The best spots to watch Tour de France in Switzerland
This Saturday and Sunday July 9th and 10th, over 170 cyclists from all over the world will compete in the annual Tour de France competition, part of which will take place in Switzerland. This is where you can watch the event.
As the previous editions of the annual race have shown, spectators line up and cheer the cyclists almost everywhere along the route, so the “best” spot depends pretty much on where you live in relation to the Swiss route.
Cyclists will arrive from Dole (France) to Lausanne through the Bois d'Amont, La Vallée de Joux, the Col du Mollendruz, Cossonay, and Préverenges.
The start is scheduled for 1:20 p.m. and Lausanne should be reached four hours later, around 5:20 p.m.
For the next stage on July 10th, racers will depart from Aigle at 12:45 pm and cycle toward Vionnaz, Cully, Châtel-St-Denis, Bulle, Les Moulins, Les Mosses, Col de La Croix, and Morzine before crossing back into France.
This link has a map showing the Swiss leg of the tour.
These are some of the good viewing / cheering spots along the route:
In the Vallée de Joux, you can watch the cyclists whizz by in the villages of Le Brassus, Le Sentier, Le Lieu, Le Séchey, Les Charbonnières, and Le Pont.
Cyclists race in the Vallée de Joux. Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI / AFP
Lausanne
You can watch the competitors race by virtually anywhere along the nine-kilometre path — they will arrive from the La Vallée de Joux from the south, climbing up the Avenue d’Ouchy, then cross Place Saint-François and Pont Chauderon, then on to the Avenue de Beaulieu, and finishing in front of the Pontaise Olympic stadium.
All these streets will provide good viewing opportunity.
Mountains
The first mountain stage will start on the Place du Marché in Aigle, where you can watch cyclists pass by as they climb toward mountain villages (see above), all of which provide good viewing for spectators.
Leaving Aigle, cyclists will climb on winding mountain roads. Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP
Access
Unless you actually live in the vicinity of the route, keep in mind that you can’t access it by car as all the roads be closed to traffic and you will have to park elsewhere.
If you are watching from any of the above mentioned mountain locations (Vionnaz, Cully, Châtel-St-Denis, Bulle, Les Moulins, Les Mosses, Col de La Croix, and Morzine), taking a bus up from Aigle is probably the smartest choice.
Additionally, on Saturday from noon, the Lausanne-Sud motorway, as well as the UNIL-EPFL, Malley and Maladière entrances and exits will be closed to traffic until 6 pm.
However, the A1 / A9 / A12 motorways will remain open in Vaud, Fribourg and Valais.
You can access the route(s) by public transport, which will be “reinforced” during La Tour de France.
For instance, in the Lausanne, the metro will run more frequently, and a temporary line, will link La Riponne to Oiseaux, making it easier to access the last kilometre of the route. More trains will also circulate on the two days as well, especially regional Vaud trains as well as the RegioExpress Genève – St-Maurice.
More information can be found here.
For the Fribourg leg the information is in this link.
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As the previous editions of the annual race have shown, spectators line up and cheer the cyclists almost everywhere along the route, so the “best” spot depends pretty much on where you live in relation to the Swiss route.
Cyclists will arrive from Dole (France) to Lausanne through the Bois d'Amont, La Vallée de Joux, the Col du Mollendruz, Cossonay, and Préverenges.
The start is scheduled for 1:20 p.m. and Lausanne should be reached four hours later, around 5:20 p.m.
For the next stage on July 10th, racers will depart from Aigle at 12:45 pm and cycle toward Vionnaz, Cully, Châtel-St-Denis, Bulle, Les Moulins, Les Mosses, Col de La Croix, and Morzine before crossing back into France.
This link has a map showing the Swiss leg of the tour.
These are some of the good viewing / cheering spots along the route:
In the Vallée de Joux, you can watch the cyclists whizz by in the villages of Le Brassus, Le Sentier, Le Lieu, Le Séchey, Les Charbonnières, and Le Pont.
Lausanne
You can watch the competitors race by virtually anywhere along the nine-kilometre path — they will arrive from the La Vallée de Joux from the south, climbing up the Avenue d’Ouchy, then cross Place Saint-François and Pont Chauderon, then on to the Avenue de Beaulieu, and finishing in front of the Pontaise Olympic stadium.
All these streets will provide good viewing opportunity.
Mountains
The first mountain stage will start on the Place du Marché in Aigle, where you can watch cyclists pass by as they climb toward mountain villages (see above), all of which provide good viewing for spectators.
Access
Unless you actually live in the vicinity of the route, keep in mind that you can’t access it by car as all the roads be closed to traffic and you will have to park elsewhere.
If you are watching from any of the above mentioned mountain locations (Vionnaz, Cully, Châtel-St-Denis, Bulle, Les Moulins, Les Mosses, Col de La Croix, and Morzine), taking a bus up from Aigle is probably the smartest choice.
Additionally, on Saturday from noon, the Lausanne-Sud motorway, as well as the UNIL-EPFL, Malley and Maladière entrances and exits will be closed to traffic until 6 pm.
However, the A1 / A9 / A12 motorways will remain open in Vaud, Fribourg and Valais.
You can access the route(s) by public transport, which will be “reinforced” during La Tour de France.
For instance, in the Lausanne, the metro will run more frequently, and a temporary line, will link La Riponne to Oiseaux, making it easier to access the last kilometre of the route. More trains will also circulate on the two days as well, especially regional Vaud trains as well as the RegioExpress Genève – St-Maurice.
More information can be found here.
For the Fribourg leg the information is in this link.
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