Alittlebitoutoffocus

Alittlebitoutoffocus

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 ! 🙂

14 responses

  1. Beautywhizz Avatar
    Beautywhizz

    Looks like Spring! Lovely photos, glad you took a bus back😉

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    1. Mike Hawtree Avatar
      Mike Hawtree

      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 !

      Liked by 1 person

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    2. Mike Hawtree Avatar
      Mike Hawtree

      You wouldn’t believe it, but it’s snowing outside now ! (So I’m glad I went out yesterday !)

      Liked by 1 person

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      1. Beautywhizz Avatar
        Beautywhizz

        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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        1. Mike Hawtree Avatar
          Mike Hawtree

          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. 🙂

          Liked by 1 person

        2. Beautywhizz Avatar
          Beautywhizz

          Lucky you. We still need to wait for those temperatures.

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        3. Mike Hawtree Avatar
          Mike Hawtree

          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.

          Liked by 1 person

        4. Beautywhizz Avatar
          Beautywhizz

          I miss hot summers since I moved from Poland to UK but glad that winters are much more milder😉

          Liked by 1 person

  2. Jean Avatar
    Jean

    Had no idea Switzerland produced wine.

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    1. Mike Hawtree Avatar
      Mike Hawtree

      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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      1. Jean Avatar
        Jean

        I’m sure Swiss wine is expensive..like a lot of stuff there.

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        1. Mike Hawtree Avatar
          Mike Hawtree

          Indeed – almost everything is expensive here. But you sort of get used to it !

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        2. Jean Avatar
          Jean

          Am amazed one chooses to retire there. But if you are a Swiss national, then ..

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        3. Mike Hawtree Avatar
          Mike Hawtree

          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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