There are moments when life gives you an exceptional gift — when the stars align and a journey you’ve long imagined unfolds even more beautifully than you ever dared to dream. The kind of experience that feels hand-carved by the universe: a blend of awe-inspiring landscapes, good company and the kind of peace that comes only when you’ve stepped outside of your routine and into something more grand.

That’s exactly what the two-week journey my wife and I took through Switzerland and rural France turned out to be in the summer of 2025.

Switzerland: Zurich and Lucerne

We started our trip with a few days of leisure in Zurich, staying in a charming hotel tucked inside the city’s Old Town. Zurich blends old-world elegance with international energy, offering a graceful mix of historic charm and modern life. We spent our time walking along the Limmat River, exploring quaint streets and getting a feel for the city’s quiet confidence and cultural depth.

Early in the week, we made a day trip to Lucerne, a stunning lakeside city nestled at the foot of the Swiss Alps. It felt like stepping into a storybook: cobblestone streets, painted medieval buildings and snow-capped peaks reflecting off the calm waters of Lake Lucerne. We wandered through the charming old section of town, crossed the iconic fourteenth-century Chapel Bridge and explored boutiques filled with handmade crafts and irresistible chocolate shops.

For lunch, we grabbed a table at a buzzing sidewalk café on the lakefront, where the view was as rich as the food. With colorful umbrellas fluttering in the breeze, boats bobbing in the harbor, and the mountains rising in the background, the entire scene felt like it had been plucked from a painting.

The Swiss Alps: Interlaken and Grindelwald

The following day brought a complete shift in scenery with a trip into the Swiss Alps. We boarded a tour bus early in the morning for the lively mountain town of Interlaken and then deeper into the towering beauty of Grindelwald.

The drive itself was unforgettable — lush green hills rolled past our windows as the bus climbed higher into the mountains, the peaks growing more dramatic with every mile. Interlaken, nestled between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz and framed by towering granite cliffs, welcomed us with a vibrant, alpine energy. The streets buzzed with hikers, cyclists and travelers soaking up the mountain air.

From there, we continued on to Grindelwald, and the landscape seemed to step into the realm of fantasy. Surrounded by glaciers and towering granite peaks, the village sits in a lush green basin that feels like a natural amphitheater for the Alps. We laced up our shoes and spent the day exploring the area on foot, following trails that led us past wooden chalets, flower-strewn meadows and iconic Swiss cows grazing on steep hillsides with the valley far below.

One of the most unforgettable scenes of the day was watching the paragliders. From our vantage point on the trails, we saw them drifting silently through the sky — tiny figures suspended beneath bright canopies, soaring from high alpine launch points near Grindelwald. They traced long, graceful arcs through the air, their silhouettes backlit by snow-covered glaciers. Some floated close to the cliffs while others seemed to climb higher and higher, carried on thermals that lifted them toward the jagged summits.

The sound of glacial meltwater rushing through streams accompanied us throughout our hike, a reminder of the living force of the mountains. Every corner brought a new vista, every pause a moment to simply breathe in the alpine stillness and grandeur.

Basel and Rural France

After four wonderful days in Zurich and to the Alps, we boarded a train bound for Basel, where my wife would attend a conference. While she shifted into work mode, I was ready to begin my own adventure: cycling solo through Switzerland and into rural France.

Getting set up wasn’t as straightforward as I’d hoped. Most shops had only new inventory or catered to commuters. But thanks to some helpful local tips and a little persistence, I discovered gundeliVELOS, an exceptional neighborhood shop tucked away in Basel’s Gundeldingen district. They provided me with a solid all-purpose bike — perfect for the mix of paved paths and backcountry roads I’d be exploring.

On my first day with the bike, I took it out for a 20-mile warm-up ride, partly to get a feel for it but mostly to ease my legs into cycling mode. I followed the EuroVelo 15 route south along the Rhine River, passing through the unique junction where Switzerland, Germany and France converge. The reflections on the river were stunning, and at a small plaza along the water, I saw the flags of all three nations waving in the breeze — a peaceful, symbolic reminder of how closely connected we all are.

The next day, I set out to stretch my ride farther into rural France. A few miles in, I spotted a fully loaded cycling couple ahead. Their calm, efficient cadence caught my attention, and when they turned off onto a route I hadn’t yet explored, I decided to follow.

That turn proved crucial. It was the connector from EuroVelo 15 to EuroVelo 6, one of Europe’s most traveled cycling paths. A few minutes later, they stopped in a small town, and I took the opportunity to chat. Their names were Paul and Adele, seasoned touring cyclists from New Zealand.

Their story was nothing short of inspiring. They had set off from Athens, Greece on May 1 and had pedaled their way through Albania, Macedonia, Croatia, Austria, Germany and Switzerland. Their next leg would take them across France, then on to London and Scotland, before flying to Japan and Taiwan. Their plan was to eventually return home just in time for the Southern Hemisphere’s summer later this year.

When I asked Paul why they enjoyed touring, he smiled and replied, “It’s a perfect slow pace that allows us to experience life at its fullest — and that’s just perfect for how we want to live at this stage of our lives.” Adele added, “It’s been simply incredible, all the wonderful people we’ve met in our travels…people we never would’ve crossed paths with otherwise.”

Their warmth and helpfulness stuck with me as I continued into rural France. The route was scenic and peaceful highlighted by quiet villages, shady trails and public fountains perfect for refilling bottles. My high school French got a workout as I stumbled through communicating about directions and food orders.

About 20 miles in, I hit a confusing section of gravel trail. At a nearby EuroVelo Info Center, a few local residents gathered around and — through gestures, broken English and trail maps — graciously got me back on track.

By late afternoon, my legs were feeling my long journey. I rolled into a campground café and ordered a cheeseburger and two Cokes to refuel. As the sun began its descent, I made the return ride back to Basel, arriving at the hotel just as dusk became darkness. My body was tired, but my spirit was wide awake.

Final Reflections: More Than Just Miles

From the winding cobblestone streets of Zurich’s Old Town to the glistening expanse of Lake Lucerne to the awe-inspiring trails of Grindelwald and Interlaken, we had experienced Switzerland at its most stunning. And when our paths briefly diverged — my wife to a conference in Basel and me pedaling solo into rural France — the journey only deepened. The miles I rode along EuroVelo 15 and 6 revealed not just landscapes, but a unique rhythm of life.

There was something profoundly grounding about cycling through small villages, refilling water bottles at centuries-old fountains and relying on broken French and the generosity of strangers to find my way. The kindness of locals, the patience of fellow travelers like Paul and Adele and the serenity of the countryside reminded me that the world — even in these unfamiliar corners — had a way of making me feel at home.

It was easy to fall in love with the mountains, the lakes and the chocolate. But it was the smiles, the conversations, the shared humanity that left the deepest imprint.

As for me, those days spent riding alone, tracing the curves of the Rhine and the hidden routes of EuroVelo 6, planted a seed. A sense that this kind of travel in Europe — this slow, intentional, self-propelled way of seeing the world — might not just be a one-time adventure. It may be the beginning of something bigger. Something that calls me to keep exploring, to keep pedaling, and to discover where the roads and my legs might take me next.

Because sometimes, the best journeys aren’t about the destination at all. They’re about discovering who you are when you allow the world to move through you, one turn of the pedals at a time.