This autumn we wanted to get away from it all, without really having any ideas of where to go, I just really wanted to see the beautiful autumn colors again. While searching on the internet, I came across some magnificent autumn-colored Swiss landscapes. It’s a country I discovered in 2021 on a road-trip in a van and loved, and as my partner is a real fan of the country, it was perfect timing!
What’s more, their interactive map indicated that the best time to see the colors was late October-early November, which suited our availability. So we set off from October 27 to 31, 2024 for a mini road-trip, spending 2 nights in Spiez (canton of Bern) and then 2 nights in the village of Les Haudères (canton of Valais).
Map of locations visited
Jogne gorges
Thanks to BestJobers I’d spotted this place, and as it was on the road between the airport and Spiez, we started our road-trip there and didn’t regret our first stop.
We loved this hike, the autumn colors were really there, and the mix with the color of the river was just magnificent, reminding us a lot of Urederra in Spain.
In addition to the scenery, the hike is rather fun, as you pass through tunnels and over bridges, and there’s no real difficulty, apart from a few slippery spots and the last, short but slightly steep climb.
At the top, there’s a lovely view of the lake, so we went to the dam to get a better view. There are also picnic tables here, and a restaurant further up the small road.
For those who wish the hike can be extended, we turned around and came back the same way, so we could enjoy again the landscape and the beautiful waterfall, my favorite🙂.
This seems to be quite a busy place, so I recommend weekdays for a quieter experience. To make the most of the scenery, it’s best not to set off too late in the afternoon, as in autumn the sun sets early and with the relief, the light quickly disappears.
Total: 2.5 hours, 2.2 miles, altitude difference 754ft+ / 820ft-.
When we got back on the road, we were treated to a very nice surprise! I shouted “chamois”, but my darling wasn’t really convinced 😉. We stopped to check if they were just goats ;), and there was a whole herd of chamois going about their quiet lives. Another wonderful gift from Nature!
Spiez
I had booked two nights in this village (see Practical information below) so that I could explore the surrounding area at my leisure. We had originally dreamed of staying in another nearby village, Iseltwald, which had been a real favorite during our road-trip in 2021, but it has apparently become a victim of its own success (linked to a TV series) and overrun with tourists.
In the end, it was a good thing, because it allowed us to discover Spiez, and we loved it just as much. It’s a very peaceful village with a real gentle way of life, a feeling that comes up quite often in Switzerland!
During our short stay, we enjoyed the beauty of the lake, especially at sunrise and sunset. In fact, there’s a hike along it to the next village, but we didn’t have time to do it all.
On the other hand, we did go on a wonderful hike in the village, which allowed us to see the magnificent castle, the church and then to climb the vineyards and have a magnificent view of Spiez, the lake and its mountains.
I must say, I didn’t expect to enjoy this little tour so much. We were truly dazzled by the landscape. Above all, it was the color palette that added to the charm, between the yellow of the vines, the blue of the lake, the orange of the trees, in short, a veritable explosion of color. Add to that the light at the end of the day, and it was a photographer’s and painter’s paradise 😉!
Total: 3.2 miles, 1.5 hours, altitude difference 360ft+ / 394ft-.
I found Spiez to be a really good choice for a place to stay, because in addition to the beauty of the village, there are plenty of opportunities for sightseeing in the surrounding area. Apart from what we did (Blausee and Oeschinensee), there’s also the beautiful Beatus Caves on the other side of the lake, which we visited in 2021. You can also take the ferry to visit other villages. I’d also spotted a number of other hikes that sounded wonderful, but I had to make a choice, so there really is plenty to do if you stay in this area for several days.
Blausee
On the second day of the road-trip, I had planned to visit the famous Blausee Lake, another victim of its “Instagrammable” photo success. I hesitated a lot when I saw the comments, but at the same time I was overwhelmed by the beauty of the lake.
We were only a 20-minute drive from the hotel, so we went when it opened. There were very few people in the parking lot, which reassured me a little, so we were able to enjoy it and take a leisurely tour.
The lake was still in shadow at the time, so we decided to wait for the sun to shine a little brighter.
Unfortunately, an hour after our arrival, two buses arrived and unloaded a horde of tourists. The place immediately turned into a real selfie and photo-shoot zone (poses, outfits, etc. ☹️).
I’d read a lot of comments saying that it was too expensive for what it is, as the tour of the lake is very quick. I don’t really agree with this point of view, it’s true that the tour is quick but it’s pleasant, because it allows you to do it several times. There’s also a little hike you can do further up in the forest. The lake is indeed breathtaking. The color of the water is exceptional, and the fish can be seen with incredible clarity.
In autumn, it’s really sumptuous, and I loved the statue at the bottom of the lake! The big negative point for us is that it’s lost its “wild” side, in the sense that it’s too developed around it, so you feel less in nature. Another complicating factor for us was the behavior of some tourists, who really detract from the charm of this beautiful place.
We then set off to discover another marvel, the Oeschinensee lake, just a 10-minute drive from Blausee.
