A 1.4km limestone slot canyon with turquoise glacial water rushing beneath walkways bolted into the rock face — 10 minutes from the waterfall where Sherlock Holmes met his (fictional) end. Thu evening drive to Besançon, Fri remote work there, then push on to the Bernese Oberland for the weekend.
Between Meiringen and Innertkirchen, the Aare river has cut a 1.4km gorge through limestone up to 200m deep in places, with walls sometimes just a few metres apart. Wooden and steel walkways — some bolted directly into the rock, some in tunnels blasted through it — hang right above the turquoise water, which runs cold, fast, and startlingly clear. It's a short, dramatic walk (about 1–1.5 hours round trip) that punches well above its length.
Switzerland's motorways require a vignette — a flat sticker/e-vignette costing CHF 40 (≈€43), valid for 14 months (1 Dec 2025 – 31 Jan 2027 for the current one). Buy it online in advance or at a border fuel station; driving Swiss motorways without one risks a CHF 200 fine plus the vignette cost itself. Ordinary cantonal roads (like the direct road from Innertkirchen through Meiringen) don't require it, but you'll almost certainly cross at least one stretch of Swiss autoroute getting there from Basel/Bern.
Drive out after work, using the free stay in Besançon (or Belfort, if that's where it's arranged) as the overnight base — same pattern as the Savoie trip. One Supercharger stop en route (A6/A36 corridor) comfortably covers the leg within the car's realistic ~330–370 km range.
Full remote workday from the free stay. No driving today — this is the day that makes the long haul to Switzerland manageable without burning a vacation day on pure transit.
Head out Friday evening if you're not too tired, or first thing Saturday morning. The route runs via Basel or Bern into the Bernese Oberland, climbing into the Haslital valley to Meiringen. Arrive with the afternoon free for the gorge.
Walk the full 1.4km gorge one direction, then either walk back or take the small train/funicular loop. Ride or hike up to Reichenbach Falls for the view and the Holmes memorial plaque. If you've got an extra half-day, the Haslital valley has quiet cycling roads and the Grimsel/Susten pass roads nearby for a scenic drive (no charging concerns — short distances). Comfort-meal option: a Bernese Rösti or a proper Swiss fondue in Meiringen village — expect roughly CHF 25–30 for a hearty rösti plate, more for fondue for one.
Either drive straight home in one long push with a couple of Supercharger stops, or reverse the outbound pattern and overnight again at the free stay before the final leg — much easier on a single weekend if you can swing a Monday remote day either side.
| Category | How it's calculated | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Swiss vignette | CHF 40, valid 14 months — one-time cost, reusable on future Swiss trips | ≈ €43 |
| Tolls (France) | A6/A36 corridor, Meudon↔Besançon round trip | ≈ €35–45 |
| Charging | ~1,430 km round trip × ~0.17 kWh/km ≈ 243 kWh × ~€0.40–0.45/kWh (French + Swiss/CH rates blended) | ≈ €100–110 |
| Lodging | 2 free nights (Besançon/Belfort) + 1 paid night at Alpencamping Meiringen | ≈ €28 |
| Gorge + funicular | Combined ticket, CHF 18–25 | ≈ €19–27 |
| Food (mostly self-cooked + one rösti/fondue splurge) | ~4 days self-cooked + 1 comfort meal (~CHF 25–30) | ≈ €55–65 |
| Total | €180–230 | |