We have the tradition to take a holiday abroad in the beginning of March. In 2014 it was Switzerland. One of the reasons to choose this route was the dream to visit Freddie Mercury monument in Montreux. And the second was, of course, the Alps and its incredible scenery.
Our route
We took the flight to Lyon, rented a car in the airport and then went to Geneva. The journey began with the silly decision to take our way by regional roads across small villages and enjoy landscape instead of international highway which connects Lyon and Geneva. Ha! Never do the same, especially without GPS and if you arrive in the evening 🙂
Anyway we came to Geneva somehow and the next morning our first destination was CERN.
The border between Swiss and France in Geneva
If you would like to visit CERN, you should to book a time on its web site. Unfortunately that time the collider was under reconstruction and closed for visiting but we had an interesting excursion around the area.
After CERN we went to Montreux along the Geneve Lake across Lausanne, Nyon and Vevey.
There in Montreux is an amazing atmosphere — so peaceful and quiet, like in Queen’s song “Winter’s tale”.
The dream comes true
Many other famous people like to visit the Swiss Riviera: D.Bowie lived in Nyon, “Smoke on the water” was born in Montrex, Charles Chaplin had spent there his last years, Vladimir Nabokov.
And then time is come to leave the banks of the Geneva Lake and go to our hotel on the Neuchatel Lake. Actually it was a ferma with a couple rooms for guest. In the morning we met the sunrise and went to Neuchatel to the Chaumont Mountains (1171m).
At the station La Coudre TN we took a funicular which gets to the top in 15 min. As it appeared the lookout tower didn’t work and there were no any else interesting sites to visit, so we back to the car and drove to Fribourg.
At first we thought that Fribourg is small beautiful town with narrow middle-aged streets but suddenly this breathtaking view has been opened in front us:
Another interesting fact about Friborg is that citizens on the west side talk in french and on east — in german.
Also we visited Cathédrale Saint-Nicolas. You can up to its tower by stairs with 368 steps and enjoy the panorama of the city. But unfortunately it was closed (too!)
After walk and lunch we drove to the next point — Thun.
A bridge in Thun
Thun is standing on the banks of the Thun Lake. Three major Swiss «giants» — Mönch (4107m), Eiger (3970m) and Jungfrau (4158m) mountains, as well as closer — pyramidal Niesen (2362m) and Stockhorn (2190m) with a flat top create a unique panorama around. And the chief ornament of the city is the castle, stands on a rocky outcrop in the center of the old town.
A Niesen is hidden by clouds
Eiger, Jungfrau and Mönch
After the World War II Switzerland government made a resolution: in case of military expansion all the inhabitants of Switzerland to the south of the city should gather in this city and then hide in the mountains. The biggest hospital of country is situate inside of the Nissen mountain. And although it’s constantly in a working condition, it was never used. It remains intact and fully equipped, and perhaps many more such important military and civilian objects hidden in the mountains around.
Stockhorn
One morning we planned to visit Luzern but first to get up on the Pilatus mountain (2128m). The weather was sunny and bright — good luck ) So we saw breathtaking view from the top. As local legend about origin of the name says that the mountain was named so because Pontius Pilate was buried there. Another legend says that in medieval times dragons with healing powers lived in the rugged clefts and crevices of Mount Pilatus.
The beginning of the route to the top by cableway is in Kriens
Change point in Fräkmüntegg
On the top (Pilatus Kulm)
View on Lucerne with a height of over 2000m
The continue of our trip in the next post. Coming up!
M&D
mashadasha 