Our favorite way of travelling: supported, but free of following your own pace, date, and travel companions. An epic and beautiful journey through Switzerland and towards the green-blue waters of the Great St. Bernard Pass , marking the grand entrance of the Via Francigena into Italy. The path is equally enchanting - from the Canton of Vaud, with its distinctly French romanticism, medieval villages, and castles, to the shores of Lake Geneva.
Finally, the Swiss Alps embrace every step of your journey until you reach the Great St. Bernard Pass, where everything ends - and begins again. Note: due to the weather and altitude, this walk is only possible during the summer months. Please accept the cookies from our partners in order to access this content. Please note that the cookies will allow our partners to establish a profile of your interests, based on your browsing behavior.
You can change your choice at any time by clicking on "Cookies settings" at the bottom of our website. You hike down to the Saut du Day waterfall and follow the course of the Orbe River. At the end of the stage, you reach the small town of Orbe - known for its Roman mosaics. Don't miss the Romanesque church, built between and in the style of the church of Cluny and considered one of the jewels of the Yverdon-les-Bains region. After this point you continue to what is known as the centre of the world, where one part of the river Nozon flows into the Mediterranean, the other into the North Sea.
Until the Reformation in , Lausanne was an important pilgrimage destination and meeting point between the Via Francigena and the Way to Santiago de Compostela. Today it is home to the headquarters of the International Olympic Committee. Take time to explore the hilly old town with its medieval streets lined with shops and Gothic cathedral. The stage with which you will celebrate the start of your journey initially runs along Lake Geneva and through the Lavaux vineyards.
This wine-growing area of more than hectares is a UNESCO World Heritage site as a testimony to the passion and hard work required for the perfect integration of human activity and the natural landscape. Take a break from your walk to taste some wine in a wine cellar. The route skirts around Lake Leman, crossing Montreux and proceeding until Villeneuve. Leaving the lake behind, the course continues levelly till it arrives at the entrance of Aigle. Proceeding through vineyards and woods along the coast, the path reaches Ollon.
