Cycling routes

Wine route Sion-Leuk (stage 2)

Sion

3/16°

Closed

The second part of the route takes you from the historic monuments of the Valais capital through sunny vineyards into the heart of Leuk town.

Difficulty

Intermediate

Length

55.28 km

Duration

4:57 h

Description

Leave the urban landscape of the capital Sion to ride leisurely through the vineyards before reaching mountain roads promising magnificent climbs. Pass through well-known regions such as St-Léonard with its underground lake, the sunny town of Sierre or Salgesch with its many red grape varieties that make the village the most important winegrowing community in Upper Valais.

Turn-by-turn directions

The second stage of the wine route, which connects Sion with Leukerbad, leads up the Rhone Valley along the impressive dry stone walls lining the right bank. From the foot of the historic Valère and Tourbillon castles, you cycle through the heart of a great variety of grape varieties, sometimes white, sometimes red, across the hilly terrain and the steep slopes of Valais. After all these efforts, you can treat yourself to a moment of relaxation with a tasting of local wines or a stroll in the thermal waters of Leukerbad.

Start

Sion (station) (656m)

Destination

Leuk (station) (623m)

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Author's recommendation

Leuk is home to the oldest vine in Switzerland, a Cornalin planted in 1798. Once there, you should not miss tasting the wine made by the region's winemakers based on this vine under the name Vitis Antiqua 1798.

Technical information

Altitude

889m

483m

Ascent

+1241m

Descent

-1274m

Technique

Stamina

Experience

Landscape

Best time of the year

Public transport

Regular train connections from all over Switzerland to Sion. Possibility to take the bus from Sion station to La Muraz, Mont d'Orge. At the end of the route, you arrive at Leuk station. Timetables for trains and buses can be found at sbb.ch.

Approach

Via the A9 motorway from Lausanne or Sierre, exit Sion-East (No. 27) or via the cantonal road. Via the roads open all year round: Pass La Forclaz, Great St Bernard tunnel, Simplon Pass. Via the passes only open in summer: Great St Bernard, Nufenen, Grimsel, Furka.