Brigerbad thermal baths – bathing fun in Valais

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Bikini, beach towel… Did I pack everything? It is still dark outside when we make our way to Valais shortly before seven o’clock. During my high school years in Thun, a wellness trip to Valais in November was part of the tradition. At that time, the Leukerbad was the nearest thermal bath and we always looked forward to splashing around in the hot water until our skin became “wrinkled”.

When the Brigerbad reopened in 2014 after a two-year renovation phase as a year-round operation, I had already been stationed in Zurich for some time and was busy getting to know my “new” home bit by bit. In the meantime, we have found that day trips to Valais are also easily feasible from Zurich. So it’s high time to revive old traditions and tackle the long overdue visit to the Brigerbad.

Where the Romans bathed in hot water

The history of today’s Brigerbad can be traced back to the Romans. They already knew about the thermal springs and appreciated the warm water. It was already known at that time that the high content of sodium calcium sulphate and lithium in the thermal water of the Brigerbad has a positive effect on various rheumatic and neurological diseases. In the course of time, however, the pool experienced a constant up and down and fought against the pitfalls of nature from time to time – tunnel collapses, floods, rockfalls…

In the 1950s, the married couple Hans and Cécile Kalbermatten laid the foundation for the successful development of the Brigerbad, which is now one of the largest open-air thermal swimming pools in Switzerland and is just as worthwhile a destination in summer as it is in the winter months.

The 3-hour entrance fee for the thermal bath and the spa area costs 25 CHF – which is a really good price in a cross-comparison. That’s why, in my opinion, it’s worth buying the more expensive spa ticket. Otherwise, you’ll miss one of the highlights. First of all, we dip our feet in the over 40° hot water of the grotto swimming pool, which is part of the historical part of the bathing complex. If you feel the need for a really warming bath, then you’ve come to the right place. Right next to it is the “Cold Water Cave Pool”, which, with around 18° fresh water, offers the ideal starting point for a refreshing alternating bath. Admittedly, I had to bring myself to stand under the waterfall

Spa Time in the Brigerbad

In addition to the two rock baths, the spa area offers three aroma steam baths at different temperatures, a Kneipp facility and a wooden, bio and salt stone sauna.

If you want to treat yourself or your loved ones to a special moment of well-being, I recommend taking a look at the day spa offers and the various massages. We only sampled the treatment rooms briefly – but at the sight of the beautifully prepared massage tables, I regretted for a moment that I hadn’t planned a time slot for a massage.

Relaxation in the fresh air

Instead, we now turn our attention to outdoor baths. In the winter months, the 34°-36° warm spa pool and 28°-30° warm rock pool are open.

From the bubble loungers, I look directly at the “sunny slag heaps” of the Lötschberg south ramp and am surprised to find that the Brigerbad is located directly below the Lötschberg mountain route. With the RegioExpress Lötschberger, which runs on it, you can easily get from Bern directly to Brig without changing trains. Although I have driven the route umpteen times, I have never consciously noticed the thermal bath from the train. Presumably, this is due to the successful natural embedding in the terrain.

Indulgence in the Brigerbad thermal baths

In no time at all, the morning is over and my wrinkled hands are a clear sign that we have savoured the warm thermal water abundantly. If we had known that Valais would surprise us with sun instead of the predicted rain, we would have approached this day differently. A trip to the Brigerbad can be perfectly combined with a spectacular bisse hike or a stroll through the beautiful old town of Brig. If the weather is nice, I would recommend you to plan the active part first and then end the day in the bathroom.

Before we make our way to Brig, we need a little refreshment. For this we stop at the restaurant Cécile (named after Cécile Kalbermatten, who died in 2016), which belongs to the Brigerbad. The menu includes a variety of Valais specialities – including dishes made with pasta from Goms locally made from certified organic raw products. The mountain herb ravioli with chanterelle sauce taste at least very delicious!

A detour to the Stockalper Castle

Hikers will find a signposted path directly behind the thermal baths that leads in the direction of the “Valais Sun Trail”. If, like us, you decide to take a leisurely stroll through the city, you can take the bus, which connects the thermal baths with Brig every half hour. The city at the foot of the Simplon Pass has always been an important international transport hub.

In this respect, it is not surprising that Brig exudes a touch of Italianità. This can be seen, for example, in the Artisti restaurant on Sebastiansplatz. We secure one of the sought-after sunbathing spots, order two espressos and share the homemade tiramisu. The tip for this restaurant was given to me by blogger colleague Andrea.

Later, we get some exciting background information about the history of Brig on a city tour. On previous visits, for example, I didn’t consciously notice the statue of “Geo Chavez”. On 23 September 1910, the Peruvian set off from here in Brig for the first time crossing the Alps. Today, the international airport in Lima is named after him.

In many other anecdotes about the beautiful patrician houses and beautifully decorated squares, Kaspar Stockalper has his fingers in some form at play with him. In the 17th century, the gifted entrepreneur shaped the trading activities of the region. So it is not surprising that the water rights of the Brigerbad were once in the hands of the Stockalper family.

The most magnificent sight in Brig is the Stockalper Palace, which testifies to the wealth of its builder. I have already admired the inner courtyard with its three-storey arcade wings on a previous visit to Brig. This time we get the opportunity to visit the castle premises. Part of it is now used by the city administration. However, some magnificent rooms can be viewed as part of public tours.

If you want to extend the day trip to Brigerbad and Brig into a weekend trip, I recommend reserving a chic room at the Hotel de Londres in the middle of the city center of Brig.

[alert color=”FFFFFF” icon=”Select an Icon” title=”BLS Tip: with a discount to the Brigerbad“] Currently, you benefit from a 20% discount on the entrance fees to the Brigerbad thermal baths mentioned in this article. If you arrive by public transport, there is an additional 20% discount on the journey to the Brigerbad thermal baths. The special offer is available online in the BLS leisure shop at bls.ch/brigerbad until the end of January 2019. You can find more exciting regional excursion destinations and leisure tips on the Lötschberger-Land excursion platform.

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