Although stunning snow-capped mountains abound in Switzerland, most of our bike tours there, like Swiss Lakes by Ebike, are on flatlands, valleys, or rolling hills, making these trips suitable for most cyclists.
By former BikeTours.com tour advisor Alexandra Pitzer
Switzerland evokes images of cozy wooden chalets, twinkling cowbells, and stunning Alpine peaks. However, cycling in this idyllic natural paradise isn’t as challenging as the Heidi movies may lead you to believe. Flat river valleys, the wide northern plateau, and a reliable network of bike-friendly trains, buses, and cable cars allow you to cycle in Switzerland with ease.
The Schweiz Mobil network of cycling, hiking, mountain biking, and even rollerblading paths connects over 3,200 kilometers of national paths that can take you from Geneva in the far West of Switzerland to Martina in the far East of Switzerland, on the Austrian border. Some of these routes follow the crystal clear Rhine, Rhone, or Aare Rivers, while others, such as the Lakes Route, lead from Montreux to Rorschach, featuring 12 of Switzerland’s most stunning lakes along the way.
This network of cycling paths is well-marked, regularly maintained, and used by locals who are happy to direct you if you should lose the path. A friendly cyclist helped my companion and I as we consulted our map outside of Gruyère, Switzerland (yes, home of the delicious cheese used in fondue). His abundant enthusiasm for cycling was infectious. The kind Swiss national cycled with us into town and even shared an aperitif with us at his charming mountain home. As you cycle along the Schweiz Mobil network and interact with locals, you’ll find that the stereotype of Swiss neutrality – or resistance to interacting with “outsiders” – is just that, a totally untrue stereotype.
Considering that Switzerland embraces French, German, Italian, and Romansch people, languages, and traditions, the country is truly a cultural melting pot (pun intended). You can speak French and enjoy crêpes in the west, chat in German over pretzels in the middle and east of the country, enjoy Italian pasta in the south, and discover Romansch, a sparsely used romance language, in the east. You can immerse yourself in the diversity of Switzerland with the convenience of a national network of cycling routes. Whether Swiss landscapes, cuisine, or the unique blend of French, German, and Italian cultures entice you, the ease of transportation and openness of the Swiss people will make your Switzerland cycling tour an enchanting and unforgettable vacation.