home about us reviews videos travel tips travel services eco shop ezine blog contact us

Switzerland cycling holiday

country:Switzerland
trip type:Moderate cycling holidays
departures:2009: 2 Aug, 9 Aug
price:From £634 (8 days) including flights from the UK, plus Fr200 (approx £83) local payment. This trip can also be booked without flights
 
the amazing things you'll be doing
Join a wonderful, easy exploration of gentle valleys of northwest Switzerland.

We explore the Aare valley below the slopes of the Wessenstein ridge on two-wheels as we ride from Baroque Solothurn to the former fortified town of Murten, through the spa town of Yverdon les Bains, to Neuchatel, capital of the canton of the same name and the largest wholly-Swiss lake.

Plus, of course, there’s every opportunity to enjoy the marvellous food and wines of the region! All sites of interest are optional, allowing you to choose which to visit.

Highlights include:
  • Baroque town of Solothurn and Schloss Waldegg.
  • Murten, a beautiful walled town on the shores of Murtensee.
  • Grandson's historic chateau of Avenches-Roman town.
  • Neuchatel, a traditional lakeside town.

    Solothurn and the Aare River
    We first set out from Solothurn, thought to be Switzerland's largest Baroque city, with Italian, Swiss and French influences, and head along the Aare valley towards Wangen. Our route takes us through numerous typically-Swiss villages before we arrive at the beautiful Baroque summer house and gardens of Schloss Waldegg. Next we pass by the interesting wooden bridge that links Buren to Aarberg and enjoy the atmosphere created by the city's elegant facades before arriving in Murten.

    Murten and its Lake
    The wonderful town of Murten provides for an interesting stop, its beautifully preserved medieval buildings surrounded by walls and towers; the lake on which it sits only adds to its beauty. Enjoy a free day to explore the town or further afield on an optional ride which makes a circuit of the lake with an opportunity to ride through vineyards and enjoy a swim. Riding on we pause in Avenches, famous for its Roman amphitheatre, then head on to Payerne and its 11th century church. Finally we arrive in Yverdon les Bains, a famous spa town.

    Neuchatel and the Areuse Gorge
    Another pretty lakeside ride brings us to Grandson, whose stunning chateau sits above the lake commanding wonderful views, and then in to Neuchatel itself. A 2-night stay allows us to enjoy both the town, famous for its watchmaking and home to several excellent museums, or make a fantastic final ride from Fleurier through the Areuse Gorge, where cascading waterfalls and great views of the dramatic limestone bowl of Le Creaux-du-Van won't fail to impress - a great finale to a wonderful week of riding.

    Accommodation, meals and transport: 7 nights hotel; 7 breakfasts included. We use 21 speed hybrid bicycles complete with pannier, water-bottle holder, lock and map holder.

    Group size: Approx 12 to 16 people plus tour leader who drives a support van/co-ordinates rides and transfers luggage.

    Cycling conditions: This tour is suited to those new to the concept of cycling holidays, but who enjoy occasional rides at home. We cover approximately 182km over 4 days, with a further 86km being optional rides on free days. The average ride between night stops is around 45km (27 miles) and the terrain is either flat or gently undulating. Entrance fees to sites are not included allowing you to decide what to visit and for how long and thus ride independently or with several fellow cyclists.
  • day-by-day itinerary
    Day 1:Fly London/Geneva; transfer by train to Solothurn
    Day 2:Ride along Aare valley to Wengen; return Solothurn
    Day 3:Cycle Solothurn to Murten
    Day 4:Ride around Murensee Lake back to Murten
    Day 5:Ride via Avenches to Payerne and Yverdon les Bains
    Day 6:Cycle via Grandson, with opportunity to visit Grandson Chateau, to Neuchatel
    Day 7:Free day; optional train to and ride from Fleurier down Areuse Gorge to Neuchatel
    Day 8:Transfer by train to Geneva; fly London
    small group adventure holiday
    Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places.
    how this holiday makes a difference
    The ‘Cycling through Switzerland’ tour gives a great opportunity to view the region of Mittelland in the northwest of the country. There is a support vehicle which transfers the luggage to the next overnight point, leaving you free to cycle throughout the journey although there is also a scenic train journey to the town of Fleurie on Day 7 and both the airport transfers use local trains giving a change to experience the Swiss train network and reduce carbon emissions. The route takes us through numerous typically Swiss villages where we stay in locally owned accommodation who have introduced various environmental policies including; a restricted water usage, purchasing food locally and employing local staff. Recycling in Switzerland is the law and hotels are required to have bottle, paper and glass banks as well as the requirement to dispose of fat, oil and uncooked food in the appropriate manner. Recycling is free although throwing away rubbish does actually cost money – each rubbish bag has to have a sticker that is purchased from local stores for it to be picked up. Meals are generally taken in the town’s restaurant giving a feel of the regional specialities of the area with some home grown cooking. The tour contributes to the local economy of each of the areas visited as well as experience local nature by visiting various sites of interest.

    We visit Papilorama, a tropical environmental body which houses many species of butterflies and moths and our contribution allows this organisation to continue its work maintaining the various Kaleidoscope's of butterflies and moths. We also taste the local produce of the Vully wine near to the Lake of Murtensee and the Neuchatel vineyards and then pass along the edge of a nature reserve to arrive in Yverdon where we can visit the chateau museum or relax in the thermal spas.

    As well as the above, we support a variety of charities and projects worldwide which support vulnerable communities and habitats including Friends of Conservation, Hope Worldwide and Send A Cow. We are also actively engaged with UK travel industry bodies which promote best practice in responsible tourism, such as Tourism Concern, The Travel Foundation and AITO. Our commitment to responsible tourism is not limited to our overseas operation and we have measures to ensure our UK office operates according to our responsible tourism policy. Carbon offsets for all flights booked with us are included in the tour cost.

    Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people.

    We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel.

    'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left).

    We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays.

    We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism.

    This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards.

    Convert currencies