Oeschinensee
There are two options for accessing the lake, either on foot or by gondola. As we wanted to enjoy the lake and hike to the top, we took the gondola. It’s rather expensive, CHF 30 per person round-trip, but in less than 10 minutes we were at the top.
It then takes 20-30 minutes to reach the lake. We followed the forest path down to the lake, and there was the possibility of taking a shuttle bus, but I don’t know how it works, or how much it costs. We didn’t find the descent along this path very pleasant, and on the way back we found another, prettier and wilder path that also led to the lake. For those wishing to take it on the outward journey, just turn left at a fork with various signs.
Once we got to the lake, our eyes were filled with the blue of the water and the majestic mountains in the background! It’s also quite a busy place, but that didn’t bother us too much.
I’d seen that there was a panoramic tour that offered magnificent views of the lake from a great height. As we didn’t necessarily have the time to do the whole tour, and I’d also read that there were some vertiginous passages, we only did a small part of it. The higher we climbed, the more sublime the scenery, and that’s how we ended up climbing all the way to the hut. I’d definitely recommend climbing just a little to see the lake in a different light.
On the way back, we took the little path through the forest and arrived at the gondola for lunch on the terrace at the little snack bar, with a magnificent view of the mountains. To make the moment really perfect, the nice grandpa next door asked us if he could play his accordion. So we enjoyed this little impromptu concert, watching a lovely retired couple dance. A perfect, loving end to the day!
Total: 3.1 miles, 2 hours, altitude difference 1804ft+ / 853ft-.
Balavaux
On the third day, on the way to our second hotel, we stopped for a hike that was both of our favorites of this road-trip! I’d spotted it on the Novo-monde website.
You get there via a very small, beautiful road and park in a small parking lot in the middle of the forest. I’d already been won over by the beauty of the larch trees along the way, so I couldn’t wait to see what happened next. A word of advice: don’t do as we did and download the GPS track beforehand, because there’s no network. We made do with the few signs and what we’d memorized from the map, and we happily arrived at our destination 😉.
We started off on a pleasant forest trail with a pretty little lake, then stumbled across the most beautiful scenery as we reached the alpine pasture! One word: wow 😊!!!
We stood there for a while, contemplating the scenery, before tackling the difficult part.
It’s a long climb, sometimes quite steep, but the scenery is so beautiful and the photo breaks so numerous that it almost takes away the difficulty 😉 ! Especially when a little squirrel makes an appearance 😊. Just before the Balavaux hut, the terrain becomes flat again.
The scenery at the top is equally magnificent, with forests of orange larch trees.
In the end, we didn’t do the loop and decided to return by the same route to enjoy the mountain pastures once again, although I imagine the rest of the hike must have been very beautiful too.
This hike really reminded me of Quebec in autumn, and it was also very quiet, we must have passed around 10 people.
Total: 4.2 miles, 4 hours, altitude difference 1509ft+ / 1444ft-.
Blue Lake Arolla
For our last day, we started with the blue lake of Arolla. I’d read that this was also a popular spot, so we went early in the morning, which wasn’t too difficult, as our hotel was a 10-minute drive away.
We parked at La Gouille and began the climb. Cold mornings are a bit tough, but the scenery was once again beautiful and the colors of the larches as incredible as ever.
After three quarters of an hour of climbing, we arrived at the lake and we were speechless! Even though I’d seen photos of it, the color is truly incredible.
I really advise you to take the tour, because the views change every time. We made the most of it before it got a little too crowded for our liking, and came back down the same way.
Just before the lake, there’s a little hut where you can take a break, and I found it hard to resist their cake 😉. There are several paths to the lake, as well as the possibility of making a loop for those who wish to return by another route (see the site Novo-monde).
We then set off for the Mont Miné glacier.
Total: 1.6 miles, 2 hours, altitude difference 919ft+ / 820ft-.
Mont Miné glacier
We’d loved to see the glaciers on our first road-trip, and when I did some research, I saw that there was this hike 15 minutes from the hotel. To get there, you have to take a very narrow road through a beautiful village and beautiful scenery.
It’s important to know that you can’t park at the Ferpècle dam where the hike starts, as the road is forbidden except to locals. So you have to leave your car beforehand, some people advise you to leave it at the hotel, but we found that there weren’t really any spaces. It’s best to continue to the bend just before the road is closed, where people park. There weren’t any spaces left when we arrived at midday, so we parked a little earlier on the side of the road.
The hike starts on the road up to the dam, then climbs gently up a forest track. We saw that it was possible to take another, more pleasant path along the river, which we did on the way back.
So we followed the forest path and arrived at the edge of a magnificent river. We had a picnic in a real postcard setting, between the river, the little bridge, the hut, the larches and the mountains.
After our break, we continued to the end of the path to reach glacier level. The scenery was spectacular, with snow-capped mountains, glacier, milky-blue river and golden trees, truly magnificent!
