Schruns sits at about 650 metres in the Montafon, a long valley in Vorarlberg, Austria's westernmost state, where the river Ill runs south between the Rätikon and the Silvretta ranges. It is a small town of under four thousand people, with a pointed church tower, wooden chalets and a feel of quiet prosperity, and its sister village Tschagguns lies just across the river. In winter the area is busy with skiers, and in summer with hikers and cyclists, but outside the high seasons it is peaceful, and a good place to sleep after a long day in the saddle.
Ernest Hemingway spent a winter here in 1925 and 1926, skiing and writing, and some of The Sun Also Rises was revised in the valley. The valley also has its own traditions, including a local sour cheese called Montafoner Sura Kees, which smells strong and tastes sharp and creamy, and a dialect that sounds quite different from standard German. The old mining history of the area is remembered in a small museum, and the narrow-gauge railway that runs along the valley floor is still in use.
The great attraction for riders is the Silvretta High Alpine Road, which starts at Partenen at the head of the valley and climbs in a series of about thirty hairpins to the Bielerhöhe, at 2,032 metres. At the top lies the Silvretta reservoir, with a dam and a view of glaciated peaks, and the road continues down to Galtür and Ischgl in the Paznaun valley. It is a toll road, closed in winter, and normally open from late spring to autumn depending on snow. The surface is good, and the hairpins are wide enough to be enjoyable but demanding in traffic.
The valley road itself, from Bludenz up through Vandans and Schruns, is gentle and pleasant, passing meadows and old farmhouses. Traffic is light apart from peak holiday periods, and the locals are used to motorcycles.
Fuel is easy in Schruns and Tschagguns, and there is a good choice of hotels and guesthouses, many offering secure parking for bikes. Evening meals are generous, with Käsknöpfle, a dish of cheese noodles with fried onions, a common choice. Mornings are cool and clear, so start early for the pass.