A route finally finalized and ready to be shared

It all started with a video I watched in 2023. A video by Mr. Phal presenting a challenge straight out of the past, appearing truly out of the ordinary: the Tourmagne Challenge. A 950 km bikepacking journey on a gravel track across France.

I, who had never ridden more than 50 km on a bike and had never even sat on a gravel bike, began to dream of traveling at the rhythm of my pedaling — an approach so different from everyday life paced by meetings, phone calls, and an always too full agenda. I made up my mind: I didn’t know how, but I was going to take on this adventure.

Buying the bike, training, a first bikepacking experience between Lucerne and Lausanne over a few days to test the “virus,” and finally, after a little more than a year, the dream came true when I set off and completed the Tourmagne Challenge in a duo with my nephew.

The result: A huge crush for this approach to travel — thinking only about the next pedal strokes, the next stop to find food, the next water source to ease the heat that burns us. The fact that the challenge is above all a personal test, a reason to hit the road alone with your bike and let go, is really the key to this adventure. It is also the opportunity to discover stunning landscapes, meet incredible people, with connections made easier by the curiosity sparked when you say you are taking part in such a challenge.

So, once this adventure of almost 10 days was over, what next? What to do afterwards?

The answer came simply and logically: I live in Switzerland, a wonderful country with so many atmospheres. It seemed natural to give back what the Tourmagne Challenge had given me: to try to build a similar challenge, offering as many people as possible the chance to discover Switzerland — by bike, in bikepacking mode, and on a gravel track.

It took a year to first draw the route with Komoot, look at the photos, imagine the passages, and define the iconic Swiss landmarks that had to be included. It also meant struggling with elevation profiles that rise steeply in a country where mountains are everywhere, and finally, taking the bike to test each part of the track, each segment. It was essential to check that reality matched the map (not always the case), that the landscapes were worth the effort, and that the pace of the route would make it accessible to as many people as possible.

I had one advantage during this reconnaissance: as a very amateur cyclist (my Strava stats are very modest), I really acted as a beginner. So if I could manage it, most cycling enthusiasts should be able to as well. This helps ensure that the route is open to a wide audience. A good dose of willpower and a bit of training will open the doors to this challenge.

It is therefore with emotion and joy that I launch this site, to allow all enthusiasts to discover Switzerland in a bikepacking spirit on a wonderful gravel route.
So come and live this adventure, take on this challenge that will amaze your eyes — and also work your legs a little 😁.

To conclude, here are some links to videos filmed during this reconnaissance:

Eric