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May 2008 Summer arrived early this year and on the Pentecost long weekend we headed off with our bikes and tent to Lake Geneva. It is an easy 180km cycle on the flat, taking in vineyards, snow-capped mountains and medieval towns, with great lakeside camping. |
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| Lausanne's olympic museum is a must-see, especially this year with its magnificent exhibition on the history of China, Beijing and its preparation for the 2008 Olympic Games. |
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 Rolle |
Heading anti-clockwise around the lake, the bike trail passes through a few quaint medieval villages complete with castle and gardens. |
| Campsites offered wonderful pitches right on the lake... perfect for that early morning dip! |
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 Geneva's waterfront |
In Geneva the Euro 2008 fever had begun with a countdown alongside their famous jet d'eau water jet. |
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| Then we were across the border in France. It was a tranquil, scenic cycle until we hit Yvoire, a medieval town where tourists outnumbered the locals by 50/1. |
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 Flying deer! |
From there to Evian-les-bains the lakeside route was no longer such joy, with limited views of the water and a very busy main drag. Every 2km we were reminded of the presence of unusual fauna in the area! |
| Just after crossing the border back into Switzerland, we cycled through the Rhone delta region, which was a pleasant maze of canals, waterways, wild flowers, swamps and forests. |
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 Kurt and his wee bed! |
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 Chateau Chillon |
Emerging on the lakeside again in Villeneuf we had a beautiful promenade past Château Chillon and magnificent early 20th Century hotels into Montreux. |
| Montreux, boasting a string of 5-star hotels and upmarket designer stores, is definately the location on the lake. With breathtaking views of snow-capped mountains and a real Mediterranean feel, Montreux won us over. This dream city is home to the famous annual jazz festival and, in previous times, also to the likes of Freddie Mercury and Charlie Chaplin. |
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 Freddie Mercury |
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| What we enjoyed most was the spin from Montreux to Lausanne through Vevey and then the Vineyards of St.Saphorin. No better place for that real holiday feeling! |
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The vineyards of St. Saphorin overlooking Lake Geneva on the north shore |
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The steep climbs were not designed for recumbants! |
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