E-Biking and Mountain Carting Fun in The Swiss Mountains at Villars

Exploring the Outdoors in Villars-Sur-Ollons

There is so much to see and do in and around Villars and in early Summer and we were lucky enough to discover some really fun activities. If you’re planning your holidays for next Summer, have a look here for some ideas and inspiration for things to do in the beautiful area around Villars-Sur-Ollon.

Bex Salt Mines

We began by exploring the nearby Bex Salt Mines and visiting a farm to see  local cheese being made by hand in Villars Sur Ollon.

Cheese Making in Villars-Sur-Ollon

We then tasted some wonderful wine at Domaine Le Luissalet where they produce some excellent white and red wine and organise great tastings right next to the vineyards.

E-Biking and Mountain Carting in Villars

However, two of the most memorable activities we took part in were e-biking and mountain carting.

E-Biking in Villars

First of all we went to sport shop McBoard where we picked up two e-bikes. The people in the shop were extremely helpful and friendly. I needed a lower saddle (as I couldn’t reach the ground) and they went to great lengths to try and find one for me.

Route La Panoramique Bretaye – Route 573

There are lots of different biking routes you can choose from, but we decided to go on this one called La Panoramique Bretaye.

BVB Train from Villars

To get the start of the route we took the BVB train from Villars. We were able to take our bikes on the train in a special bike carrier at the back of the train and the journey (including mountain bike or e-bike) was included in the Free Access Card and the Magic Pass. The train journey was 20 minutes to get to station at the top, Col de Bretaye, which lies at 1,800m.

We then set off following the signs for route number 573, which took us past two beautiful lakes and through some wonderfully scenic landscapes. We went in late June and the weather was extremely changeable. In fact it’s hard to believe that all the photos from the biking excursion were taken on the same day! We had a mixture of blue sky and clouds and grey mist and drizzle in the space of one afternoon!

Scenic Countryside

We glimpsed beautiful views of the Ormonts valley and the alpine chalets of the Col de la Croix. The ride was easy to medium without any great difficulty, and we were mainly riding on good mountain paths and tarmac roads.

Along the way you pass some restaurants like this one by the first lake if you want to stop for a drink.

There were beautiful mountain flora and fauna to admire and it took us a little over two and a half hours to complete the route.

However, one of the reasons it was a little longer was because I kept stopping to take photographs of the beautiful scenery! 🙂

Route 573 is 21km Long

The route itself was around 21 km and going by e-bike made it so much easier and for me, more enjoyable than it would have been on a normal bike.

Our route took us back to Villars where we made our way back to McBoard.

We set off just after lunch, but if you go earlier you may want to make a small diversion to  the historical site of Taveyanne where they have lots of timber chalets with wooden shingle roofs and have lunch at the Refuge de Taveyanne (Route de Taveyanne, 1882 Gryon).

Mountain Carting Villars

Mountain Bikes from Gondola Station Roc d’Orsay

The Mountain Carts are Easy To Control

Mountain Carting Instructions

You can reserve your mountain cart here and then you simply buy a one way ticket on the gondola (for a departure at 9am, 10h30, 12 noon, 1.30pm, 3pm or 4.30pm). If you have a valid Magic Pass or a Free Access Card you don’t need to pay for the the cable car.  You then pick up your cart from  bottom of the Roc d’Orsay gondola lift (get there at least 15 minutes prior to departure) and take it with you on the gondola up to the top of the Roc d’Orsay. After that it’s downhill all the way! 🙂 Please note that Mountain Carting is suitable for adults and for children over 12 years old and 140 cm or taller. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. There are 20 carts are available per session.

Domaine Le Luissalet

Tel: 079 885 85 95

Address: Route de Chiètre 29, 1880 Bex 079 632 35 23

Visit the Domaine Le Luissalet website here

Where To Eat

We had a wonderful dinner at Restaurant Miroir d’Argentine. It’s located quite a distance away from Villars – but is definitely worth the journey! We had a really delicious dinner here and even though it was mid week the restaurant was packed with locals- Definitely an insider secret!

Dinner at Restaurant Miroir d’Argentine Solalex

Address: 1882 Solalex

Tel: 024 498 14 46

Visit the Miroir d’Argentine Website here. 

Lunch at Alpe Fleurie Hotel et Restaurant Villars-sur-Ollon

After the mountain carting we had a great lunch at the Alpe Fleurie Hotel and can really recommend the food.

Address: Av. Centrale 148, 1884 Villars-sur-Ollon

Tel: 024 496 30 70

Visit the Alpe Fleurie Website here

When To Go

So if you’re looking for a break from the city in the beautiful countryside, why not plan a trip to Villars Sur Ollon?

The e-biking and mountain carting take place around early June to late October, but you can visit the Bex Salt Mine all year round and of course go skiing in Villars. The ski area incorporates the two smaller areas of Villars/Bretaye and Gryon and is linked with the Les Diablerets skiing area via the route over Le Meilleret. There is also glacier skiing area at Glacier 3000. The whole skiing arena comprises 44 lifts and 125 km of ski slopes and has three snowparks, a snow kindergarten, 44 km of cross-country skiing trails, sledging runs and numerous winter walking routes. If you’re looking for wellness a great place to visit are the thermal baths in Lavey. For more information please visit the Villars Website here. 

*** Articles You May Like ***

An Interesting Visit to the Salt Mines at Bex Switzerland

Exploring Canton Vaud – Cheese Making On the Farm in Villars Sur Ollon

Discover Villars, Gryon & Les Diablerets with The Free Access Card This Summer!

Two Wonderful Hikes Near Villars-Les Diablerets In Vaud

Top Things To Do On A Rainy Day Near Villars & Les Diablerets

Hidden Gems in Villars, Gryon, Les Diablerets and Bex

****************************