t believe it, but it’s snowing outside now ! (So I’m glad I went out yesterday !)
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Oh no, April weather can be crazy! We had thunders and hailstone followed by the sunshine in London. You just chose the right moment for your cycle.
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Wow, that’s amazing… I think hailstones in London beats snow in the mountains in Switzerland ! Yes, luckily the forecasts over here are usually 90% correct, so I know when to get my bike out or go for a walk in the mountains. E.g. Sunday promises to be 19 degrees and sunny in the afternoon – in Sion. So I may well be heading there for a run. 🙂
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Lucky you. We still need to wait for those temperatures.
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It was in the 20’s last week in Sion. The temperatures went up due to a wind they call the foehn, which I believe comes from Africa. Grains of sand were reported in Geneva ! In general the summers here are 5 degrees warmer than the UK and the winters 5 degrees cooler.
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I miss hot summers since I moved from Poland to UK but glad that winters are much more milder😉
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Had no idea Switzerland produced wine.
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Yes, I was surprised too when I arrived here 10 years ago. It’s not to everyone’s taste and it can be quite expensive.
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I’m sure Swiss wine is expensive..like a lot of stuff there.
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Indeed – almost everything is expensive here. But you sort of get used to it !
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Am amazed one chooses to retire there. But if you are a Swiss national, then ..
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I’m not Swiss, I’m originally from the UK. There are many, many good things about Switzerland – it’s a very safe place to live, complete strangers say hello as you pass in the street, public transport runs on time, the taxes are lower (than in the UK anyway) and it has beautiful scenery. So what more could one want ? (My answer would be hand pulled British real ale and bacon – but then I’m picky !)
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