Across the Language Frontier and Back


On the weekend, we rode 60 km to the town of Erlach, which is in the German speaking part of Switzerland, and back. (French is spoken on the Neuchâtel side of the lakes and the rivers connecting them , while German is spoken on the other side.) The new part of Erlach is on the Bielersee (Lac Bienne, in French).



We climbed up a steep cobblestone road to the the Altstadt (old city) of Erlach which is an old fortified town on a rocky promentory.

The couple who took our pictures are German. They live and work in Neuchâtel; but because Erlach is German speaking, they drive across the language frontier (about a 15 minute drive) to relax in their own language environment during the weekends.





The view was worth the climb up the steep cobblestone street.



The ride down from the Altstadt (old city) was via an easy paved road.

Comments

Hervé and Bryn said…
60Km sounds impressive. I know Dad was exhausted at the end of the day but I think you added on a couple of KM. On the internet it says there is only 20.4 Km from our place to Erlach. Was it the detour the restaurant for lunch that added on the extra 20km?
September 19, 2007 at 5:12 a.m.
William said…
It may be 20 km from Corcelles to Erlach "as the crow flies"; but, traveling via the descent to Auvernier and then following the wsnake-like Lake Neuchâtel bicycle path, detouring around Marin, following paths close to the canal between the lakes and taking the main bicycle path to Erlach is not what the crow does. It's 30 km each way, easily. Of course, if I had a GPS bicycle wrist monitor, there wouldn't even be even the tiniest bit of doubt.
September 19, 2007 at 7:46 a.m.
Margot said…
Either way, it's still impressive. Mark is impressed by ANYONE who would bike on those hills.
September 19, 2007 at 7:09 p.m.
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