Traveling in Switzerland
by bycicle
This is the second country in our series of best countries to go cycling. Again it’s a small country with a heart for cycling, mountains and nature. Their neighbour is the iconic Liechtenstein. It’s surrounded by the Alps, we’re obviously talking about Switzerland. Besides the fact that you can find delicious Swiss meals after a skiing session you can enjoy a very nice cycling holiday in Switzerland.
Traveling in Switzerland
Switzerland
The Swiss landscapes are gorgeous, peaceful and in winter even white. In the mountains you’ll find the same people as yourself: people who want to taste some of the Swiss culture. The air is very clean and there are other things to do to keep you fit. If you already planned to discover Switzerland traveling by road bike would be a great way to do that! It’s better for the environment and a nice way to cross other cyclists (like the talent Stefan Küng). Just like Denmark, from last article, Switzerland is very rider-friendly. An example of that is that there are shared roads. Beside that there are many cycling trails, many minor roads and other roads that basically are only accessible to road bikers. With road biking in Switzerland the pro, advanced and even beginners will get great experience.
Common routes
Valais
The Region of Valais is primarily known to winter sports fans, like the well known skitowns Zermatt, Crans-Montana and Saas-Fee. The region benefits the most sunhours in Switzerland and because of that it kind of has an own climate. Thats one of the main reasons why it attracks so much cyclists. You’ll find much variety in terrain, like the fine small villages, forests, but also you’ll find some farmhouses with ringing cowbells. This is a very common region for cyclists who want a cycling holiday in Switzerland.
Col de la Croix Loop
60-kilometres long. Evelation gain of 1,540 metres. After every turn a dazzlingly view. That’s what sums this trail up. It’s a nice climb that isn’t too hard to conquer, but it’s still in the Alps. Road biking isn’t that hard. However there are a couple of tough climbs at … grades. This one has a total climb of 22 kilometres. Save your energy for that part! You’ll definitely gain energy when biking through charming villages where you can relax and take a meal or drink. After a stop you can continue your way up. After passing the Villars ski resort you’ll encounter a quieter and breathtaking road. That’s mainly because you wont be crossing much intersections. When taking this trail you’ll encounter many landscapes, including Vineyards.
Furka Pass
At an height of 2,429 metres this 49-kilometres long route represents the most beautiful piece of Switzerland in the snow season/ The Furka Pass gained fame after being featured in the James Bond movie ‘Goldfinger’ from 1964. While driving his Aston Marting he raced against a Ford Mustang. Even years later these roads are drawing both drivers and cyclists. Beside the Furka Pass there are other scenic roads situated in the same area. That will make your bucket list smaller and smaller. When ancountering the Hotel Beldevere, you can pause for a minute while enjoying the stunning view and the extraordinary place the hotel is situated at. My hint for you is to pass around 6pm. Around the hotels area all the traffic stops to enjoy the sound of nature (perhaps the sound of the glacier).
Emosson Dam
In 2016 the Emosson Dam was the finish of one stage in the Tour de France. So you can set your stacks in those from professionals! Beside the fact that the Tour has been there it’s a 32 kilometer long road. The ride has two mountain passes to conquer at heights of 1,528 metres (Col de la Forclaz) and 1,956 metres (Col de la Gueulaz). The trail starts in the town of Martigny’s vineyards where you can choose between the steep road towards the Col de la Forclaz (2020 UCI World Road Cycling route, but it never took place due to covid) or following the Tour de France. Whichever way you choose, at the top you’ll cross the Emosson Dam and dinosaur tracks imprinted millions of years ago. It’s a nice, wild and unrelenting ride to the top, but once you get there the view of the Mont Blanc is breathtaking.
Food
We, cyclists, are drawn to food the minute we come out of the shower, right? That means there got to be a couple of places where you can relax, eat a meal and enjoy the view during your cycling holiday in Switzerland.
