Brunnen is a lakeside town on the Urnersee, the southern arm of Lake Lucerne, and it sits where the water bends sharply around the cliffs and the Alps appear in layers. The setting is dramatic. Mountains drop straight into the lake on both sides, the water runs deep green or blue depending on the sky, and the opposite shore with its steep forests and little white villages looks almost too composed. It is also a historic place. In 1315 the early Swiss cantons renewed their alliance here after the battle of Morgarten, an agreement known as the Pact of Brunnen, and the town has a long record of hosting meetings, merchants and, later, tourists.
Today Brunnen is a resort town with a promenade, a harbour with steamers, and a main street of cafés and hotels from the age when visiting the Alps was fashionable. The lake climate is mild, and you will sometimes see palms and other warm-weather plants in gardens, a surprise in a landscape of cold peaks. The föhn wind, a warm dry gust that comes over the Alps, can be strong here, making the lake choppy and bringing sharp clear views of the mountains. Locals often claim to feel the föhn in their heads, and some blame it for bad moods.
For riders, Brunnen is a natural food stop between the Rigi roads and the Axenstrasse. The streets can be busy on summer weekends, with tour buses, cyclists and families, but the lakeside is wide enough to find a bench or a terrace. Order something simple. Lake fish such as perch fillets are a classic in this region, and the cafés here usually have some form of rösti and local sausage if you want something filling.
Fuel is easy, since Brunnen and neighbouring Ingenbohl have stations on the main road, and Schwyz is a few minutes inland. Public parking near the water gets full, so ride a block or two back from the front if you need a space, and keep valuables with you.
It is worth walking to the water's edge even for ten minutes. Across the lake you can see the Rütli meadow, the traditional birthplace of the Swiss Confederation, and steamers cross it in summer. The light gets soft by late afternoon, and the mountains turn from grey to rose as the sun drops.