Cycling to the restaurant is trendy!
With several advantages. With all the efforts we made, we were hungry. We had the feeling that we deserved our meal. This also allows us to treat ourselves, for example, to an extra dish. With all the calories we just burned, we can afford it! But most of all, when we cycle, we get a more intense sense of the enchanting landscapes that we cross. This is particularly true when we ride on the heights of Lake Geneva.

 
A breathtaking panorama.
Our favorite route leads from Vevey to Grandvaux, where the restaurant "Tout un Monde" will be our reward. There is 12.7 km and 340 meters of difference in altitude. Without taking our eyes off the lake, we start by crossing Corseaux, then we pass Saint-Saphorin. The small hill leading to Chexbres is climbed without too much effort. We then cross Epesses and Riex before reaching Grandvaux and "Tout un Monde". The restaurant is leaning against an imposing bell tower full of history. From the terrace, we can see the vineyards and the lake, the Dézaley, Cully and Epesses, the imposing alpine panorama. It’s breathtaking. Yohann Gsponer received 15 GaultMillau points for his root-based cuisine. Attention, reservations are required.

 
High quality bistro.
This route is part of route 1 of "Switzerland by bike", the Rhône road. It is a must do for cyclists who ride along the Riviera, with several excellent restaurants along the way. For example "Café de Riex" in the village of the same name, above Cully. We recommend starting from Lutry and passing through Aran and Grandvaux. This road crosses a sea of vineyards almost without interruption. At the "Café de Riex", the chef Peter Hasler proposes a high quality bistro cuisine (13 GaultMillau points) which puts forward regional and seasonal products. A must for gourmets on two wheels.

 
Ride through the Dezaley.
The same road can be taken in the other direction. A slightly longer route leaves from Saint-Saphorin, which can be reached by train. This crossing of the Dézaley is magnificent, with picturesque sights like the Tour de Marsens. In Lutry, our goal is the "Villa Malfi". The freshly renovated establishment on the harbor is less synonymous with local tradition than with Mediterranean freshness, with a touch of carefreeness. Trattoria style. The menu is small, but the products are really fresh.

 
Discovery the countryside.
Above the lake and the vineyards, the countryside is often forgotten. Yet, what could be more charming than an excursion on route 99, starting from Oron-la-Ville, running through the hills, along the lake of Bret in the direction of Chexbres? Then you arrive at La Croix and turn off towards Epesses. There, two gastronomic possibilities are offered to us. The "Crochettaz" proposes, in addition to regional dishes, an excellent Indian cuisine. The "Auberge du Vigneron", with Laurent Frutig at the stove (13 points), relies on tradition and, as is often the case in Lavaux, a terrace with a view on the lake and the vineyards.
 
The wines of jérôme aké beda.
Last but not least: the "Auberge de l'Onde" in Saint-Saphorin. We reach it again by road 1, from Cully or Grandvaux. In this charming village, one restaurant can’t be missed the "Auberge de l'Onde", installed in a beautiful seigneurial building. Charlie Chaplin was already fond of it and often stayed there. Today, we enjoy the cuisine of Alexandre Noireaux, awarded 14 GaultMillau points. But what would the "Onde" be without Jérôme Aké Béda, known far and wide as Swiss sommelier of the year 2015 and awarded specialist of Chasselas. If, during the bike ride, we won't drink, even if the sight of the vineyards makes us thirsty, at the end of the ride, it will be high time to uncork a good vintage. What kind of wine? Chasselas, of course!


Original text in German:
Stephan Thomas for Gault & Millau