– One of the best and most common meals is: wiener schnitzel with a lemon, ‘Preiselbeere’ and french fries. It’s an easy recept to make, but the texture is delicious. You can find it on every menu in the Alps region.
– Goulash with knödel is also very common. Especially in cold times. The fine goulash on stove (already in the morning) and the knödel is a good meal when needing a lunch and not wanting to get full.
– Käsesplatzle or Kasnocken is a pasta dish consisted of much cheese and fried onions. Generally it’s served most in Austria and the taste of it differs per region. Everytime it’s filling and tasty.
– Another well-known dish in the Alps is cheese fondue. After cycling a fondue is a great way to eat in the refuge or at the terrace. A pot of fondue centred on the table while dipping baguette in it, but don’t lose it, because an action like that concludes a punishment like washing the dishes ;).
Most trails in the Swiss Alps are equipped with a refuge every 10 kilometres. So there are many options to choose from: every meal a different view, every meal diffent people and every one of them has a different cosy interior. So now you’ve got every sign to go lunch in Switzerland, haven’t you?
Co-cyclists
While doing a cycling holiday across Switzerland you’ll probably turn into other cyclists. You probably share an interest: cycling or Switzerland. While being on a cycling trip it’s likely you’ll make contact with others. But if not, I would strongly reccomend to get into conversations with co-cyclists. The road to your destination could take a completely different turn. The most places where you have the opportunity to interact with other cyclists are:
– Bars, restaurants and café’s: especially when road biking in Switzerland you will turn into some. Because you’re in the mountains most sportsmen (and women) are drinking something in a café. They’re almost everytime in for a talk.
– Viewpoints: every cycling route has been equipped with a couple of viewpoints. While enjoying the view you could start a conversation with someone and maybe it turns out you’re staying in the same hotel. Or the other person has some tips about the area.
– Hotels: people could be such different, but also great to talk to. When doing a cycling trip you would be staying in the hotel for one night, but meeting other people is always a great opportunity to learn something about Switzerland or the Alps.
Nature
The natural beauty of Switzerland is something else than you’re used to. Its just stunning. This country is located in the centre of Western Europe and a part of it is part of the Alps. In the Alps you will find a variety of viewpoints. The Matterhorn is one of the most photographed mountain of the world and also one of the highest mountains of the Alps. The height goed up to 4,478 metres. When you look at the mountain you’ll see in fact a green landscape at the bottom but a snowy area at the top.
Switzerland is also proud having the largest waterfall in Europe. The Rhine Falls is a wall of frothing white foam falling down with hundreds of cubical metres of water. It’s beautifull to see, because there are a lot of rocks that absorb the millions litres of water.
The Jungfraujoch, also known as the top of Europe, is an impressive area of the Swiss Alps. It’s very snowy, very rough, but will also give you a beautiful experience. Fortunatelly it’s accessible by train.
The Aletsch Glacier is one of the great glaciers from the last Ice Age. With that the Aletsch Glacier is the largest glacier that can be found in Europe. That’s probably because it stretches 23 kilometres.
Lake Lucerne spans four valley’s. So it has a very unusual shape and with that it’s also called the ‘Lake of the Four Forested Elements’. It’s has all the beauty a lake needs and I think when you’re in the area it’s an opportunity I would recommend.
Obviously all these places are a sleeping beauty, so when you go road biking in Switzerland I would strongly recommend these spots. I hope I will hear something about your experience.
Bike shops
Switzerland is a bit densely populated, what results in having not that much bike shops. But like every country in Western Europe it has at least some bike shops. Many towns have local bike shops where you can fix your bike or buy assecoires. You’ll find the big guys in city’s like Basel and Zürich. Velomaerkte is a well known bike store in those cities and it has a large assortment between normal city bikes to road bikes. It’s very nice to check it out once you’re there.
Stay tuned for the next two best countries to visit for a cycling holiday!
Have you already read my latest post about Cycling in Denmark? Go and check it out now!
