Thu evening out, Tue back, remote-work Fri & Mon from a free stay in Belfort. Bike loaded inside (no range penalty), medieval old town, alpine lake swimming, and the world's steepest cogwheel railway up Pilatus.
Lucerne sits on the Vierwaldstättersee (Lake Lucerne), ringed by Pilatus and Rigi, with a genuinely well-preserved medieval old town centred on the wooden Kapellbrücke (Chapel Bridge, 1333) — free to walk, and one of the most photographed bridges in Europe. It's also a real EV road trip: 668 km one-way is too far for a normal weekend, but splitting the drive at a free overnight in Belfort (179 km from Lucerne, and roughly the midpoint of the whole route) turns it into a comfortable extended weekend with two remote-work days built in, exactly like the free-stopover pattern used on the Savoie Lakes trip.
Bike travels inside the car, front wheel off, as usual — no roof or hitch rack, no aerodynamic range penalty. Lucerne is one of the best-equipped lake regions in Switzerland for cycling: SwitzerlandMobility Route 38 runs along the north shore from Lucerne through Meggen, Küssnacht, Weggis and Vitznau to Brunnen, mixing quiet lakeside roads with panoramic sections above the water — the Weggis–Lucerne stretch alone is a very rideable ~21 km. A full lap of the lake (Vierwaldstättersee) is roughly 67 km with real climbing on the southern shore, so plan a there-and-back on the flatter north side rather than the full loop unless you want the climbing. See the reusable Car Camping, Food & Bike Guide for loading/storage tips.
Load the bike inside before you leave. Long first leg but entirely on French autoroutes — arrive Belfort late evening, free night at your friend's place.
Full remote workday from your friend's place in Belfort. No drive today. Good moment to buy the Swiss vignette at a petrol station before you cross the border tomorrow, so it's not a Saturday-morning errand. Free night again.
Short, easy morning drive. Arrive Lucerne by mid-morning. Walk the old town and the Kapellbrücke (free), then the Wasserturm and the painted façades of the Altstadt. Afternoon swim at Strandbad Lido — the big lakeside beach near the Verkehrshaus, CHF 5–10 entry for the pool/facilities, or swim free at the grass area next door or at Ufschötti/Tribschen. Cook dinner from car supplies — Swiss grocery prices are notably higher than France, so stock up in Belfort before crossing if you can.
Splurge day: the Pilatus railway from Alpnachstad is the steepest cogwheel railway in the world, climbing to Pilatus Kulm (2,132m) with sweeping views over the lake and, on a clear day, the wider Alps. It runs May–November. If you'd rather skip the mountain cost, the alternative is Mount Rigi from Vitznau (cogwheel, ≈CHF 84 return) or Weggis (cable car, ≈CHF 64 return) — either mountain works as the "one big view" of the trip; Pilatus is the more dramatic ride. Evening splurge dinner: Luzerner Chügelipastete, the city's signature dish — a puff-pastry vol-au-vent filled with veal, mushrooms and cream sauce — at a traditional Zunfthaus restaurant (Pfistern or Fritschi), roughly CHF 30–35 (≈€28–33) for the main.
Work remotely from a lakeside café in the morning (Switzerland has excellent connectivity), one last walk across the Kapellbrücke, then drive back to Belfort after logging off. Free night at your friend's.
Home in time for Wednesday.
| Category | How it's calculated | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Tolls (France) | Meudon↔Belfort round trip, A5/A31/A36, ~€35–40/leg estimate | ≈ €75 |
| Swiss vignette | CHF 40, one-time, valid 14 months (reusable for future Swiss trips) | ≈ €43 |
| Charging | ~1,356 km × 0.17 kWh/km ≈ 230 kWh — French legs at ~€0.40/kWh, Swiss legs at ~€0.45/kWh | ≈ €95 |
| Lodging | 2 free nights (Belfort friend's) + 1 free/informal + 1 paid night, Camping International Lido (~CHF 25–30) | ≈ €28 |
| Groceries + Chügelipastete splurge dinner | Self-cooked days (~€10–15/day, higher in CH) + 1 Swiss specialty dinner (~€28–33) | ≈ €85 |
| Mount Pilatus railway | Direct return from Alpnachstad/Kriens, ≈CHF 84 | ≈ €90 |
| Lido swim + parking + misc | Strandbad entry, city parking, tourist tax | ≈ €20 |
| Total | €336 | |