Sortie a Velo: Le Lavaux

Yesterday, Ben and I , along with several friends from EPFL’s  Xchange Student Group, went on a Sortie a Velo (bike ride) through the beautiful Lavaux. The Lavaux is the famed series of vineyards stretching from Lausanne to Montreux, extending from the cliffs high above the lake directly to the shores of Lac Leman below. Since 2007, the region has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and considering its breathtaking beauty, I’m not at all surprised.

In addition to outstanding scenery, the ride itself was very invigorating. Based on the description of the excursion, most of us assumed that it would be more of a leisurely-paced bike ride than a strenuous cycling adventure. The bikes we were given were also meant for slow-paced touring-- while most had the ability to change gears, some (like mine) were stuck on a particular setting.  The bikes all clanked a bit, and whenever we reached a steep downhill, it wasn’t uncommon at all to hear ten different sets of breaks squeaking. Despite our less-than-capable bikes, the ride was pretty steep. We rode from terrace to terrace, up and down steep hills. While there were plenty of opportunities to take a rest and snap some photos, the ride ended up being much more of a workout than I anticipated. I like that. There’s something very satisfying about admiring a beautiful view when you know you had to work to reach the lookout point.

the first of many very, very steep climbs.

biking through the vineyards. who cares about steep climbs?
the view is definitely worth it. 

one of the several signs announcing individual vineyards.

rows and rows and rows of grapes! the variety most
commonly grown in the lavaux region is called
"chasselas", and is used to make white wine. 

the terraces supporting the vineyards  have been traced back
to the 11th century!

resting our legs for a bit: ben, me, amy. 

streams of beautiful sunlight. 

the combination of direct sunlight, sunlight reflected from
the lake, and the lake's climate-controlling effects
have allowed the lavaux to produce fantastic wine
for generations. 

ben...

....and me!

tiny sailboat, far, far below!

winding through the vineyards-- what a glorious day!