Alter Bernerweg
Overview
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Distance 47 km
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Ascent 620 m
Intro
Start in the medieval town of Estavayer-le-Lac, first stop the peaceful Payerne Abbey Church. On over rolling molasse terrain, past tiny Lac de Seedorf and milky-blue Schiffenensee to Laupen at the confluence of the Sense and Saane.
Description
With its time-honoured buildings, Estavayer-le-Lac merits a slightly longer stay. Chenaux Castle, a Dominican convent, St-Laurent collegiate church, Porte du Camus and the romantic arcades and old city walls are all worth a visit. Right on the route for this stage is the frog museum, the «Musée d'Estavayer-le-Lac et ses grenouilles». François Perrier, a former Swiss Guard, prepared captured frogs and used them to recreate everyday scenes of people. Not everyone likes the same thing, «thank frog»!
The direction of travel for bikes is marked on the ground with yellow signs. The tarred roads run through wide fields. Cycling glasses are a good idea: thousands of tiny insects whirl through the air. This is no problem for the crows, herons and seagulls, nor for the metal «birds» at the Payerne military airfield. It is then worth a longer stop in the historic old town of Payerne. Rows of attractive houses from different centuries are grouped around the abbey church, the largest surviving Romanic church in Switzerland.
The tobacco fields near Cousset bloom in attractive purple. The plant has been cultivated in Switzerland for over 300 years, although with less and less frequency. Growing tobacco requires more work and investment than other crops. Over two thirds of the remaining areas are in French-speaking Switzerland. The hilltop castle of Montagny-les-Monts is to the right. At this point, where the 34 route separates from the 87 and 99 routes, it is surprisingly steep. The short climb is so sheer that the mother cows are irascible: quick on their hoofs and mooing, they pursue cyclists who photograph their calves towards Lac de Seedorf – or at least to the end of the boundary.
There is a mini-library in a former telephone booth at Corminboeuf. Pure nostalgia. The view of the nearby Fribourg Alps is delightful. Bears cannot be fished on Lake Schiffenen. Barberêche, or bear fishing, is still known this way. An attractive avenue leads to the surprisingly monumental stately castle. It is now privately owned.
Little butterfly, find a dancer - and do not be eaten by the frog! Welcome to Auried, an amphibian spawning area of national importance. This is followed by an attractive section across the «Auriedstäg», which is so narrow that two bicycles can barely cross it. Along the Saane, through the heart of the forest, and into the charming town of Laupen with its landmark, the old castle.
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 |
Estavayer-le-Lac
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|---|---|
| Destination |
Laupen
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| Ascent |
620 m
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| Descent |
600 m
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| Distance |
47 km
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| Distance on tarred ways |
43 km
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| Distance on natural surface |
4 km
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| Physical requirements |
Medium
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| More information | https://schweizmobil.ch/en/cycling-in-switzerland/... |
Quick Facts
Route number
