After the downhill run in the Diemtigtal valley, we cycle to Klaus and Beatrice. Klaus picks us up on his bike – today we’re travelling without a Garmin. We met at a campsite on the Tarn in France in 2020. We are seeing each other again today. Beatrice’s mum Isolde has made up the bed for us in her house.
We are lavishly catered for and set off strengthened for our next destination, Grenchen. The watchmaking industry began to boom at the end of the 19th century. It epitomises the Swiss values of precision, punctuality and perfection. Grenchen has been the centre of the watchmaking industry for 150 years. Our friend Magda lives here for many years.
Well rested and with bread and honey in our pockets, we head up the Route de Jura from Grenchen, which lies at the foot of the Jura mountains. Here the Alps seem to be farmed all year round and the cows and their calves graze freely on the pastures. The cheese ‘Tete de Moine’ is produced by the monastery brothers in Bellejay.
La-Chaux-de-Fonds is one of the highest medium-sized towns in Europe. At just under 1000 metres above sea level, the town has 40,000 inhabitants and 23,000 jobs. It was founded in 1888. There are many pretty Art Nouveau houses, a few apartment blocks and lots of multicultural life in cafés, bars, restaurants and hotels; public squares, the town hall, schools, a railway station and an airport. What the pharmaceutical giants are in Basel with German commuters, La-Chaux-de-Fonds is today with commuters from neighbouring France. On the outskirts is the industrial area… watch production: ultra-modern, high-rise and high-priced. We are very impressed: Cartier, Breitling, Tissot, Swatch, Omega. Everything of distinction is located here.
Le Locle is considered the cradle of Swiss watchmaking and, together with La-Chaux-de-Fonds, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2009.
The tour up the Grenchenberg and onwards via Moutier into the very rural Swiss Jura was great fun. Over the two days, we cycled over 3000 metres in altitude and yet we were often able to let our gaze wander and enjoy the view. Our view of beautiful Switzerland has widened.
Dear Klaus, thank you very much for your tour suggestions. Dear Magda, a thousand thanks for the great time you spent with us in Grenchen and the wonderful stories about your Romanian homeland.
Many thanks to all our Swiss friends, including those who are not in the photo – Günther and Corinne from Kirchlindach, Fritz and Ursula from Latterbach, Ursula and Hanspeter on tour, everyone we know or have met. You have given us a clearer view of Switzerland with its magnificent nature, values, culture and traditions: a country in the heart of Europe that is really worth living in.
