Cycling holidays Rhone-Route Oberwald - Geneva

Arrival in the Goms, the wide valley of the young Rhone, with the remarkable, sunburnt wooden houses.

In this part of Switzerland, the Rhone is still called Rotten. You ride through the sunny high valley towards Brig. In the evening you visit the World Nature Forum in the neigbouring village of Naters with information to the UNESCO World Heritage – Region Jungfrau-Aletsch.

The main valley in the Valais widens, the sun warms the dry mountain slopes. Between Leuk and Sierre an unruly part of the Rhone, and the Pfynwald, a nature reserve on a huge mound of glacier detritus; this natural park marks also the borderline between the German and French speaking Valais.

The capital city Sion shows its historical castles, churches and mansions. The lower Rhone-Valley is dominated by the high-alpine scenery of the Dents du Midi. A world of fertile fruit orchards and vineyards.

From the heights, a round tower guards Martigny on its bend in the Rhone at the valley’s narrowest point. St-Maurice guards golden church treasures. High mountains and lowlands, Lac Léman hidden behind reeds and defiant Chillon Castles on the water.

Lac Léman, a big silver lake surrounded by snowy summits and vineyards, e.g. UNESCO World Heritage Lavaux. Along the shores: Vevey, Montreux, and the metropolis of Lausanne, "Olympia-City" and the centre of life of the people of Vaud.

The terraced vines between Morges and Nyon are known as "La Côte". Fruity Chasselas is pressed here and sweetens your ride. Down on the lakeshore, the market towns of Morges and Rolle pass by. Almost kitschy: the castles of Nyon and Prangins.

Above the terraced La Côte vineyards, down on the lake the market towns of Morges, Rolle and Nyon. Villas and yachts and the cosmopolitan city of Geneva announces itself with boulevards and its 140m-high water fountain «Jet d'eau».