Cycling round Lake Geneva
Route: Montreux-Villeneuve-Aigle-Montreux
Length: 40km / 3 hours cycling there and back (allow time for visiting places on route)
Route summary: This leisurely cycle ride (approximately 40km round trip) takes you along a section of the Route du Rhone cycle route along the shores of Lake Geneva (Lac Leman) to the charming small town of Aigle, which is renowned for its chateau and vineyards. The route closely follows the shore of Lake Geneva from Montreux to Villeneuve, passing the picturesque Chateau de Chillon. It then heads across a wooded nature reserve to meet up with the river Rhone, where the cycle path heads away from the lake and follows the river with views of farmland, vineyards and the surrounding mountains. An easy, flat route, this cycle ride from Montreux is ideal for leisurely cyclists or families.
A free cycle route map can be obtained from the Montreux tourist office.
Route Notes: From Montreux train station head down to Lake Geneva and join the lakeside promenade. Cycle along the path keeping the lake on your right - at first it may be busy with pedestrians, but once you pass the casino it becomes much quieter. Continue along the cycle route adjacent to the lake, passing the international youth hostel, and after about 3km you will reach the majestic Chateau de Chillon, a superb photo opportunity. If you are in no hurry, there is a pleasant beach here so you could stop for a swim on the way there or back.
Continue along following the lake until reaching Villeneuve. There is an open-air swimming pool here in a fantastic location by the lake, or beaches for swimming in the lake. You may wish to make a brief detour to visit the small town of Villeneuve or continue following the cycle route signs.
Follow the Route du Rhone (route 1) cycle signs and you will weave your way through the nature reserve eventually meeting up with the river Rhone where the cycle route follows the river. Keeping the river on your left, follow the signposted route to Aigle and Martigny.
Leave the cycle route when directed to Aigle and join a road (with a cycle lane for most of the way) for about 4km, heading into the town centre. As you pass under a bridge, you will see a Co-op, a useful place to pick up a picnic. Don’t make the mistake of thinking there is nothing much to see in Aigle, but instead head right into the town centre and cycle through it heading off towards the right up to the Chateau, just a few minutes away. This older part of Aigle is really pretty with vineyards covering the gentle slopes, typical Swiss houses, wine cellars, and the Chateau itself which houses the Vaudois Wine Museum and Wine Label Museum.
To return, retrace your route back to Montreux. You could take an alternative route through the nature reserve as a slight variation as there are several cycle routes through here or if you wish to extend your cycle, you could cycle to Bouveret, a small resort near the lake, where there is a popular aqua-park and beaches, then head back to Montreux following the signs
Bike Hire: Bikes can be hired from Montreux train station although during busy periods, it is best to reserve ahead to be sure of getting a bike. The hotel opposite Montreux train station and the youth hostel also hire bikes. Another alternative is to rent bikes from Vevey train station or at weekends in the summer you may find bikes to rent for free adjacent to Manor shopping centre in Vevey, just opposite the station.
This entry was posted on Saturday July 18th, 2009 at 4:00 PM and is filed under Places to Cycle. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response.
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