BICYCLE TOURS & MOUNTAIN BIKING

Lausanne - St.Gallen (Route G)

Comfortably biking from Lausanne to St. Gallen, away from traffic, in the middle of the Alps is a rather special travel experience accessible even to less ambitious cyclists. Switzerland is unendingly varied. The fascinating landscapes have always held writers, artists, sportsmen and naturalists in thrall. During a cycling trip through Switzerland, you'll experience the glistening glacial worlds of the high Alps, the Mediterranean climate of Wallis and Lake Geneva, tumbling mountain streams and gently rolling meadows. Showcased in this natural splendor are proud castles, venerable churches, quaint farmhouses, painterly villages and particularly lovely city views. Now and then Rotalis uses the train or Swiss postal busses to avoid busy stretches of road or to gain altitude. Some of these rides, such as the grandiose panoramic stretch of the "Glacier-Express," and the "Montreux-Berner-Oberland-Bahn," are exciting travel experiences in and of themselves. During these parts of the tour the bikes are entrusted to the accompanying Rotalis van with its bike trailer.

Tour Details

Day 1: Sunday
Lausanne - Montreux (17 miles)
After a short ride along the shore of Lake Geneva, head up into the Lavaux vineyards for an unforgettable ride through the stunning scenery afforded by these "thousand hanging gardens." Each turn of the path affords a spectacular view of these terraced vineyards, supported by stone retaining walls, often considered some of the most beautiful manmade landscapes. Around noon you'll reach the old winery town of Vevey with it's large Central Square and unusual 18th century Market Hall. A few miles further on lies Montreux, a world renowned vacation spot, where you'll enjoy the Belle Époque ambiance of one of the city's noblest palace hotels, the "Suisse & Majestic".

Day 2: Monday
Montreux - Fribourg (35 miles)
A ride on famous Montreux-Berner-Oberland narrow-gauge railroad brings you nearly 2,000 vertical feet up to the mountain villages of the Waadtländer Alps above Montreux while affording stunning views of the lake. From here you'll follow the Saane River to today's destination. Along the way you'll pass through a magical alpine valley, lovely pre-alpine landscapes and along the Greyerz Lake. The Town of Greyerz is one of the most scenic and most photographed in Switzerland. The afternoon ride ends at the nicely situated "Golden Tulip Hotel." In the late afternoon you can tour the town. It's "1,100 gothic houses" and geographic position make it one of the most painterly towns in Europe.

Day 3: Tuesday
Fribourg - Bern (38 miles)
After two hours of biking you'll reach Murten, a town surrounded by a defensive wall and tower with a picturesque main street. The next destination, in the shadow of the Jura Mountains, is Le Landeron - a beautiful village that consists only of two great rows of houses, and Erlach, an old administrative center of the Bern region. From here you'll have a lovely view of the "Petersinsel" island, refuge of Rousseau in 1765. At the end of the day you'll tour picturesque narrow streets, fountains and splendid house facades of Bern. Tonight's hotel is the "Stadt Bern".

Day 4: Wednesday
Bern - Grindelwald (30 miles)
This morning, you’ll head into the Berner Oberland region in the direction of Thun, with a stunning panorama of the Alps. Around noon you'll reach Thun, a town ruled by its imposing Norman-style castle, and characterized by the old-fashioned high sidewalks of the atmospheric old-town main street. A ship will bring you across Lake Thun from Spiez to Interlaken, the most well-know tourist town in the Berner Oberland area. After a leisurely walk along the promenade, you'll ride the Jungfraubahn railroad 1,600 vertical feet up to the glacier village Grindelwald in the shadow of the legendary Eiger Mountain. There you'll enjoy the hearty hospitality of the excellent hotel "Belvedere".

Day 5: Thursday
Grindelwald - Beckenried (45 miles)
Today is the greatest and longest leg of the tour. In the morning you'll head by bus to the top of the 6,412 ft. high Große Scheidegg Mountain. From here you'll roll 13 miles and 4,500 vertical feet downhill. On this unforgettable descent through the Rosenlauital valley you'll be treated to views of a glacial valley, roaring waterfalls and fantastic alpine meadows at the base of the wildly jagged Engelhörner peaks. The views over the 12-13,000 foot peaks are a revelation for every romantic mountain-loving soul. In the Aare Gorge a jade-green shining river flows between the narrow imposing cliffs. Continuing on through the Brünig area, you'll pass scenic lakes on the way to the Vierwaldstätter See, king of the alpine lakes. Today's hotel, the "Seehotel Sternen," is directly on the lakeshore.

Day 6: Friday
Beckenried - Hurden bei Rapperswil (30 miles)
After crossing the lake by ferry you'll ride four miles along the shore and then off into the historical heart of Switzerland. You’ll pass the town Schwyz in the canton of the same name, origin of both the Swiss flag and the name "Switzerland." Continuing on through a high-altitude heath you'll reach a viewpoint over the pilgrimage site of Einsiedeln. There you'll visit the imposing convent complex, a baroque masterwork before crossing the Sihlsee Lake on a 1,300 yd.-long promenade. Soon after you'll reach a rise looking over Lake Zürich 1,600 ft. below. You'll arrive at its shores near the town of Pfäffikon after an exciting descent. It's not far to your lakeside hotel, the "Rössli."

Day 7: Saturday
Hurden - St. Gallen (23 miles)
On this last day you'll ride on hidden paths along the lake and then through marshland at the foot of the Toggenburg Mountains. A short train ride will bring you to a viewpoint at 3,000 ft. elevation from which, on a clear day, one can see "nearly half" of Switzerland. The tour ends with a bike descent to St. Gallen on small paths and streets offering beautiful panoramic views. You'll arrive at around 3:00 p.m. in time for good travel connections to Germany and the Zürich airport. Those wishing to stay and enjoy the city and it's fantastic collegiate complex and library will be given information by Rotalis.

Arrival:
Arrival on Saturday in Lausanne. Direct train connections from Geneva airport (three trains per hour - a 45 minute trip approx.) or Zurich airport (about 2.5 hours). Your room is reserved at the "Hotel Royal Savoy", an excellent hotel located in a beautiful park (overnight stay and breakfast are included in the package). Lausanne's cosmopolitan atmosphere, museums, and nice shopping areas are worth a visit.