Fields of Wild Narcissi at Les Pléiades near Lake Geneva

Sunday May 29, 2022 -- Earlier in the year, Urs had expressed an interest in seeing the famous narcissus fields of Les Avants near Lake Geneva, an excursion I did with a friend in 2019 (those fantastic photos are HERE) but then we forgot to check the online Narcissus Calendar, and by now those flowers were all withered and over.

But at a higher elevation nearby, on the mountain called Les Pléiades near Vevey, the calendar showed that there were still several fields in full bloom, so as the only nice weather this Sunday was going to be in that corner of the country anyway, we headed out on a 4-hour train trip to go see the pretty flowers. These wild narcissi grow in a lot of places, but Les Avants and Les Pléiades are famous for fields so full of white flowers, that they look like they are covered in snow. 

It was looking good for the whole trip down, lots of sunshine and blue skies, but as luck would have it, a thick dark cloud blocked the sun as we got to Les Pléiades at 11:30. We found the first fields near the train station there, and had our lunch on a bench in the middle of the field, but it was COLD! I could have used my gloves, and this is end of May! The flowering meadows were a hit, though, even though on the largest hillside the flowers were already finished. We could only imagine what it looked like in full bloom.

Instead of doing the more popular loop trail, we continued North to the ski-resort of Les Paccots, crossing the border of Canton Vaud into Canton Fribourg about half-way, and visiting the pretty little lake called Lac des Joncs before the end of the hike. 

Another highlight was the historical steam train which we passed on our way up from Vevey to Les Pléiades... but the smoke, it was nasty!

On the way to Lake Geneva by train, this is on the descent toward Lausanne, where we had to change to a train to Vevey

These are the famous vineyards of Lavaux, the region recognized by UNESCO in 2007 for its harmony between man and nature

In Vevey we took a small cog-wheel train to Les Pléiades. The historic steam engine was just leaving the station. I wouldn't want to have been sitting on that balcony when the train passed by!

On the way up by train we passed the castle of Blonay

A the train station in Blonay, the steam engine was taking a break. Our train also had a 5-minute pause, so I was able to get out and take these photos.

As the train climbs higher, another view of the Château de Blonay and Lake Geneva below

This mountain range is called Rochers de Naye (and the one that looks like a tooth is also aptly named "Dent de Jaman"). We were up on that peak several years ago, walked below the Dent de Jaman

The cute little train station at Les Pléiades

In this field of flowers on the hillside behind the train station, we found a bench and had our picnic lunch. When the clouds covered the sun, it was a COLD affair! But the fields were pretty.

Here is where we had our picnic lunch, with a view of Rochers de Naye

There is a restaurant at Les Pléiades. This is the view from their terrace

And looking northwest over the flat region of Romandie (the French part of Switzerland) all the way to the Jura Range. 

This was actually a part of the long-distance trail no.3 which we walked on (Alpine Panorama Trail). After leaving the hill at Les Pléiades, we crossed Canton Borders at the river called "La Veveyse de Fégire"

Here we are back at the train station, ready to climb to the crest of the hill, where most of the flowers were still to be found

A popular restaurant on the ridge, as this is also a ski hill in winter. Behind the restaurant, we found the first "white" meadow

A beautiful meadow full of the white narcissi

So many pretty flowers

Another look down at the flatlands of Canton Vaud and Fribourg where we don't often walk as it is too flat for our taste! The city below is Châtel-St-Denis

The narcissi here are almost finished blooming. You have to picture this hillside pure white!

The loop trail returns to Les Pléiades, but we chose to walk northward to Les Paccots, where we could also catch a bus. The "Passerelle de Fégire" is the crossing of the Canton Border into Canton Fribourg. 

Along the trail is this popular restaurant called "Buvette les Mossettes" where people from Montreux and Vevey like to come up to enjoy something to drink. We had read on the Internet that they had meringue desserts, which Urs loves, so we stopped here for dessert

Our dessert at Les Mossettes: Small portions and rather expensive. They claim to use local products, so I guess that's why the extra cost...

All the buildings in this area had intricately-shingled roofs, including around the chimneys, all in wood. What a lot of work (and a fire hazard, if you ask me). But this was probably the traditional way of doing it. 

Crossing the river which forms the canton border. This is called the "Passerelle de Fégire" (and the river is called "La Veveyse de Fégire")

Passerelle Fégire, part of Trail no.3. We are headed to the lake at Les Joncs, and after that to Les Paccots. 

