Mittelland Route
Overview
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Distance 53 km
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Ascent 480 m
Intro
Flat and fertile: die Plaine de l’Orbe, framed by Roman mosaics and the rolling hills of Vaud. In Mormont, the watershed of the Rhone and Rhine. Change of scene from the wild waters of the Venoge to the small silver «sea» of Lac Léman.
Description
Yverdon was originally a Celtic settlement. The name was officially changed to Yverdon-les-Bains, but not until 1982. The thermal baths, which the Romans already used, make the city an attractive health resort now. In 1804 the famous educator Heinrich Pestalozzi moved his institution, a reform school, to Yverdon castle, where he continued to develop his methods with a number of distinguished assistants. The historical museum with an Egyptian mummy and Gallo-Roman boats is also housed in the majestic Savoy castle from the 13th century. The Orbe plain, heavily used for agriculture, is part of the breadbasket of French-speaking Switzerland. “Creux de terre” near Chavornay is a nature preserve with several biotopes of national importance and a resting place for many water and migratory birds.
But the countless rooks greedily pecking at the farmland do not seem to need a rest. You can literally smell the fresh earth and the typical nutty taste of rapeseed as you pass. The long valley floor ends near Haut du Mormont. The mountain – actually, at 605 m it is more of a hill – is well known, because this is where the main European watershed between Rhine and Rhone is located. This means that the direction that any precipitation will take is decided at this very spot: either via the Rhine to the North Sea or via the Rhone to the Mediterranean. Two attempts were made to connect the two rivers to realise a waterway from Amsterdam via Basel and Lake Geneva to Marseille. Both attempts failed – a good thing for the bubbly Venoge River, which would have faded into a channel.
If you have an opportunity, be sure to taste the typical regional sausage, the “saucisson”. You will not regret it. In the historic, slightly elevated town of La Sarraz you will find both culinary and cultural treasures. La Sarraz castle, for example, the core of which was built in the 11th century, or Saint-Antoine chapel from the 14th century to which a classicistic church was added some 500 years later. In Eclépens you will come through a compact village centre past some characteristic farm houses from the 17th to the 19th century. Then you finally begin to climb, really climb, and before Penthalaz you cross the Venoge. Its source is located at the foot of the Jura, at the outskirts of L'Isle village. After just 40 km it flows into Lake Geneva. The long, hilly forest section in the Bussigny region is refreshing. It is rough, but near “Sentier du Bois de la Côte” there is a surprisingly lovely spot with a grilling place, a wooden hut and a shelter. Now you increasingly come across hillside vineyards, the area is more urban and somehow also more Mediterranean, a clear sign that you are approaching the Lake Geneva region and the Olympic city of Lausanne.
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 |
Yverdon-les-Bains
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|---|---|
| Destination |
Lausanne
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| Ascent |
480 m
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| Descent |
540 m
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| Distance |
53 km
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| Distance on tarred ways |
47 km
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| Distance on natural surface |
6 km
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| Physical requirements |
Medium
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Quick Facts
Route number
