Leuk sits on a small hill above the Rhône, with a castle at the top, a church with a tall spire, and a street plan that has changed very little since the Middle Ages. In German it is Leuk, in French Loèche, and the double name tells you where you are: on the language border of the Valais, where the French-speaking lower valley gives way to German. For centuries the town was the seat of a regional government, and the old houses along the main street, with their carved wooden balconies and painted shutters, reflect a prosperous past.
Above the town, a side road climbs into the Dala gorge toward Leukerbad, one of the largest thermal bath resorts in the Alps. The hot springs, rich in minerals, have attracted visitors since Roman times and made the village famous in the Middle Ages, when travellers took the waters and crossed the Gemmi Pass to the Bernese Oberland on foot or mule. The climb is a pleasure for a rider, with a tight, twisting road through rock and forest, and a final approach to the high amphitheatre of the village, ringed by cliffs. Watch for rockfall and for the occasional bus on the narrow sections.
On the valley floor, the road between Leuk and Sierre runs beside vineyards and the remnant of the Pfynwald forest, so you can ride a pleasant, easy half hour between the two towns. The riding is more of a gentle ramble than a challenge, but the light is lovely and the pace is relaxed. Wind can be strong in the valley, especially in the afternoon, and the Rhône basin often funnels it up toward the Alps.
Leuk has a few shops and cafés, with a bakery or two for coffee and Valais rye bread, which is dense, dark and keeps well. Fuel is available in the town or at Sierre, about eight kilometres away, where there are more services. For a classic Valais meal, look for raclette or dried meats, and try a glass of Fendant, the local white wine made from the Chasselas grape.
The dry air and strong sun of the valley are reliable from spring to autumn. The best light comes in late afternoon, when the castle and the cliffs turn amber.