A look behind us to the Alps in France, on the South side of Lake Geneva

The squirrels here have tufts on their ears

A 10-minute detour from the main road to have a look at the "Lac des Joncs". It was very pretty up here

Lac des Joncs

The landscape of Canton Fribourg

Every once in a while we saw some more of the narcissi in the meadows

From Les Joncs, a 20-minute section through peaceful forest and we got to the bus station at the resort village section of Les Paccots, called "Rosalys". This is the end bus station along the line to Châtel-St-Denis

Heading back home through the Romandie landscape

A Short Section of the Jura Crest Trail from Belchenflue to Hauenstein

Thursday May 26, 2022 -- A holiday here in Switzerland, but not the best day for hiking.... we tried again to follow the weather prognosis, but without a lot of luck: Heading again to the northwestern part of Switzerland where the weather is often better (Canton Solothurn and Canton Baselland), we had planned to walk up to the peak called Belchenflue for a view, then along a ridge trail to the castle ruins at Waldenburg. 

But Urs had injured his foot and his hiking shoes caused him pain, so we had to choose a shorter route, heading back toward the Hauenstein Pass along National Trail no.5: "Jura Höhenweg", or "The Jura Crest Trail", a 320-km trail which follows the ridge of the Jura Range from near Zurich along western Switzerland to Geneva. With the exception of our ascent from the Allerheiligenberg Clinic to the summit called Belchenflue, the rest of the 2.5-hour walk was along a wide military (mostly forested) road at a slope which apparently also gave Urs some problems.

As luck would have it, there is a military shooting range nearby, and there was shooting practice scheduled for all week. This is the third time we have walked in an area with shooting practice, and it is an annoying noise to accompany our walks, which are meant to be peaceful. 

The one redeeming factor of this excursion is that we had the only sunshine when we were at the look-out on Belchenflue, which gave us a really nice view of the rolling hills of Canton Baselland to the North. It was almost like being on one of our look-out towers, only with less haze this time.

The ascent from the clinic at Allerheiligenberg was all through the forest. This was the first view we got when we emerged from the forest trail, a look to the West to the Jura mountains at the far back, and the town of Langenbruck below

The forested section before the ascent to the peak at Belchenflue was actually pretty comfortable

We were surprised to see so much bear garlic in the forests here, although it is flowering, so it means it's almost finished. In other places it has already disappeared. Possibly because this is a north side, so it stays cooler longer. 

Just south of the Belchenflue peak is are detailed trail markers, indicating that there are certain trails you cannot follow when shooting practice is taking place. (i.e. the trail back to Olten). Fortunately for us, Trail no.5 (Jura Crest Trail) to Hauenstein is OK. Originally I wanted to walk to Waldenburg (2.5 hours from here), but we chose the shorter route to Hauenstein. But first the 10-minute detour to the peak at Belchenflue.

Heading up to the look-out point at Belchenflue. This is, by the way on the Canton Border between Solothurn and Basel Land. (Most of our hike was in Canton Solothurn, following the border, crossing it a couple of times). 

There is usually more sunshine in Canton Baselland, proven yet once again with this fantastic view to the North! This is originally where we had planned to walk (the hills on the left, in the center of the photo).

The view to the East along the northern/eastern part of the Jura range is pretty nice as well. This is the direction we are heading afterwards, on the right side of the photo.  

This wasn't one of our look-out towers, but almost an equivalent!

Heading back down from Belchenflue

Now the weather is also getting better to the west, long the Jura range at the back. 

The rest of the trail to the Hauenstein Pass (6 km) was along such a military road, and pretty popular judging by the many people who passed us on the way up (we think there was a "fest" for the participants of the military marksmanship training, as the local gun club had been setting up picnic tables at the pass below Belchenflue)

This whole mountainside featured in WWI as a protection line from invasion from the north, and the soldiers from the various cantons had carved monuments into the cliff face. These carvings are going to be restored this year. 

A look back at the look-out point at Belchenflue

We found a bench along the road where we had our picnic lunch, with this view to the south. On a really clear day, you can see the central alpine range. 

Remnants of "dragons teeth" (in Switzerland they are called a "Toblerone Lines") indicate that this was a tank fortification line during the World Wars, to protect from invasion from the North. 

From this point, the Jura Crest Trail continues higher up through the forest. We decided we had enough of the military road through the forest, so we descended to Ifenthal and continued along the  paved road to Hauenstein. 

Down below is the church at Ifenthal.

Filling up our water bottles

After experiencing some history of early 1900's (WWI) along the way, it was a trip back in time to see this car pass us along the road!

Long-horn cattle, an unusual sight here in Switzerland

Up ahead is the peak called Geissflue, also part of the Jura range, on the eastern side of the Hauenstein Pass. 

Last stretch along the paved road to the pass at Hauenstein

Some typical farm houses in this area

A familiar sight at the Hauenstein Pass. Some sort of antique shop, but it was closed on this day. 

Starting at Allerheiligenberg Clinic, we originally had planned to head north at the Belchenflue passage but we had to shorten our hike, so we followed the Jura Crest Trail (mostly) to Hauenstein. The pink line shows the canton border of Solothurn (to the South) and Basel Land (to the North).

We have on a previous occasion (2018) walked to Hauenstein along the Jura Crest Trail from the northeast, starting at Salhöhe Pass, which actually forms the border of Canton Aargau and Canton Solothurn. Those photos are HERE