The Lakes Route takes you on a trip right across picture-postcard Switzerland. From Lac Léman to the Bodensee, passing 10 larger and smaller lakes and offering stunning views over water in the Alps and Alpine foothills.

On this route you travel though picture-postcard Switzerland from the Bodensee to Lac Léman, with stunning views of the lake landscape in the Alpine region.

Climb away from the shimmering play of light on Lac Léman, enjoy Gruyère cheese at Lac de la Gruyère, experience Alpine farming, tradition and tourist bustle in Saanenland, visit the chalk and cheese twosome, the Thunersee and Brienzersee. Followed by clear lake views conquering the passes; after the Brünigpass the Vierwaldstättersee with its many arms and the Innerschweiz metropolis of Luzern.

The lakes then strung like pearls, the reed-adorned Zugersee, battle-renowned Ägerisee, the «powerful» Sihlsee, the Zürichsee with its villa-lined shores - and the Walensee with the sheer towering cliffs of the Churfirsten. In between mighty passes, busy places of pilgrimage, flower-filled moors and bird paradises, later the lure of asphalt strips on the Rhine, in the distance beckon the shallow river delta and wide reaches of the Bodensee.

Stages Places   Arrival / return travel  Rail, bus, boat recommendations 

Length505 km
of which unsurfaced: 50 km

 Height differenceMontreux–Rorschach: 4'200 m
Rorschach–Montreux: 4'200 m

 RequirementsGrade: medium
Conditions: medium

 SignalizationFor cycling, follow the logo indicated on the red signposts.