The morning in Alessandria started gray in gray at about 16 degrees. Rain was forecast, but fortunately it didn’t materialize. We didn’t care anyway – the road took us back towards the Alps today. In stark contrast to the last few days, when we had taken bend after bend, the road was almost dead straight at first, always straight ahead. At an altitude of just 140 meters, it almost felt like “flat”. But the closer we got to the mountains, the more the clouds cleared, the sun broke through and it became noticeably warmer. The steering continued to cooperate – we were grateful to be able to continue our vacation.

After the lunch break – yes, again at the Golden Seagull – we headed quickly towards the Alps. Tunnel after tunnel, with brief glimpses of Lago d’Orta. Above us, paragliders bustled in front of a bright blue sky – what a view they must have had up there!

We soon reached the border with Switzerland. At the Simplon Pass, we plunged into the familiar Alpine world: Gallery tunnels, construction sites, white peaks to the left and right.

Of course, we couldn’t miss the coffee ranking: this time we even treated ourselves to double the amount. The cups in Italy are just so small! Both coffees got a solid 4 out of 5 points, the croissant unfortunately only 3 out of 5, it tasted like the day before.

Then came the big highlight: the Furka Pass with the historic Hotel Belvedere and the Rhone Glacier. The legendary Hotel Belvedere, which has been watching over the serpentines since 1882, lies just below the top of the pass. Once a fashionable destination for glacier visitors, it is now a disused lost place – and yet a magnet for countless cars and motorcycles posing for the iconic photo in front of the historic Hotel Belvedere.

We decided to visit the glacier first. The Rhone Glacier nature trail impressively tells its story: During the last ice age, it reached as far as Lyon; today it is retreating year by year. The panels showing how much ice has been lost since 1850 alone – and how it could disappear almost completely by the end of the century – were particularly depressing.

The ice cave itself looked as if it had been carved into the last large chunks of the glacier. The ice was crystal clear, with a slightly bluish shimmer, drops hanging everywhere, the surfaces smooth and slippery. We were very moved by standing here. You feel so small in front of this force of nature – fascinating and frightening at the same time.

After the tour, the parking lot was a little emptier, so we also managed to take a special photo with the Vitaralino in front of the Hotel Belvedere. Afterwards, we made our way up the last hairpin bends to the Furka Pass and back down again – compared to the off-road week, it almost seemed to fly by.

The Furka Pass is not only one of the most beautiful panoramic roads in Switzerland, it is also part of film history: the legendary car chase from James Bond – Goldfinger with Sean Connery’s Aston Martin DB5 was filmed here in 1964.

In the evening, we moved into our accommodation and rounded off the day with a portion of canned goulash.

Conclusion: A day full of contrasts: from the plains of Italy back to the Alps, from golden seagulls to glaciers, from fast food to the eternity of ice. We were moved by the Rhone Glacier – not only by its beauty, but also by the visible traces of climate change. And the Furka Pass? A classic that delivers what it promises: spectacular roads, magnificent views and a piece of James Bond history.