Goms – Montreux – Genève – Lyon
All Along the Rhône is the idea for stage 8. Rhône cycle path in Switzerland & in France ViaRhôna to the Mediterranean. Thanks to the fact that I cycled from Andermatt over the Furka Pass to Goms a few years ago, I have already completed this part of the Rhône Cycle Route and so my stage 8 starts in Ulrichen. For the time being, I’ll be cycling individual sections to Lyon on a few weekends and then from Lyon to the Mediterranean in June. At least that’s my plan.
I enjoy being a touring cyclist and tourist in my home country on the first days of the stage. Here in Goms, the river is called the Rotte. The villages of Mühlebach and Fürgangen are connected by a gigantic suspension bridge. Crossing it on my bike gives me a huge adrenaline rush. I enjoy the sight of Brig’s landmark, the STOCKALPERSCHLOSS, from my hotel room. After a short stop at the Chaves Fountain (the Peruvian Geo Chavez was the first person to fly over the Alps from Brig to Domodossola in an aeroplane on 23.9.1910), today I cycle through the Rhône Valley. The cycle path often runs directly along the water or through the vineyards. In Aigle, the headquarters of the UNION CYCLISTE INTERNATIONALE (UCI), the umbrella organisation of national cycling federations, the road roundabout with the „world champion bicycle“ catches the eye. In Yvoire I enjoy a fine red wine from the Valais. Then the route leads directly along the Rhône again to Le Bouveret, where the river disappears into Lac Leman.
In Montreux, I am impressed by the lakeside promenade with its magnificent flowers, and in Vevey I stop at the Charlie Chaplin Monument, right on the lake. Then it’s through the UNESCO vineyard landscape „Lavaux“ and to the Olympic Museum in Lausanne. From Morges (where you can also admire the annual tulips) to the French border, I can benefit from the slipstream… because my son Gilles accompanies me, which makes it twice as much fun. I find it very enriching to share impressions and experiences together. In Geneva, we drive to the United Nations building and pause at the big chair. Finally, there’s a photo shoot with the world-famous Jet d’Eau before the Rhône becomes visible again as a river and leaves Lake Geneva. From here on, the cycle route is called ViaRhôna.
From Seyssel to Morestel there are cycle paths at their best. A perfect cycling express, mostly directly on the Rhône, no cars, simply pure nature. Wonderful!!!!! The rest of the route to LYON is perfectly flat and from the parc de la tête d’or to the gare part dieu it’s only a stone’s throw. Voilà au revoir jusqu’au 1er juin 2023.
