We have no luck this morning either. We eat breakfast on our balcony and sit there for a long time, hoping to see the Matterhorn in its entirety. But the clouds only reveal bits and pieces of it. At one point, we think we can make out its outline. So we leave Zermatt without a nice photo of the Matterhorn.

As we drive down through Valais, the weather keeps getting better. The Grand Tour route takes us partly along the valley floor, but also up into the vineyards a few times. And the view from up here is truly magnificent.

We have to search for the photo spot in Sion, and unfortunately it is located in a no-driving zone. It shows two castles on the twin hills of the town. These two fortresses dominate the townscape of Sion. Tourbillon Castle was built around 1300 on the higher hill by the Bishop of Sion and served as his residence. It is an impressive example of medieval fortress architecture. On the opposite hill is the fortified settlement around the Basilica of Valère.

It is not far to the next photo spot in Fully. With an elevation difference of 200 metres, the Combe d’Enfer vineyard is one of the steepest in the world. The vines are grown on terraces, each held in place by a dry stone wall. The grapes are harvested by hand, as the vineyard can only be reached by footpath. The amphitheatre-shaped layout and the heat that prevails there inspired the name Combe d’Enfer, which means ‘hell’s abyss’ in English. It is the hottest place in the region’s vineyards.

When we arrive in Martigny, it has started raining again. A few special cars with British number plates are driving past. They are painted, decorated with stickers and decals, and the convertibles are driving with their tops down despite the drizzle. Of course, I want to know more. I find out that they are taking part in the ‘Vienna or Bust’ rally. Starting in Cornwall, they drive through seven countries in seven days and celebrate seven parties on seven evenings. Along the way, they have to complete various tasks to earn points. Here in Barryland, they have to count the dogs. Ultimately, everyone is driving for a good cause, in cars that cost no more than £1,000 and must be at least 15 years old, if I understand correctly. I love it! The fourth photo is from their Facebook group Vienna or Bust 2025.

We have lunch at Café de Barry (which sounds almost like Café de Paris) and I am delighted: the daily special is Vaudois sausage with potatoes and leeks. I order it straight away. Gabi and Chrige both prefer warm sheep’s cheese on bread with honey and salad.

But now it’s finally time to visit the dogs! The new visitor centre at Barryland was completed just a month ago. The two-storey cathedral houses an exhibition on the history of Barry, Switzerland’s most famous rescue dog, and the St. Bernards bred by monks at the hospice on the Great St. Bernard Pass (not the San Bernardino Pass) who searched for and rescued missing persons.

Incidentally, the rum barrel that St. Bernards often wear around their necks in pictures or drawings is a misconception. The alcohol would completely confuse the animals’ sense of smell. It would be impossible for them to sniff out a missing person.

The dogs live on the upper floor during the day, essentially during their working hours. In the evening, they return to their families, with whom they live in their free time. Through the glass front, we can observe them in different rooms when they are not outside – or busy! Syrah is just arriving for aqua therapy. The dog is eight years old and therefore already at an advanced age, when St. Bernards often have joint problems or find it difficult to get up. Hydro therapy helps her to exercise and train her muscles without putting strain on her joints. We can watch and learn a lot about it at the same time.

As we continue on our way, we arrive at the Saint-Maurice photo spot and agree that it could have been positioned a few metres further to the left to capture the view of the large church behind the house, which it shows instead. We quickly drive on.

Then we drive along Lake Geneva to Chillon Castle. We can hardly believe that the railway line was built right next to it. The railway’s power lines make it impossible to take a nice photo from here. At least in the area around the castle, the railway line could have been covered. This would also have made it possible to create additional parking spaces here. We stop for a snack at the Château de Chillon café and to tick off the photo stop. The castle is not wheelchair accessible, so we decide not to visit.

We stop in Montreux to enjoy the sunset over the lake. We stroll along the promenade to the statue of Freddy Mercury before popping into a supermarket to buy a light dinner just before closing time. We take it back to the Modern Times Hotel, where we stay tonight.