A word of advice: don’t go too late at this time of year, as the sun began to disappear around 3pm, and it got very cold, so there was no light left to enjoy the scenery. It’s also possible to make a loop by crossing the little bridge, which we didn’t do, as we had a surprise planned for my darling in the evening 😉.
It’s a hike we also loved, as it was a little crowded without being too much of a nuisance, most people having stopped at the glacier.
Total: 3.7 miles, 2 hours, altitude difference 722ft+ / 656ft-.
Grand bains d’Hérémence
To end my stay in style, I had a surprise in store for my sweetie. About thirty minutes from the hotel, I had spotted the thermal baths recently opened.
The surprise was a pleasant one, as it’s a truly magnificent place to relax. The highlight is the outdoor pool with its magnificent view of the peaks, as the thermal baths are very high up. There are 3 levels, the first with an indoor and outdoor pool, jacuzzi, etc. Upstairs there’s a sauna, hammam, herbal tea areas and sensory showers. And the last, I believe, is reserved for treatments (massages, etc.). We arrived around 4:30pm, so we could enjoy the sunset over the mountains, and left at 7pm.
The only snag is the price: it’s very expensive, CHF 50 per person, but we didn’t regret it, because it’s a very soothing place, very well done and with a magnificent view. What’s more, there’s no time limit and there’s plenty to keep you busy.
Bonus: on the road
The landscapes of Switzerland are really beautiful, and stops are frequent on the way, so here are a few photos 😊.
We found this beautiful covered tunnel by chance, on the road between the Jogne Gorge and Spiez, and when we stopped we saw that there was a footbridge just above it. We’d loved taking the footbridge on our first trip, so we didn’t hesitate for a second😉.
I had spotted these strange geological formations when preparing the route, but I wasn’t expecting their grandiosity. The Pyramides d’Euseigne are on the road between the villages of Vex andEuseigne. Don’t do as we did and try to find a place to park beforehand, as it’s difficult on this road to stop at the last minute.
How was your trip?
Like the first time, I was pleasantly surprised by Switzerland, I didn’t expect to see such beautiful autumn colors, I really felt like I was in Quebec, without the red of the maples trees 😉. It was a short but truly magnificent trip, and the Swiss landscapes (even more so in autumn) are truly breathtaking: mountains, lakes, villages, real postcards! What’s more, we had great weather and the chance to see some chamois, what more could you ask for!
We also love the sweetness of this country, its chocolate, and never knowing what language to say hello in 😉! We really feel at home here, and could easily see ourselves living here! All I wanted to do was continue exploring the country under these beautiful colors. Something to keep in mind for next autumn 😉!
Practical information
FLIGHT
Booked 3 days before departure with Easy Jet. For several reasons (fares, schedules, etc.) I couldn’t take a Bordeaux-Geneva flight. Flight Bordeaux-Lyon, 300 euros (round-trip) for 2 without hold baggage.
ACCOMMODATION
Reservation on the Booking website of the 2 hotels.
Boutique hotel Riviera in Spiez, a great little hotel in a great location by the lake (see photo below). Good breakfast and very good Italian restaurant on site. Beware, parking is difficult in Spiez, everything has to be paid for, they have a tiny parking lot with 4 spaces but we had space both nights. 380 CHF/ 2 nights with breakfast.
Hotel Dents de Veisivi in Les Haudères, a family-run hotel with a very good breakfast and also a very good on-site restaurant. The village is very small and cute, with its typical houses. We loved this hotel too. 350 CHF/ 2 nights with breakfast.
CAR RENTAL
Reservation via Carigami .This is the site I use most often, as it is clear about the options chosen (insurance, etc.) and is easy to cancel. As is often the case, we took an automatic car, a little more expensive than a manual, but more pleasant for us. 230 euros for 5 days. They charge a border crossing surcharge of 16 euros. We drove about 950kms.
CAR TRAIN
To reach Les Haudères from Spiez, we took a very original means of transport 😉. The road ends at Kandersteg, and you have to hop on a train to reach Goppenstein.
I had booked the ticket on their website the day before. It’s very well done, it’s valid for 1 year, at any date and time, you just have to choose whether it’s a weekday (cheaper) or weekend trip (if you change, you can still use it, you’ll just have to pay extra, if it was a weekday ticket). Timetables are also posted on their website, but trains are very regular, so if you miss a departure, or it’s fully booked.
On the day, all you have to do is follow the car train road signs. You’ll then arrive at the ticket office, where there are several queues, including one for those who already have a ticket, so you can go faster. From there, all you have to do is wait for the green light to board the train. You stay in the car for the whole journey, which lasts about 15 minutes, almost all of which is spent in a tunnel, which is very confusing 😉! We really enjoyed this brand-new experience, as it’s really fun to do, and gives the driver a chance to rest 😉! Price: CHF 26.
HIGHWAYS
You need a vignette to drive in Switzerland. You can buy them at a freeway service area, before crossing the border, or at customs. Price: CHF 40.
Merci, danke, grazie, engraziel (normally all of Switzerland’s official languages are here 😉) for this wonderful trip ❤️!