Planning Your Switzerland Cycling Holiday

When thinking of all the places I wanted to fly away to and ride, a Switzerland cycling holiday honestly never crossed my mind. The first place most cyclists will suggest as the best place to cycle in Europe is Mallorca. Maybe followed by Lanzarote and more recently, Girona.

However, this Spring just gone, I stepped in last minute to fill a place on a women’s cycling tour in Switzerland with Switzerland Tourism. It’d been years since I’d last been to Switzerland – 9 years to be exact, when I ran the Geneva Marathon Relay – and back then, I was very much a commuter rather than a “proper cyclist”.

With Switzerland being known for its towering snow-capped peaks, I was wary whether I was fit enough for cycling there especially as the hills I’m used to in Essex, could never compare. But the bikes we would be using on the trip were top of the range BMC Roadmachine e-roadbikes so I figured, whatever happened, I’d always have the back up of the bike battery.

I know that I’m not the first person to worry about being too slow for cycling in a group; but if this post does anything, I hope it makes you feel like you’re capable of tackling cycling routes in Switzerland and inspires you to consider Switzerland for your next cycling holiday too.

So, Where Is Switzerland?

Switzerland is a pretty unique country if you ask me. Firstly, it’s fully landlocked in it’s Central Europe location, sharing its borders with Germany to the north, France to the west, Italy to the south, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east.

Despite its small size, Switzerland is known for its towering snow-capped peaks, pristine lakes, and charming villages which you’ll get to see plenty of when cycling in Switzerland.

Getting To Switzerland From The UK

Switzerland has three main airports; Zurich, Geneva and Basel. Geneva is perfectly located to reach the French Alps for locations like Chamonix while Zurich, where we flew to on this occasion, is perfectly located to reach the region of Jura 3 Lacs. Basel does however also offer easy access to the Jura & Three-Lakes region.

Once in Switzerland, check out the Swiss Travel Guide app to help plan your journey through Switzerland via public transport – train, bus or boat. We transferred via train from Zurich Airport to Saint-Ursanne for our first night.

100% Women

In 2023, Switzerland Tourism have focused their 100 Women campaign on cycling. They have plenty of information on their website sharing everything you need to know about cycling through the epic Jura mountains.

Organised trips such as what I’m sharing in this cycling in Switzerland guide are perfect for meeting other women and experiencing cycling, whether it’s mountain biking, gravel or road cycling.

Our itinerary and guide for the trip was put together by out & ABOUT – Switzerland Trekking, who create authentic and sustainable outdoor experiences.

Your Cycling Tour Kit List

Packing for this Switzerland cycling tour was interesting; somewhere between packing for a long ride, a bike packing trip and a holiday. All without the need to worry about the bike itself.

The toughest part though, was being prepared for the weather which can always be changeable. Plus with cycling we know layers work well for when we heat up, and then stop and cool down quickly.

I think the most invaluable piece of kit I took was a lightweight down jacket that could easily pack down into my musette when too warm.

Here are some other must haves for your Switzerland cycling tour:

• Bike helmet
• Pedals (if you don’t want to use the flat pedals provided)
• GPS device (optional)
• Cycling clothing (warm layers)
  • padded cycling shorts / tights
  • base layers and jerseys
  • casquette / cycling cap / ear warmers
  • socks
• Cycling shoes / hiking shoes
• Cleat covers (for when walking)
• Small backpack / musette
• Waterproof jacket and waterproof trousers
• Water bottle with sports cap (that can fit in a bottle cage)
• Cycling gloves
• Sunglasses (photo-chromatic or changeable lenses)
• Sun cream (full guide here)
• Travel adaptor
• Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) and/or travel insurance policy

Got Your Luggage Sorted? Check out my review of the Osprey Rolling Transporter 40L or the Osprey Transporter Carry-On 44.

Explore Jura & Three Lakes Region, Switzerland

One thing I loved about this cycling holiday in Switzerland, was that there was plenty else to do other than cycling. The days were planned without crazy early starts or late finishes so meals could be enjoyed together.

Adequate time was allocated for the routes we cycled each day and were adapted when necessary. There was often time to explore the town / city we were staying in, visiting museums, local sights of interest and learning about the history of Switzerland.

Where To Stay In Jura & Three Lakes Region

Each night during our Switzerland cycling tour, we stayed in a different hotel which made it feel more like a bike packing trip, without having to haul your luggage on your bike each day.

Breakfast and dinners were at the relevant hotel, and lunches were provided from the hotels also. Highly recommend you pack your fav on the bike snacks though to ensure you’re fuelled the way you like to be.

Our Itinerary:

Day One

With the weather being pretty poor this day, the decision to shorten the route and start riding later in the day felt like a wise one.

Our morning was spent on a tour of St-Ursanne, before hopping on a train to meet our bikes and start our first day of cycling.

We rode around 5km to test out our bike set ups, so we could make any tweaks needed at lunch time.

We stopped at the most beautiful spot – Etang de la Gruère – for a mini hike and lunch on a log overlooking the water.

Post lunch was the most notable part of our day – the ascent of Mont Soleil – to reach Switzerland’s largest solar power plant located 1,289 meters above sea level.

The e-bike defo made the climb a little easier… especially with the altitude trying to make me work harder.

Blessed with lots of downhill after that, with views of the Jura Mountains behind us.

Not long before La Chaux-de-Fonds – an unusual Swiss town with a “chessboard streetscape” – came into view.

Day Two

Our day started with a tour of La Chaux-de-Fonds (our home for the previous night) and it’s unusual “chessboard streetscape”. Plenty to see – sculptures, panoramic views, art deco buildings – and do with a visit to the International Watchmaking Museum, after all, La Chaux-de-Fonds has a legacy in the watchmaking industry.

Then back on the bikes to start our journey to Couvet.

Lunch on a log, self service ice-cream, more views and thankfully some sunshine. Felt like I was in Zwift. The views were spectacular and today was the first wild descent. My hands felt frozen in the braking position when I got to the bottom.

We ended the day at Val-de-Travers via Maison de l’Absinthe before a short spin to Couvet.

Day Three

With trains to catch in the afternoon, we started the days ride a bit earlier to leave ample time for climbing 700m up to Creux du Van.

The views on Creux du Van were spectacular. We could see across to the solar power plant on Mont Soleil, which we had climbed up to on day one. 

Lunch in a secret garden next to La Noiraigue river source.

An unplanned pit stop at Gorges De L’Areuse to check out the stone bridge to take some stunning pictures.

Finishing at Neuchâtel for a celebratory Aperol Spritz before heading to the train for the airport, homeward bound.

Wanna see more of what we covered, in pictures? Check out the guide (a collection of posts) I put together on Instagram.

Cycling Routes In Switzerland

The routes we rode during our Switzerland cycling holiday really were just a taster of what is available throughout the Jura & Three Lakes region. Check out our routes on Strava to see the kind of riding you’d do on a cycling holiday or use them as a starting point for planning your own routes or holiday.

Jura & Three Lakes Region STRAVA CYCLING ROUTES: