Checkpoints 23

CHECKPOINTS

Rheinbrücke (Österreich)

CP1

Austria and Switzerland share 10% of borders, mainly spread along the Rhine. It is enough to dispute the home country of Heidi though…

Let’s rise above the rivalry…we discovered a bridge without cars for those who want to go and taste a alpine specialty, the Knödel. Some extra miles as it is off the course but a delicacy for your hungry tummies…

47.464565, 9.593716

Pont de Grilly (France)

CP2

We share nearly 30% of our border with France, and in some places like Geneva, it looks like a Pacman game where the canton is almost entirely surrounded by France.

Look a the little beauty we found you, a small stone bridge dating from 1757 used by Madame de Staël to cross from her castle of Coppet to France.

An unpaved road will lead you there but that you will discover later…

46.324893, 6.131768

alte Rheinbrücke (Liechtenstein)

CP3

A bridge to time travel back to when kingdoms and monarchies surrounded the Confoederatio Helvetica.

Welcome to Liechtenstein is a semi-constitutional monarchy headed by the prince of Liechtenstein and bordered by Switzerland to the west and south and Austria to the east and north.

It is Europe’s fourth-smallest country, with an area of just over 160 square kilometres. Small does not rhyme with flat… you are warned!

47.132332, 9.510992

Campione d'Italia (Italia)

CP4

Ah Italia…riding south towards it should always be a pleasure if it was not for the steep passes trying to discourage you to reach the country of the pasta and gelato.

It will will be a highly rewarding CP and we are sure you will thoroughly enjoy it…or not 🙂

This one too, it’s a “little Italia” enclave into Switzerland …

45.962807, 8.968841

Büsingen am Hochrhein (Deutschland)

CP5

Switzerland shares 20% of its borders with its northern neighbour. It does not sound like much but it has a considerable influence on our country and mainly the (Swiss) German speaking regions. So it is up to our Swiss German friends to say whether it is too much or too little common border 🙂

Joke aside, did you know that Germany has an enclosed parcel of land in Switzerland?

Well, you will soon find out and easily bridge the gap between the two countries ! But beware, it will be the only German route allowed in our race 😉