Leukerbad is a lovely small town, conveniently located not far from Geneva, and offers a very different experience to that found in Switzerland's cities.
Where Leukerbad Switzerland is located
Up around the Furka Pass, at the foot of the Rhône Glacier, is where the river named Rhône begins its southwesterly trip to the eastern end of Lac Léman (Lake Geneva). Think of the river and its valley between Brig and Martigny as a spine with wiggly ribs extending from it on both sides. The "ribs" are intersecting valleys accessed by dead-end roads that snake up into the Alps. In these higher valleys are found some of Switzerland's best-known resorts: Zermatt, Saas Fee, Crans Montana, Verbier. Others, like Evoléne, Zinal and the Lötschental, are not so well-known - at least by Americans.
In the lesser-known category is Leukerbad, population 1,700, a modest resort enclosed on three sides by a spectacular sheer rock wall, the Gemmiwand, that rises some 3,000 feet. From the town center, a cable car rises almost vertically to the Gemmi Pass at nearly 8,000 feet, where walkers pick their way over a flat, rocky moonscape and picnic by an Alpine lake.
Leukerbad's main attraction for Europeans is the heated thermal waters which flow from the ground at 51 C (124 F) into dozens of public and private baths and pools. The town's public bathing facilities are impressive and extensive and many hotels have spa facilites.
But for most Americans, Leukerbad in summer is a place for taking it slow; poking around the village, lounging by a hotel pool, or perhaps riding up one of the cable cars for an easy mountain hike. Given its end-of-road location, about 30 minutes by car from the Rhône, Leukerbad is not a headquarters from which to make daytrips.
The town is accessible by car and most SBB fast trains stop at Leuk-Susten where a bus winds the last 30 minutes up to Leukerbad.
How to Enjoy a Good Day in Leukerbad
One of our most memorable hotel stays was three nights in Leukerbad's Les Sources des Alpes, a swank 26-room hideaway with spa facilities and a top-of-the-line restaurant.
Your first day at Les Sources might begin with a sunny alfresco breakfast that includes fresh-squeezed orange juice and coffee brewed to order at your table in a Melior pot. continue...
Up around the Furka Pass, at the foot of the Rhône Glacier, is where the river named Rhône begins its southwesterly trip to the eastern end of Lac Léman (Lake Geneva). Think of the river and its valley between Brig and Martigny as a spine with wiggly ribs extending from it on both sides. The "ribs" are intersecting valleys accessed by dead-end roads that snake up into the Alps. In these higher valleys are found some of Switzerland's best-known resorts: Zermatt, Saas Fee, Crans Montana, Verbier. Others, like Evoléne, Zinal and the Lötschental, are not so well-known - at least by Americans.