CROSSING SARINA

A new route starting from the traditional chalets of Gstaad-Saanenland on the banks of the Sarine. Ever heard of the Röstigraben? We're right here on this famous rock barrier that artificially separates German-speaking and French-speaking Switzerland.
Right from the start, things get serious with an initial climb of around 13km and almost 1,000m of positive ascent to reach the Cabane de Grubenberg and its impressive view of some of the "4,000" of the Alps.
The survivors of this rather solid start will then head for the magnificent Gastlosen range, the "Dolomites of Switzerland", whose slopes in the cantons of Bern and Vaud are much less well known than their Fribourg counterpart. Here, we find ourselves at the heart of the production of Etivaz, a hard alpine cheese, and it's not uncommon on this stretch to come across its main horned contributors, as well as the marmots that are also fond of the area.
 

After a superb run under the Dents de Ruth, de Savigny or de Combette, the route heads back down to Rougemont for a 2nd refreshment point right in the middle of the Pays-d'Enhaut, which the runners then continue to conquer past Château-d'Oex, the capital of hot-air balloons, then Les Moulins (3rd refreshment point) before starting the ascent to Lac de l'Hongrin and then the Rochers-de-Naye with its incredible panorama of Lake Geneva. The long descent towards Montreux won't be easy, but between the mountain pastures, the plunging views over the lake and the - almost exotic - Gorges de Chauderon, the time should fly by. And did we mention the final plunge onto the beach at Clarens?

Are you tempted? Don't worry, we haven't told you everything yet! Breathtaking!