Mice in Switzerland, the Other Cheese Country! (page 3 of 19)

The return of the mouse is both hilarious and comforting. It feels like rediscovering your old VoyageForum from a time that isn't actually that far away.

I don't know how I should take this 🤔

A few photos

The day after our visit to Estavayer-le-lac, the weather was really awful 😅

We weren’t even motivated to go out because of the non-stop rain. We stayed cozy in the house with the cat (the irony for a couple of mice 😏)

We got motivated after a break in the clouds. Off to Yverdon-les-Bains, which we’d only seen at night when we arrived.

The plan was to take a walk between showers and grab a coffee break.

Of course, a huge downpour just as we arrive 😂

Then it calms down, so we explore the little town center and its church.

It’s cute! A bit of an Italian vibe...

Of course, another big downpour, so we stop for a snack in a cozy tea salon.

One of the cakes was way too sweet—almost inedible for us 😅 The rum baba wasn’t great either.

The rain stops, and the sun comes out! Off to the lakeside, a little further away.

Like in Estavayer-le-lac, it was pretty nice, and the view was lovely.

We check out the Menhirs. Yes, there are menhirs in Switzerland!

The sky clouds over, so between the menhirs and the weather, it feels like we’re in Brittany!

Back to the center in a light drizzle. I’d spotted an Ethiopian restaurant on The Fork. A nice change, so we go!

The food was really good, and the welcome was top-notch. We chatted a bit with the waitress.

That’s it!

I’d say Yverdon wasn’t necessarily our top priority, but since we were nearby... It’s actually pretty charming.

Ah, the mice really enjoyed the pubs in the Lausanne metro and train station! 🐭😆

Little anecdote: when leaving the accommodation, we had to take out the trash. Well, the regular trash in the communal bin (with the taxed bag) and the glass in the container. I saw that it’s forbidden to throw out trash in the evening and on Sundays because it can make noise 😮

Oh well, had to take it out anyway

A few updates, but photos will come later...

We stopped for a few hours in Bern, located between our two accommodations.

We parked near the Rosengarten to admire the stunning view, then walked back down to the center, strolling around to see the views from the bridges.

We obviously explored the center of Bern, with its main street, the town hall square, the cathedral façade (closed), viewpoints from the terraces, the clock tower, Federal Palace square...

The viewpoints are gorgeous, the city is definitely worth a look! It’s cohesive, it smells like old stones, the arcades and fountains add a lot of charm to the city, though it remains austere (no colors!).

A pleasant discovery.

We ate at an Italian restaurant on the square not far from the Federal Palace. Well, everything is expensive, obviously. We walked back up—helps burn off the calories 😇

On Monday, we discovered the small town of Zofingen where we’re staying, not touristy but really cute! More colors, a few murals, little streets... I love it!

Then off to Lucerne for a different vibe! 😮 First, we went to admire a viewpoint by car, before parking slightly uphill near the Royal Hotel.

Then some great walks along the quays and in the city.

Huge visual impact: it’s beautiful!! The surrounding landscape, the lake spillway, the architecture, the bridges, the buildings with pretty murals...

On the other hand, it’s obviously very touristy! But few French speakers, lots of Asians, Indians, and visitors from Gulf countries (I think). It’s the first place in Switzerland with so many tourists. At the same time, I get it—it’s super cute! Let’s just say you don’t come here for "authenticity."

The city’s setting reminded me a bit of Annecy.

We had dinner at a sort of Thai snack spot, then a walk during the blue hour with the lighting, ice cream by the quays, and we walked back up! We’re wearing out our shoes...

Watch out, Street Parade in Zurich this Saturday...

The return of the mouse is both hilarious and heartwarming. It feels like reuniting with your old VoyageForum from a time that isn’t actually that far away.

I don’t know how I’m supposed to take this 🤨

Extremely well done! Just seeing the mouse’s face in the foreground of the photos cracks me up already. And well, I love you guys—what can I say, there’s nothing we can do about it...🙂

Oh thanks!

For Zurich, thanks, but I don’t think we’ll go after all... There are much nicer places to see. Unless I manage to extend the trip a bit, but even then...

A few photos of Zofingen where we're staying

There’s quite a bit of construction on the highways...

I wanted to see Lake Brienz, but even normally it’s 1 hour 20 minutes, and now Waze says 1 hour 40...

My partner’s starting to get fed up with driving...

Even farther on to Lake Lucerne, it’s still a 1-hour drive.

Today we visited Thun! Of course, the weather was nice when we left, but it clouded over when we arrived 🤦 Then the sun came back out.

A lovely town! Less impressive than Lucerne (but the bar is high), but less crowded too!

We climbed up to the hilltop belvedere for a view of the Alps, strolled along the quay, explored the old town, and took in the views from the church and the castle...

We stopped at the local Nespresso store for some purchases that came with a tasting—perfect for a coffee break!

Then we ended the day in Oberhofen, known for its castle on the water, a bit like Chillon. It was mainly for the view. The park was nice!

A village of chalets—what a change!

We found a tavern with almost no one around (we were the only ones inside) to enjoy some homemade local dishes.

From Thun, Lake Brienz wasn’t too far away.😉

On the other hand, if you go another day, don’t stop in Interlaken. This little town is super touristy—it feels like you’re in Asia.

Giessbach Falls is a must (multiple tiers and you can walk behind the waterfall), and you absolutely have to stop at the historic hotel for a coffee.

For the view and an easy hike on a good trail, I recommend heading up to Männlichen and walking to Kleine Scheidegg. During the whole walk, you’ll have Switzerland’s three iconic mountains right in front of you (Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau).

Have a great trip!

That’s sweet, but we won’t have time... We’re going to focus on Lake Lucerne (Lac des 4 Cantons). I would’ve loved to stay longer, but we need to free up the apartment.

I can’t find any other exchanges...

I’ll probably book 3 nights somewhere for the Rhine Falls and Stein am Rhein, and that’s it 🤷‍♂️

Switzerland is a gorgeous country—you need time (and money 💰) to explore it!

One question though: do you Swiss folks find your country too expensive?

The hosts for my first exchange told me that even for them, visiting Switzerland wasn’t cheap...

At least when you travel, everything else seems affordable! 😊

I skipped a few days of visits in this travel journal, but since I'm on my smartphone, it's a real pain to find the photos (sorted by date), and since you can only select one at a time...

We had gone to see the Lavaux terraces, with the villages of Grandvaux and Saint-Saphorin. In the fine rain...

It's still pretty, though! !

Berne

Mixed weather today

We returned to Lucerne because it's the closest...

We hadn't climbed the ramparts or seen the lion, so that's done now.

Lots of people.

The plan is to take a funicular and see the view from the Gutsch belvedere, but we'll see depending on the weather.

It's not a great summer...

Should’ve gone to Ticino.

We’re heading back Sunday, but so far in 10 days, just one rainy morning. But it’s hot...🤪

Oh well, it's not better!