safedrop

We are driving between the two places and have all day to make our trip. Can any of you experienced Fodor readers suggest a route, and perhaps a nice place to stop for lunch? Thanks for your help.

Safedrop

Ingo

It depends: will you have a vignette (sticker) for the motorways? Do you prefer scenic drives or small towns?

safedrop

We will have a vignette for the motorways, but prefer small towns and scenic views. Would you kindly offer an time estimate for any route you may suggest?

swandav2000

Hi safedrop,

While admitting that I rarely drive in Switzerland and haven't driven this route, I have taken the train this way and think it's the best.

First let me say that the fastest way is via Berne and Olten (197 km, 1h55 according to mappy.com).

But my route would be Montreux-Aigle-Gstaad-Zweisimmen-Spiez-Breinz-Luzern (201 km, 3h10). You could lunch in either Gstaad (just under an hour from Montreux) or in Spiez (just about the half-way point). Maybe both -- stop in Gstaad to stretch your legs, stroll the pedestrian streets, do some high-end window shopping, and enjoy the beautiful rolling hills all around you while having some coffee & cake. Then stop for lunch at one of the restaurants at the harbor in Spiez, watching the ferry boats dock and marvelling at the stunning scenery of lakes and mountains.

Hope Ingo comes back with some great suggestions!

s

swandav2000

Hi again,

Here are some photos of the places I recommended:

http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/swa.../ph//my_photos

The photos of Saanen (the village next to Gstaad) start at photo #36, and the photos of Spiez start at photo #70.

Hope this helps.

s

Ingo

One of my suggestions is exactly swandav's route. Lunch could be somewhere at Lake Thun, probably Spiez. But I don't think you will make it in three hours to Lucerne. With a few photo stops it will take you about 2 or 2.5 hours to Spiez. From there another 1.5 hours to Lucerne. By the way, you better take minor road on the sunny side of Lake Brienz (through Interlaken and Brienz) instead of the motorway on the southern side - more scenic views.

Another option would be to drive via Bulle to Gruyere and pay a short visit to the small medieval town and castle there (if you have not yet during your stay in Montreux). You could continue via Jaunpass to Boltigen where you meet the route of the first suggestion.

A third option is the drive through the Valais. On the motorway/major road to Brig, from there via Grimsel Pass to Meiringen. Takes you a little more than an hour to Brig, from there two hours to Meiringen plus another hour to Lucerne. The views in the upper Valais and from the Grimsel Pass road are gorgeous.

safedrop

Swanday and Ingo,

You are both most kind to offer suggestions and we thank you very much.

Safedrop