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Euro2001 – Day 5 - BESANCON to SCHOTZ to SEEWEN

Friday 3rd August 2001

“Fredy Kumschick & Wine Tasting”

Today sees us leaving France for Switzerland. We drive to Bern on more great roads and our first mountain pass. At Bern you may wish to stop off for a while or come to see the Swiss Caterham agent. This doesn't really do Freddy Kumshick justice - he races historic formula cars, owns Bugattis, Lotuses etc and tunes anything in sight! We will stay an hour or so there before continuing our journey past Lake Lucern and onto Seewen. We will then park the cars in a secure area provided by a wine merchants where we can sample a few glasses with platters of cheese while our luggage is ferried to the hotel, which is a 5 minute walk away.

General Points for Driving in Switzerland

In France the TOLL ROADS are sign-posted BLUE, with non-toll major roads sign-posted GREEN, but in Switzerland the TOLL ROADS are sign-posted GREEN, with non-toll major roads sign-posted BLUE.

In Switzerland you can buy a windscreen token for 40 Swiss Francs called a Vignette, normally at the frontier custom post as well as at most fuel stations. It is valid for the calendar year. This entitles you to use all the motorways without extra payments, and it is obligatory to have one if you use the Swiss toll roads. If you get caught without one you will have to buy one from the friendly police officer as well as pay a fine of about sFr. 150.--. You cannot “pay as you go”. Our route doesn’t use the toll roads, but tourers may wish to buy a token so they have the option of using them, should they want to complete a particular route quicker.

Fuel stations are plentiful in Switzerland, but many use cash payment machines, or credit cards, but you MUST KNOW YOUR “PIN” NUMBER. In order to use the credit/debit cards.

Radar detectors are illegal in Switzerland.

You must have the ownership documents of the car.

Use sun cream sun protection in the mountains.

Directions: Andy Robertson and Peter Wehrmann.

  • Start 09:00
  • Turn right out of the Hotel, at the roundabout with MacDonalds take the road sign-posted “Besancon”.
  • After the road works, take the right fork sign-posted “Centre Ville” then follow sign to Pontarlier which is after the old military fort (it is a RIGHT turn).
  • Leave Besancon using the road to Pontarlier.
  • At a major roundabout (with a circular monument in the middle) take the LEFT turn to Neuchatel and then head towards Morteau (42 kilometres/26 miles).
  • Once in Morteau, at a roundabout with a sign post “Pontarlier 30” turn LEFT following “Autres Directions”, then follow the signs to Villiers and then Le Locle, and finally La Chaux de Fonds. You are now heading towards Switzerland.
  • There is a frontier post (border) before Le Locle.
  • Head for Neuchatel (blue signs, not green).
  • Along the lake of Neuchatel (before you get to the town) there is an excellent view point, worth a stopping for (Vue des Alpes).
  • Chateau de Valangin 4 km before Neuchatel
  • Once in Neuchatel head for Hauterive, going North along the lake and clockwise round the lake.
  • The next main point is Bern, follow BLUE signs to Bern.
  • Take the route to Ins, then Kerzers, then Bern (the capital of Switzerland).
  • In Bern, go to the centre marked Transit and Zentrum.
  • Follow signs to Zurich and Basel, Interlaken to guide you through the city.
  • Look for signs to Luzern and Worb. Worb is the first town you come to of the two.
  • After Worb it is 81 km to Luzern.
  • Continue on the road (route 10) through Emmental (the name coming from the river “Emmen”; “tal” is the German word for valley), past Langnau.
  • The next main point is Wolhausen here you turn left to visit Fredy Kumschick, or turn right to go straight to the wine tasting at Seewen..

Those going to Fredy Kumschick

  • At Wolhausen turn left to Willisau.
  • Arrive in Schötz, about 5 hours from Besancon.
  • Turn right at a sign pointing to Hostris just before entering Schötz, with a shop called Stadleman on the left then take the next “immediate” left, and Fredy Kumschick is 30 metres on your left.

Fredy Kumschick to Seewen - 78 km/ 48 miles (to the hotel)

  • From Fredy Kumschick go to the main road and turn left.
  • At the end of the street turn left to Ettiswil.
  • Beware of many radar traps because of Fredy.
  • Through Ettiswil take the left turn sign-posted towards Luzern and Ruswil.
  • Go through Ruswil, then Hellbühl, still heading for Luzern.
  • In Luzern follow “Zentrum” and beware of more cameras at the traffic lights.
  • Follow sign to Küssnacht. Effectively we are going clockwise around the lake
  • (called “Vierwaldstättersee” – the lake of the 4 forests).
  • The next large town is Weggis (there is a good view point outside of Weggis for a photo-stop).
  • Take the first turn to Schwyz, the road bears left away from the lake.
  • Take that road sign-posted to Zug.
  • Enter the town of Seewen.
  • Down the hill – Note the Shell station on the left hand side.
  • Just before the train station take the left turn sign-posted “Schuler Wine”.
  • Rendezvous 500 metres on left. Peter Wehrmann will organise the check-in to the hotel.
  • A train station is on the left. The hotel “Kristall” is on the right. There are flags outside the hotel.