Overview: Swiss Route (Jakobsweg)
A 350 km historic route running east to west through Switzerland from Konstanz on the German border to Geneva.
The Route. A 350 km historic route, "end-to-end" (east-west) through Switzerland from Konstanz on the German border to Geneva. There is also a branch starting in Rorschach and leading via St. Gallen to join the main route in Einsiedeln. Follows the general direction taken by pilgrims to Santiago in previous centuries although alternatives paths are used in places where the original route has now become a modern road. In many sections there are also two options, to the north or south of the several lakes the route passes. One goes via the Brunnig pass (1002m), Interlaken and Thun, the other via Lucerne and Bern, joining up again near Fribourg to continue to Lausanne and then to Geneva and the French border (from where energetic pilgrims can continue on a waymarked route (the Via Genebennsis) to Le Puy-en-Velay).
Waymarking. Well waymarked throughout, either with the white signposts of the Schwabenweg or the brown markers of the Swiss long-distance footpaths network. Note, however, that these never indicate the distance but only the time needed to walk from one place to the next.
Terrain. Strenuous! The surfaces are normally easy to walk on (a number of farm tracks are in fact tarmac now) but apart from sections alongside lakes the route is full of ups and downs, often several times a day. The highest point of the route is the pass over the Haggenegg, at 1414m. (Cyclists will need to take minor roads or dedicated cycle tracks for much of the route.)
Weather/When to go. Allow about three weeks to walk the entire route. Early May to late September. Wide ranges of temperature according to height and season.
What to see. Apart from the stunning scenery on most of the route there are traces of pilgrim activity in the past, numerous interesting small chapels and churches along the way and a number of representations of St. James. The most important ecclesiastical "sight" is the abbey at Einsiedeln, a pilgrim gathering place in the past and also a pilgrim focus in its own right. The route also passes the birth place of St. Nikolaus de Flüe (and after whom the parish refuge in Ponferrada is named).
Accommodation. Plenty, but none of it very cheap. Some youth hostels, very few campsites, but in the German-speaking areas in particular there is a network of spartan accommodation known as Schlafen im Stroh/Aventure à la Paille. Farms belonging to the scheme provide a barn where you can sleep in the hay (with your sleeping bag), washing facilities and a good breakfast the following morning. All charge the same price. Details are given in the accommodation list provided by the Swiss pilgrim associations (addresses below) and on their website (available in German, French and English): www.schlafen-im-stroh.ch
Guide books.
Sabine Bolliger’s guide book to the Via Jacobi (Chemin #4) is available in French, published by Editions Rossolis and also in German Wanderland Schweiz 04, Via Jacobi), published by A-T Verlag but note that neither provide either maps or accommodation information. However 1:50 000 maps and accommodation lists are available from the bookshops of the Swiss association (see below) which also publishes a downloadable guide to the route in sections in PDF format and a set of A4-size colour maps of the route.
Otherwise, in German, the following are available:
Hartmund Engel, Jakobsweg vom Bodensee zum Genfersee, published by Outdoor-Taschenbuch 117 (i.e. the small yellow series of guide books), 7th ed. 2011..
And a new title:
Renate Florl, Jakobswege Schweiz von Konstanz, Rorschach und Rankweil bis Genf, published by Rother Wanderführer, in 36 stages with GPS coordinates.
There is, at present, no guidebook to the route in English.
Mapping. Peter Robins reports: "... detailed online mapping of the Swiss route(s) is available on the IVS' excellent GIS site http://ivs-gis.admin.ch/ - high quality, as ever with CH."
Association helvétique "Les Amis du Chemin de Saint-Jacques" (Swiss pilgrim association) (www.chemin-de-stjacques.ch) This has two sections, each of which also have their own on-line bookshop for, respectively, French and German publications.
- French language:
Secrétariat centrale – Suisse Romande,
Claire-Marie Nicolet,
Route de Fournex 4,
1291 Commugny (41) 22.776.12.08
secretariat.fr*chemin-de-stjacques.ch
Bookshop: librairie.romande*chemin-de-stjacques.ch [To reduce the risk of spam, we're removing direct e-mail links from this site. To use this address, copy it into your normal e-mail program, but replace the '*' with the conventional '@', before sending your message.]
- German language:
Pierre Bonenberger,
Schanzweg 5,
4132 Muttenz (41) 76.319.45.66
secretariat.de*chemin-de-stjacques.ch
Bookshop: buchversand*chemin-de-stjacques.ch
You can also consult a specialist online pilgrim bookshop (librairie specialisée en ligne): www.shop-jakobsweg.ch and for information on accommodation you can email hebergement*chemin-de-stjacques.ch
Thanks to Alison Raju October 2011.