Route 9: Section 2 – cycling Bulle to Gstaad, Switzerland

Route 9: Section 4 (Spiez-Meiringen)

Highlights: Gstaad, Rougemont (11th c. Church), Gruyères (castle & medieval village)

Route 9: Section 2 (Bulle 770m–Gstaad 1050m)

Stats from SwitzerlandMobility.ch (http://www.veloland.ch/en/routes/etappe-01001.html): 45km long, height difference Bulle–Gstaad: 680m (400m in the opposite direction). Their site has the full profile.

July 2017 

I rode this Section from Gstaad to Bulle.
Overall, this was a relatively easy ride, mostly on low-traffic country roads, with frequent but gentle climbs. The route goes through beautiful pre-Alpine Switzerland, with green mountains, cows, cheese farms (producing Gruyère and Etivaz), and a mix of resort and historic villages.

Arrived in Gstaad, I meandered a little through this picturesque, VIP village, with its typical Swiss chalets (some beautifully carved), luxury shops, and yet with a deep mountain atmosphere (see also 9:03).

After Gstaad, I went through the old village of Rougemont, with its carved chalets (some of them from the 17th century), and its 11th century Romanesque church.

The church (https://www.region-du-leman.ch/fr/P9747/l-eglise-de-rougemont), which was indeed a small monastery, is testimony to the founding of the village in the 11th century by Cluny monks. Next to the church is a small 16th century private castle.

Further ahead, towards the middle of the Section, the route passed by Lac du Vernex, made via a dam on the Saane river.

In the area of Montbovon (see also 4:08) there are a few km on the busy main road and then, at Barrage de Lessoc, the route goes through Lessoc and uses again country roads.

From Montbovon to Gruyères the route is shared with 4:07. Arriving in Gruyères, one should detour into this pristine medieval village, perched on a hill and famous worldwide for its cheese. This is one of my favorite Swiss villages (see also MTB 2:13). The village is situated inside the castle’s walls. The impressive 13th century Castle houses treasures from its past (https://www.chateau-gruyeres.ch/en). In Gruyères there is also a museum of H.R. Giger, the Swiss artist involved in designs for the film «Alien».

I ended the trip in Bulle, a quiet little town (see also 9:01). Surprisingly enough, Bulle’s train station does not have a ramp nor an elevator for bikes or wheelchairs……

 

Links to Introduction & Other sections of Route 9:

• BIKING THROUGH SWITZERLAND (with an electric bike)
• Route 9 (Lakes Route): Section 1 (Montreux-Bulle)
• Route 9: Section 3 (Gstaad-Spiez)
• Route 9: Section 4 (Spiez-Meiringen)
• Route 9: Section 5 (Meiringen–Sarnen)
• Route 9: Section 6 – cycling Sarnen to Zug