Rankweil is the practical, friendly town that sits where the Walgau meets the Rhine Valley, about ten kilometres from the Swiss border, and it is a place riders pass through more often than they stop. With about twelve thousand people, it has the services you want, including fuel stations, supermarkets, bakeries and cafes, and it makes a good place to rest and refuel before heading up into the hills. The town lies at about 470 metres, in a wide valley between the Vorarlberg mountains and the Rhine, and it is easy to reach from the motorway.
What sets Rankweil apart is the church on the hill. The Basilica of Our Lady, known as the Liebfrauenberg, stands on a rocky outcrop above the town, a fortified church with a tall tower and thick walls that have watched over the valley for centuries. It has been a pilgrimage site since the Middle Ages, and the view from the top, across the rooftops to the mountains, is lovely. A covered stairway leads up from the centre, lined with the stations of the cross, and the climb takes only a few minutes.
Food is the pleasant part of a stop here. Vorarlberg has a proper cuisine, and the signature dish is Käsknöpfle, little dumplings of dough covered in melted mountain cheese and topped with crisp fried onions, usually served with apple sauce and a green salad. It is the kind of lunch that makes the afternoon ride feel slow. Local bakeries make good bread and pastries, and a coffee and a slice of cake in a cafe is easy to arrange.
The surrounding roads are a gateway to better riding. To the east, the roads climb into the Laternsertal and up to the Furkajoch, while to the west, the valley road leads toward Feldkirch, an attractive medieval town with a castle and old arcades. The Rhine Valley itself is flat and busy, but turn off into the side valleys, and the roads become narrow, quiet and winding.
In summer, the valley can be hot and humid, with thunderstorms building over the mountains in the afternoon. Spring and autumn are more comfortable, with sharp, clear light on the peaks. Traffic around Rankweil is heavy at commuting times, so if you can, start your day early.