Switzerland

Lake Geneva: Montreux and Lausanne

We rolled into the Lake Geneva shore expecting postcard scenery and got exactly that, plus a soundtrack. Montreux wears its rock past on its sleeve: Queen and Deep Purple both recorded here, and there is a Freddie Mercury statue on the quay gazing out over the water. Wander the lakefront and you can almost hear the guitars, then round the corner and find the Belle Epoque grandeur of the Fairmont peering over the lake. Our full Montreux campervan travel guide walks you through the best of it.

Central Switzerland and Lucerne

Further north, Lucerne sits on the Lake of the Four Cantons, and the first time we saw it we genuinely double-took. The water snakes between steep mountains so dramatically that it looks almost like a Norwegian fjord, except you are firmly in the middle of Switzerland with cowbells clanging somewhere on the slopes. We took a cable car up above the lake and found cows grazing on gradients that should not be legal. Nearby lies the Entlebuch, Switzerland’s first UNESCO biosphere reserve, where we parked for the night among the meadows and chalets in total silence. If you are heading that way, our Lucerne campervan travel guide has the spots we loved.

Campervanning in Switzerland

Now for the part that made us wince. Switzerland is heart-stoppingly beautiful and, let us be honest, heart-stoppingly expensive. You will need the motorway vignette costing 40 CHF, a sticker for the windscreen that is valid for the calendar year and non-negotiable the moment you touch a motorway. Fuel is the real gut-punch: we once paid around 68 euros for a mere 20 litres, so our firm advice is to brim the tank on the French side of the border before you cross.

The good news is that some of the best bits are free. We found gorgeous overnight spots among cows in the Entlebuch, immaculate public picnic areas with drinking fountains and stone barbecues, and mountain viewpoints that cost nothing but a bit of driving. Budget hard for the paid stuff, cable cars and campsites and restaurants, and lean into the wild, free alpine corners to balance the books.

Only Montreux and Lucerne have full guides on this site for now, but they are a lovely place to start plotting a Swiss loop. Bring your wallet, and maybe a small mountain of patience for the prices.