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Easy hike & fine lunch in the beautiful Lavaux vineyard terraces:

When visiting Lausanne last year and marveling at the Lavaux vineyards from far, I wanted to hike this UNESCO World Heritage Site as soon as possible. And an opportunity came my way recently! After having booked a short stay in Geneva, my husband and I decided to go on a Lavaux vineyard walk on the shores of Lake Geneva on our way to Geneva. And of course, we combined it with a gourmet lunch in the area!

About Lavaux vineyards

The Lavaux vineyard terraces extend from Lausanne to Montreux high above Lake Geneva in the western part of Switzerland. It is the country’s largest contiguous vineyard region with vines growing in terraces that were daringly constructed along the hill. The Lavaux has been on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 2007.

It is really hard not to be softened by the Lavaux’s beauty and its unspoiled character! And above all this, you always have these panoramic views of the Lake Geneva and the French Alps.

Walks/hikes in the Lavaux vineyards

The steep terraced vineyards in the Lavaux region offer a myriad of walking and hiking opportunities with spectacular views of water and mountains. The grapevines are beautiful from early spring to late summer yet at their best in fall. For an overview of possible walking and hiking options please refer to Outdooractive.

Out of the many possibilities my husband and I went for an easy circular hike in the central Lavaux between Cully and Chexbres.

World Heritage hike through the Lavaux vineyards (easy hike)

Cully – Chemin de l’Ouchette – Chemin du Dézaley – Chexbres – Sentier sur le Moulin – Chemin du Daillard – Chemin des Plantaz – Route de la Corniche – Epesses – Riex – Chemin du Vigny – Cully

Duration: about 3 hours / Ascent: 185 m/607 ft / inspired by Outdooractive trail

You start at the train station in Cully and head towards east in the direction of Chexbres. While you first walk near to a road and a railway, with time the trail leads deeper and deeper in the wine growing area. At the beginning, the vineyard terraces are relatively flat

yet gradually become steeper.

The climax as to steepness is around the Dézaley terraces where the signature wines comes from. If you are a wine lover, give the Dézalay Chemin de Fer (white Chasselas), a top wine of the area, a try!

The trail to Chexbres’s outskirts is along paved routes, which are for the winemaker’s use only. And you have stunning views of the terraced vineyards and the Lake Geneva all the time. At the end of Chemin du Dézaley you come to a vista point

where you also find a wine stall (kiosque de degustation des vins). Then the way climbs up towards Chexbres.

Once you have reached the top point of the hike,

you follow the Route de la Corniche. Although this is a car road, it is a beautiful way to take. It features a sidewalk (on the lake side) all the time and you have wonderful views of vineyards and lake on the whole descent. You pass two wine villages while doing so.

Epesses,

a lovely historical place

with lots of opportunities to taste wine, is first, Riex

second. From Riex, turn into Chemin du Vigny to return to your starting point.

Where to have a gourmet lunch in the Lavaux area

My husband and I did our hike in the Lavaux vineyards in the morning. This is very much recommended in summer time as there is not much shade when walking here. In addition, this allows you to have lunch in the area after having completed your “physical exertion”.

It goes without saying that you – as hiker – have to choose your (fine dining) restaurant wisely. After all, you are most probably dressed in your hiking gear and you might be a bit sweaty. Notwithstanding that, my husband and I like to have a gourmet lunch although not at a really fancy place. And this preferably at a eatery with an outdoor area.

Our choice fell on a gourmet restaurant in Grandvaux,

a picturesque wine village, which dangles from the hillside like a charm on a bracelet.

And here we opted for Auberge de la Gare, the local station restaurant, dating from 1862.

You have to make your reservation on a sunny summer weekend early, as it quickly fills on such days. A funny detail is that they have more space available when the weather is good as they feature a large terrace but only small interiors.

Auberge de la Gare was awarded 13 Gault Millau points and is Michelin listed. Well-made family-style cooking is on offer here. Popular choices are perch fillets from Lake Geneva and delicious, very fresh fries.

A small house salad is included in the price. You can enjoy your meal, preferably with local wine – Dézalay Chemin de Fer is a great choice – , while admiring views of lake, the French Alps and vineyards!

And you do not have to break your wallet while doing so. Staff is gracious and informative.

Overall

Switzerland has quite a number of beautiful wine areas, but one stands out, the Lavaux in Switzerland’s west, on Lake Geneva between Lausanne and Montreux. It is not only the country’s largest contiguous vineyard but also an UNESCO World Heritage Site. It offers numerous chances to walk and hike amidst its terraced landscape with tremendous views of lake and mountains. One of them is the easy hike I proposed above, the World Heritage hike. It is best combined with a gourmet lunch at the Auberge de La Gare in Grandvaux, a lovely wine village, five minutes by car from the starting and end point of the walk. This is the place to enjoy local fish and the vista from its panoramic terrace!