The closest genuinely reachable Swiss lake trip from Meudon-la-Forêt: a free overnight at a friend's place in Pontarlier bridges the long haul, leaving only a 53 km cantonal-road hop into Switzerland — no motorway, no vignette needed for this trip.
At ~515–523 km one-way, Meudon-la-Forêt → Neuchâtel is too far for a single-charge weekend dash — but a friend's place in Pontarlier (eastern Doubs, right on the Swiss border) splits the drive almost exactly where it needs splitting. Meudon → Pontarlier is roughly 470 km / ~4h45 (via Besançon on the A6/A36), and from Pontarlier the lake is only 53 km / 45–60 min away on the D437/H10 through the Val-de-Travers — La Cluse-et-Mijoux, Les Verrières, Fleurier, Couvet — a scenic cantonal road, not a motorway. That means this specific trip needs no Swiss vignette at all. This same free stop (Pontarlier, or its twin option Besançon) is the anchor for the whole upcoming Swiss sub-series, so treat this file as the template for how those trips will be structured too.
| Leg | Distance | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Meudon-la-Forêt → Pontarlier | ~470 km, ~4h45 | A6 to Beaune, A36 "La Comtoise" past Besançon, then N57/D-roads to Pontarlier. Toll ≈ €34 (Paris–Besançon segment) plus a shorter free/cheap final stretch. |
| Pontarlier → Neuchâtel | 53 km, 45–60 min | D437 (FR) → H10 cantonal road (CH) via Val-de-Travers: La Cluse-et-Mijoux, Les Verrières, Fleurier, Couvet. No motorway, no vignette required. |
Load the bike inside (front wheel off, no range penalty) and leave after work. Grocery run before the border if you can — Swiss supermarkets are noticeably more expensive than French ones, so stock up on staples in France. Arrive Pontarlier late evening, free night at your friend's.
Full remote workday from your friend's place. No drive today. Free night again.
Morning drive out. Wander the old town — sandstone arcaded streets, the collégiale and château on the hill, the covered market. Swim or just relax at one of the lakefront spots: Plage des Jeunes-Rives (recently renovated, family-friendly, wooden decks), Plage des Falaises (free lawn, gentle water entry), or Nid-du-Crô (pools plus lake access, showers/changing rooms).
Morning bike ride along the Chemin du Vignoble (SuisseMobile cycling route 72) through the wine villages above the lake — Auvernier, Colombier, Boudry, Cortaillod — 600 hectares of Neuchâtel vineyard between Vaumarcus and Le Landeron. Stop at the Château de Boudry (Musée de la vigne et du vin) or a village caveau for a tasting if open (roughly late May–October). One more swim at midday, then the trip's splurge: fondue neuchâteloise at a place like La Taverne Neuchâteloise in the old town — moitié-moitié fondue runs roughly CHF 25–30 (≈ €27–32) per person. Drive back to Pontarlier in the evening — easy 53 km — for a free night at your friend's.
Remote workday from your friend's place again, decompressing before the long drive home. Free night.
Home in time for Wednesday.
The bike travels inside the Model Y with the front wheel off — no roof or hitch rack, no range penalty, per the Car Camping, Food & Bike Guide. The vineyard ride above the lake is genuinely one of the best short rides in this series: mostly paved village roads and dedicated cycle sections, gentle rolling terrain through the vines with lake views opening up between Auvernier and Cortaillod. No need for a mountain bike — any road-capable bike handles this comfortably.
| Category | How it's calculated | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Tolls | Meudon↔Pontarlier round trip via A6/A36, ≈€34/leg | ≈ €68 |
| Charging | ≈1,050 km total (incl. Pontarlier↔Neuchâtel round trips) × ~0.17 kWh/km ≈ 178 kWh, mixed French/Swiss Supercharger rates | ≈ €75 |
| Lodging | 2 free nights at friend's (Pontarlier) + 1 free lakeside night (Quai Jeanrenaud) or paid Colombier campsite (~€57) as fallback | €0–57 |
| Groceries (self-cooked, bought in France) | ~5 days × €10–12/day | ≈ €55 |
| Fondue splurge | 1 person, moitié-moitié, ≈CHF 27/pp | ≈ €29 |
| Misc | Château de Boudry entry, pool/beach access, parking, wine tasting | ≈ €30 |
| Total (mixed free/paid lodging) | €330–370 | |