Summary

The article recounts Days 3–5 of a 28-day European bus tour, focusing on the experiences in Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland, and the journey to Avignon, France.

Abstract

The travelogue details the author's visit to Lauterbrunnen in the Swiss Alps, describing the village as one of the most scenic places they've visited, with activities such as skydiving and a train ride to Jungfrau, known as the "top of Europe." The author reflects on the efficiency and cost of travel in Switzerland, emphasizing the beauty of the Alps and the country's high expense. The narrative then shifts to the trip's fifth day, with the group heading to Avignon, France, encountering heavy traffic and experiencing a brief tour of the town, including a visit to a supermarket and a meal by the river. The article suggests that such tours provide a taste of Europe, potentially inspiring return visits to places that resonate with travelers.

Opinions

The author agrees with their Aussie tour guide that Lauterbrunnen is a remarkable place, possibly the most scenic town they've visited.
They recommend visiting the Swiss Alps despite Switzerland being one of the most expensive European destinations.
The author did not partake in skydiving but mentions it was considered worthwhile by others.
They endorse the train trip to Jungfrau, deeming it a valuable experience even without photographic evidence of the view.
The author implies that Swiss cities might not be as unique as the Alps, based on their lack of personal experience with them.
They comment on the efficiency and punctuality of Switzerland, aligning with common perceptions of the country.
The author recalls enjoying simple French cuisine by the river in Avignon, acknowledging it as a typical French activity.
They express a desire to return to France and other places visited on the tour for a more in-depth exploration.
The author suggests that the experience of visiting Europe may have changed from 2013 to 2022, inviting others to share their insights on this.
They conclude that the bus tour successfully provides a sampling of Europe, with personal intentions to revisit many of the locations.

That time I did a 28-day European bus tour — Part 3

This article will cover Days 3–5 of the tour

In case you haven’t read it, here is a link to Part 2 of my story:

That time I did a 28-day European bus tour — Part 2

This article will cover Days 1–2 of the tour

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So I finished my previous article by saying that we were leaving Paris for the Swiss Alps. We drove through beautiful countryside, reached Switzerland and headed towards the village of Lauterbrunnen. The scenery was quite breathtaking and as we arrived, my Aussie tour guide proclaimed that this was his favourite place in the world.

I won’t argue with him. I have to admit that it is easily one of the most scenic towns I’ve ever visited. And if I was travelling independently, I may not have thought to go there.

Lauterbrunnen, Bern, Switzerland — Photo by author

I remember it was late summer and the mountains had snow on them.

Our large tour group shared several cabins in the village. We stayed here for two nights. So we had a day and a half to experience the place. It didn’t take that long to explore.

On the following day (Day 4), we could go skydiving if we wanted to (I didn’t do this but I heard that it was worth it) and we could take a train up to Jungfrau. Being Switzerland, this wasn’t cheap, however I don’t regret doing it. I didn’t know if I would ever be back (I still don’t know the answer to that but I would happily revisit someday).

A village in the Swiss Alps — Photo by author

Up high in the Swiss Alps — Photo by author

Jungfrau is known as the “top of Europe” because it is one of the highest points in Europe. Unfortunately I don’t have a picture of the view from Jungfrau but either way, I felt it was worth the trip.

I don’t remember doing a lot else over those two days aside from eat, drink and be merry. I also remember Topdeck had their own cooks and they made us food for parts of the trip, including while were in Switzerland. I remember having fondue, followed by some sort of roast meat (it may have been pork) and vegetables, followed by dessert (ice cream if I recall).

I recommend visiting the Swiss Alps if you’re planning a trip to central Europe. That being said, Switzerland is one of the most expensive travel destinations in Europe. It is also the sort of country where everything happens very efficiently and people are punctual. I couldn’t tell you about any of the Swiss cities, however I can tell you that the Alps are Switzerland’s main drawcard. They are beautiful.

The cities are probably just cities (presumably clean and organised cities) but like I said, I haven’t been to them.

On Day 5, we departed Lauterbrunnen and headed for Avignon, France. Our plan was to spend one night there and then head to Barcelona the following day. Then we spend two nights there and head back to France again, travel through the French Riviera, spend two nights in Nice, then head onto Italy. And yes, this is exactly what we did.

I do remember encountering a lot of traffic on the motorway. I also remember it was a hot day but I don’t know what the actual temperature was (probably over 30 degrees Celsius). We arrived at our destination several hours late (sometime in the evening) and our tour guide said he wasn’t going to give us estimated arrival times anymore because he didn’t believe it would go according to plan.

It was August and I’ve been told that this is when all of France is on holiday, meaning that most things are closed and everyone is heading south. Yes, I’m generalising by saying that everyone is on holiday, but I’m sure there’s some truth in it.

I remember having a brief tour of Avignon, going to a supermarket chain called Carrefour (well known in Europe) buying a baguette and cheese and going down to the river to sit there and eat it. Which apparently is a thing in France. I think you’re also supposed to drink wine with it but I wasn’t a wine drinker at the time. It was dark by then so I don’t think we got to see the sun set. But we were on holiday in France so I guess we can’t complain.

I don’t have any personal photos of Avignon (I was having issues with my camera at the time) but here’s a photo from Unsplash:

Of course, the town is much bigger than that, and I didn’t see very much of it. Maybe one day I will return to France and actually explore it properly.

The idea of these tours is to give people a taste of Europe and if they like a place enough then maybe they will revisit someday. Personally, I would happily revisit most of the places I went to, with maybe a couple of exceptions, which I will go into later.

Reminiscing about this trip makes me wish I was in Europe again. Although I suspect that visiting Europe in 2022 might be a little different to visiting in 2013 (I would be interested to hear from others on this).

On Day 6, we got back on the bus and departed for Barcelona. I will tell you all about it in my next article.

To be continued…