Saanenland–Freiburgerland
Overview
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Distance 48 km
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Ascent 1150 m
Intro
Craggy limestone cliffs climb to the icy summit of Diablerets, the Col du Pillon below divides languages, the Saane flows to Gstaad, holiday haunt of the jet set. Up through airy coniferous forest to Abländschen below the Gastlosen, the climbers’ mountain.
Description
The road to the Col du Pillon leads through a glaciated mountain range. At the northern foot of the “Diablerets” lies the holiday and climatic health resort of the same name. This is the start of the cycling stage to Jaun, which is almost 50 kilometres long. The road winds its way up to the pass, and is more gentle than rugged. Early in the morning, there is almost no one out and about. There is only the postbus, taking a few travellers on a wonderful journey from A to B, or from Les Diablerets across the Col du Pillon to Gstaad. At the top, the street sign covered in stickers shows the pass height of 1,546 metres.
Many snow sports enthusiasts and day trippers want to go to the glacier with its “high level experience”. A huge cable car whirs up to the 3,000-metre-high Sex Rouge glacier. Cyclists prefer to ride down the pass quickly, across the cantonal border into the Bernese Oberland. Rustic towns such as Gsteig, Feutersoey and Grund delight you on the journey through the stunning valley of the Upper Saane. Where possible, an alpine descent in the middle of the road provides additional variety. The violin virtuoso Yehudi Menuhin and the Indian philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti have left their mark in Gstaad and Saanen. On one of his European trips to the Saanenland, the latter fell in love “with the quiet majesty of the mountains and the beauty of the valleys with their streams and meadows”. From 1961 to 1985, he returned to Saanen every summer to give lectures.
Wooden houses and the landscape in Saanenland are truly a feast for the eyes. No wonder the “rich and beautiful” always want to come back. The fine Saanenland Alpine cheese, which is produced here in summer based on craft tradition, is also delicious during the arduous climb through the Grischbachtal valley. Not only is it steep but narrow too. So narrow, that when someone is cooking a cervelat down in the valley, you can still smell it at the top. Once you reach the Mittelberg at 1,633 metres, the Gastlosen are not far away. It seems as though the Dolomites are before your eyes, and it is not for nothing that they are also called the “Saanenland Dolomites”.
Shortly after Abländschen, the name of the canton changes, but not that of the stream: the Jaunbach is called “Jäunli” in Bern and Fribourg. At times gurgling cheerily, then roaring violently, it follows you to the destination for this stage in Jaun and later flows into Lake Gruyère. In the German-speaking village of Jaun, it is worth visiting the mysterious waterfall. The two churches, the old church from the 11th or 12th century and the new one from the beginning of the 20th century, are also pleasant to look at. The new church serves as a place of worship, and the old church is now called “Cantorama”. People sing there for all they are worth ...
An enjoyable tour includes the careful planning of the same. Please inform yourself in advance at the local information center about the route and weather conditions. Depending on the season and weather conditions, this route may be blocked or interrupted
| Start location |
Les Diablerets
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|---|---|
| Destination |
Jaun
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| Ascent |
1150 m
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| Descent |
1300 m
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| Distance |
48 km
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| Distance on tarred ways |
48 km
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| Physical requirements |
Difficult
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| Theme |
Over a pass, Along Water
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Quick Facts
Route number
