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Incl. arrival and departure night & train transfer
Cycling La Route Verte
10 days / 9 nights
from £ 1610
You will find plenty of natural jewels in the Swiss parks. La Route Verte leads you on almost traffic-free paths from the Schaffhausen Regional Nature Park with the world-famous Rhine Falls at the door to the 800-year-old lime tree of Linn in the Argovia Jurapark. Then you pass the cliffs of the Thal Nature Park and reach the hills of the Jura. In the Parc du Doubs, you will discover the typical Franches-Montagnes horses before recharging your batteries thanks to the breathtaking views in the Chasseral Nature Park. From here it is only a stone's throw past Lac de Joux to the Parc Jura vaudois just outside Geneva.
Highlights
- Schaffhausen Regional Nature Park, Argovia Jurapark
- Thal Nature Park, Chasseral Nature Park
- Doubs Nature Park, Jura vaudois Nature Park
- Delicacies of the regions
Your itinerary
Schaffhausen - Herznach - Balsthal - Delémont - Saignelégier - Couvet - Ste Croix - Lac de Joux - Geneva
Item 1 of 3
Day 1
Arrival Schaffhausen
Arrival by public transport from your starting point in Switzerland to Schaffhausen. If there is time, it is worth taking a detour to the Rhine Falls and perhaps a boat trip on the Rhine.
Highlights: Europe's largest waterfall - Rhinefalls - historic old town and Munot Fortress
Day 2
Schaffhausen - Herznach
On quiet cycle paths, the first stage of La Route Verte takes you through the vineyards and picturesque villages of the Schaffhausen Nature Park. Take advantage of the stop to taste the delicious wines. On the way to the Jurapark Aargau, you will pass the "moated castle" where the Reuss, Aare and Limmat rivers meet. On the way to the small village of Herznach, you can pay a visit to the 800-year-old Linde of Linn.
Details: approx. 80km, ↑960m ↓940m
Day 3
Herznach - Balsthal
You will pass small villages in the Argovia Jurapark and continue through a beautiful landscape dominated by tall trees. After Rothenfluh the area becomes more urban again. You roll past Liestal, the capital of Canton Basel-Landschaft. Now once again steeply uphill and with momentum down into the densely wooded Thal Nature Park.
Details: approx. 70km, ↑1490m↓ 1420m
Day 4
Balsthal - Delémont
The third stage of La Route Verte begins in the heart of the Thal Nature Park, which is characterised by forests, vertical gorges and deep ravines, and climbs up the Passwang, crossing the language border and reaching the canton of Jura.
Details: approx. 45km, ↑855m↓ 940m
Day 5
Delémont - Saignelégier
Shortly after the start of the ride, two smaller passes await you and, with St-Ursanne, the gateway to the Parc du Doubs. You will then cross the Franches-Montagnes. Countless paddocks characterise the landscape here. The destination of the ride is the small town of Saignelégier.
Details: approx. 62km, ↑1675m ↓ 1100m
Day 6
Saignelégier - Couvet
You pass the sunny heights of Mont-Soleil in the Chasseral Nature Park with its observatory and dry stone walls. You leave La Chaux-de-Fonds behind on your way to the Val de Travers. In constant ups and downs, you reach the home of the Green Fairy.
Details: approx. 70km, ↑1100m ↓1350m
Day 7
Couvet - Ste-Croix
Asphalt mines, absinthe distilleries and steam locomotives characterize the first part of today's tour. The journey through the Val-de-Travers is picturesque, the following ascent sweaty.
Details: approx. 30km, ↑620m ↓275m
Day 8
Ste-Croix - Lac de Joux
Some sweaty climbs will bring you to the shores of Lac de Joux. Situated at over 1,000 metres above sea level, a unique natural paradise awaits you here in the Parc Jura vaudois.
Details: approx. 45km, ↑1070m ↓1100m
Day 9
Lac de Joux - Geneva (surroundings)
You're climbing the Col du Marchairuz. From here you can see the clay spruces of the Risoud forest and the Lake Geneva region stretches out before you: You can see the Jet d'Eau from afar. Behind it, the white snow-covered peaks of the Mont Blanc massif sparkle.
Details: approx. 70km, ↑765m ↓1395m
Day 10
Departure
Return trip by public transport from Geneva to your final destination in Switzerland or extend your stay.
Tour characteristics
A challenging tour along the chain of hills of the Jura. The tours lead mostly on little used side roads. Only in the urban centres is a little more traffic to be expected. Because of the sometimes challenging climbs, we recommend that you tackle the tour with an electric bike. La Route Verte mostly follows the signposted routes of Veloland Schweiz. In the cantons of Jura, Neuchâtel and Vaud, orientation is easy; before that, the different routes change several times a day.
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