natural wonder
Creux du Van
A vast natural rock amphitheatre with vertical 160m cliffs, a wild ridge-walk in the Jura.
13 km · about 25 min drive
EuropeSwitzerlandFribourg
Estavayer-le-Lac
Fribourg, Switzerland · Europe
About Estavayer-le-Lac
Estavayer-le-Lac is worth a stop: 10 minutes from Cugy, 13km from Creux du Van.
Estavayer-le-Lac is in Fribourg, Switzerland, with about 5,100 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Cugy, about 5 km away.
Estavayer-le-Lac (French: [ɛstavaje l(ə) lak]; Arpitan: Estavalyér-le-Lèc, locally Thavalyi-le-Lé [θavaˈʎi lə ˈle] ) is a historical town and former Swiss municipality of the canton of Fribourg, situated on the south shore of Lake Neuchâtel. Estavayer-le-Lac is located between Yverdon and Bern. It is the capital ofRead more
the district of Broye. The municipality of Font merged on 1 January 2012 into the municipality of Estavayer-le-Lac. On 1 January 2017 Bussy, Morens, Murist, Rueyres-les-Prés, Vernay and Vuissens merged into the new municipality of Estavayer.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Estavayer-le-Lac?
Within an hour or so of Estavayer-le-Lac: Creux du Van (13 km), Gruyères (34 km), Kaufdorf VW Beetle Graveyard (41 km), Lavaux Vineyard Terraces (41 km).
Are there any good drives near Estavayer-le-Lac?
The nearest famous roads are Circuit Bremgarten, Jaun Pass and Gurnigel Pass.
Where is Estavayer-le-Lac?
Estavayer-le-Lac is in Fribourg, Switzerland, about 5 km from Cugy.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 5,061
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- Switzerland
- Region
- Fribourg
- Timezone
- Europe/Zurich
- Coordinates
- 46.8488, 6.8465
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in Switzerland
Motorway vignette (toll sticker) required: buy at the border or online. Roadside assistance (TCS): 140.
Full driving guide for SwitzerlandTags
Worth the detour from Estavayer-le-Lac
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
landmark
Gruyères
Car-free hilltop town of a single cobbled street rising to a 13th-century castle amid cheese country, with the surreal twist of the H.R. Giger Museum and its Alien-themed bar inside Château St. Germain.
34 km · about 40 min drive
landmark
Kaufdorf VW Beetle Graveyard
Atmospheric forest clearing filled with rusting classic Volkswagen Beetles, a pilgrimage site for VW enthusiasts.
41 km · about 50 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Lavaux Vineyard Terraces
UNESCO-listed terraced vineyards cascading down to Lake Geneva, cultivated since the 11th century with spectacular views of the Alps.
41 km · about 45 min drive
historic highway
Circuit Bremgarten
The 7.3km forest circuit outside Bern where racing ended after Switzerland banned circuit motorsport in 1955. Its dappled, constantly curving roads through the Bremgartenwald are open to traffic and eerily unchanged.
44 km · about 50 min drive
landmark
Montreux
The 'Pearl of the Swiss Riviera' on Lake Geneva, home to the famous jazz festival, Freddie Mercury's statue, and nearby Château de Chillon.
47 km · about 55 min drive
landmark
Bern Old Town
Switzerland's UNESCO-listed capital, a medieval gem with 6 kilometres of arcaded walkways, the Zytglogge clock tower, and bear park.
47 km · about 55 min drive
mountain pass
Jaun Pass
A friendly pass linking the Gruyère region to the Simmental, open all year and lined with chalet villages.
47 km · about 55 min drive
Driving roads near Estavayer-le-Lac
- 41 kmLavaux Vineyard TerracesUNESCO-listed terraced vineyards cascading down to Lake Geneva, cultivated since the 11th century with spectacular views of the Alps.
- 44 kmCircuit BremgartenThe 7.3km forest circuit outside Bern where racing ended after Switzerland banned circuit motorsport in 1955. Its dappled, constantly curving roads through the Bremgartenwald are open to traffic and eerily unchanged.
- 47 kmJaun PassA friendly pass linking the Gruyère region to the Simmental, open all year and lined with chalet villages.
- 48 kmGurnigel PassA quiet ridge road in the Bernese Prealps with a long panorama over the Stockhorn chain.
- 60 kmRoute des Grandes AlpesFrance's ultimate driving route: ~700 km from Lake Geneva to the Riviera over 16 great alpine cols including Iseran and Galibier. Pin marks the traditional start at Thonon-les-Bains.
- 61 kmCol du PillonA 1,546 m pass in the Vaud Alps between Les Diablerets and Gstaad, the gateway to the Glacier 3000 cable car and a smooth, scenic link on any western Swiss Alps road trip.
Driving in Switzerland
- Drives on
- the right
- Petrol
- ~€1.82/litre
- Motorway tolls
- None
- Vignette
- Required, around €42 for a short-stay sticker
When to drive here
April to October
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