Switzerland Family Bike Tour Itinerary

Day One: Lausanne – Montreux
At the Lausanne train station, your guides will greet you and transfer you to Epesses, in the heart of the terraced Swiss vineyards. In Epesses, you will have a light lunch and your introductory wine tasting with Marina Bovard, one of the only female winemakers in the region. After the tasting your guides will prepare you with a bike fitting and map review before we cycle off through the scenic vineyards and learn about the colorful history of this region. We’ll pass through historic Vevey, home of food giant Nestlé, and the burial place of Charlie Chaplin. Then we cycle onto Montreux, famous for its Jazz Festival, for a historical visit of scenic Chateau Chillon, built on an island in the lake. We then return to our hotel in Montreux, a destination for outstanding hospitality, and the perfect place to have our first gourmet dining experience together overlooking the Lac Leman. After dinner, retire to your room for a good night’s sleep.

Meals: Lunch & Dinner
Destinations visited: Grandvaux, Epesses, St. Saphorin, Vevey & Montreux
Distance cycled: 28 kms / 17.5 miles

Day Two: Montreux – Villars sur Ollon
Once satisfied with breakfast, having enjoyed the view as the sun slowly rises, your guides will propose to you your options for the day.  The adults can choose either to accompany the kids on their morning adventure or to cycle around the lake.   Meanwhile, your kids will enjoy a fun ropes course in the forest as the budding Tarzans within are able to monkey around in the trees to their hearts' content!  The bike ride follows the gentle contours of the Upper Rhone to Yvorne and passes through Aigle before arriving in Bex.  After utilizing the historic cog-train to head up the mountain, everyone can meet in Gryon to continue even further uphill by gondola.    A quick downhill ride will then bring everybody to Taveyanne, this hamlet is our perfect setting for an alpine lunch at a local refuge. In the afternoon parents and kids will ride together throughout the lush alpine forest, passing Barboleuse, Arveyes, and then arriving in Villars, a small Alpine village with a reputation for being one of the most prestigious destinations in the world where we will enjoy a chocolate tasting. Here we will spend the next two nights in one of the top hotels in town. 

Meals: Breakfast/ Dinner
Destinations visited: Yvorne, Aigle, Bex, Barboleusaz, Villars-sur Ollon
Distance cycled: 40 kms / 25 miles

Day Three: Hiking to the Alpine Lakes
Today we leave the bikes behind as we take to the hills by foot to relish in the peace and quiet of these ancient travelled paths.  We’ll start our hike from the hotel, passing le Col de Soud, the alpine golf course and heading to the emerald Lac des Chavonnes for lunch in a special setting accessed only by foot!  We’ll treat you to some specialties selected by your guides to introduce you to some famous cheese based dishes.  After lunch we will hike back to Villars or you can always jump on train if you are tired! You have several options available for dinner tonight that your guides would happily propose.

Meals: Breakfast/Lunch
Destinations visited: Villars, Bretaye, Lac des Chavonnes
Distance hiked: 7 kms / 4.4 miles

Day Four: Villars sur Ollons to Gstaad
We start the day with a ride from Villars to les Diablerets deriving from the French ‘le Diable’, the devil. But no one need harbour any fears in Les Diablerets today, as you’ll be pleased when you reach the top to admire the views the glacier at 3000 meters!  Changing states from the French speaking part to the German one, our final destination is Gstaad.  Today will be our most challenging day on the bike with rewarding views of the surrounding mountains.  We’ll reach les Diablerets for an open lunch, and then climb to Le Col du Pillon at the base of the Glacier des Diablerets, the rest of the ride is a glorious downhill to Gstaad.

Meals: Breakfast/Dinner
Destinations visited: Villars, Les Diablerets, Gsteig, Gstaad
Distance cycled: 40 kms / 25 miles

Day Five: Rossiniere
Another day and another way of discovering the Swiss Alps, today we’ll take everybody rafting! Our day will start from Gstaad paddling down the Sarine River, adrmiring the mountains from another viewpoint.   At the end of the ride and after a hot chocolate we’ll transfer you to our friends Pipo’s Alpine farm for lunch.    Together, we’ll learn the art of the traditional cheese making of l’Etivaz. Pipo has many stories to tell about himself, his cheeses and his mountains. After a generous cheese tasting and sampling of some of the other local products, we’ll jump back on our bikes cruise on (or take the van) back to Gstaad.Before you retire for the evening, we’ll end with an amazing cheese Fondue dinner.

Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
Destinations visited: Saanen, Rougemont, Rossiniere & Gstaad
Distance cycled: 20 kms / 13 miles

Day Six: Beyond the Alps
After breakfast and a final bike or hike around the village, we will see you off at the train station as you head on to your next destination.

Meal: Breakfast
Accomplished: Total Satisfaction!

TRIP TOTAL: 128 kms biking, 7 kms hiking, 10 kms kayaking/ 80 miles biking, 4.4 miles hiking, 6 miles.  Optional longer rides available each day.