Aare Canoe

The Aare is the longest and most water-rich river that flows entirely in Switzerland. Whether you’re canoeing for multiple days in a row or picking out individual stages, the Aare Canoe route is a wonderful journey of discovery through Swiss landscapes and history. As far back as prehistoric times, the major river was of great significance and was a favoured settlement area. Some places with old river crossings date back to Roman times, including Solothurn, Olten and Brugg. For a long time, the Aare was the only traffic route in the Swiss Plateau and, as a result, formed the backbone of societal development. Many villages flourished thanks to the shipping industry and their bridges, through which tolls could be levied. In particular, wine, salt and corn, but also wood, were transported on so called weidling boats. Steamboats were also later used; however, the shipping industry increasingly began to lose significance and, in the middle of the 19th century, it fell away. Today, large vessels only travel between Biel/Bienne and Solothurn.

During the 19th century, the face of the Aare changed radically: large-scale watercourse corrections and the construction of numerous power plants created arable land and supplied energy to the growing population. Only a few sections of the river were spared from these monumental feats of engineering. The untamed waterway was transformed into a series of reservoirs. In Nidau, where this canoeing route begins, the castle is home to a permanent exhibition dedicated to the Jura water correction programme of 1868.

Despite the correction programme, the Aare is superbly suited to canoeing and can be paddled all year round. Now matter how long the river journey takes, the long and mostly gently flowing river will leave lasting impressions. Due to its early historic significance, its shores showcase a procession of many interesting and delightful towns and villages, such as Solothurn, Aarburg and Brugg. In between are open, enchanting natural spaces which provide a habitat for rare species of plants and animals. Conversely, you don’t encounter many people here, despite the dense population of the Swiss Plateau. You’ll find peace and relaxation while paddling through the idyllic floodplain landscape.