The label says only "Bahnhof", which is a nicely Swiss joke, because the real attraction here is not a station at all but the south shore of Lake Biel between Täuffelen, Gerolfingen and Lüscherz. This is the Seeland, a low, fertile plain between the lakes, and the villages along the shore are surrounded by vegetable fields, orchards and vineyards on the gentle slopes. Like the shores of Lake Neuchâtel to the south, this lake edge was home to prehistoric pile-dwelling villages, and several sites around Lake Biel form part of the UNESCO listing of prehistoric pile dwellings around the Alps. The finds, from pottery to wooden tools, tell of farming communities that lived here thousands of years ago.
Across the water, the steep slopes of the Jura rise above the north shore, covered in vineyards, with the wine villages of Twann and Ligerz clinging to the hillside. In the middle of the lake lies the St. Petersinsel, a long, wooded island joined to the land by a narrow causeway, where the philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau spent a few happy weeks in 1765 and later wrote about it lovingly. The Hagneck canal, which brings the Aare into the lake just north of Lüscherz, was part of the great Jura Waters Correction of the nineteenth century, which tamed the floods of the Seeland.
The riding on the south shore is gentle and relaxed. The road from Biel through Nidau, Täuffelen and Lüscherz toward Erlach is mostly flat with gentle curves, passing through villages and fields with occasional views of the lake. It is popular with cyclists, so be patient. For more challenging riding, cross to the north shore and climb into the Jura, where the roads over the Chasseral and through the valleys of the Bernese Jura offer superb curves and views. Weather in the Seeland is often mild, though fog can settle over the lake in autumn and winter.
Täuffelen and the neighbouring villages have small shops and cafés, and Nidau and Biel, a short ride away, have fuel and every service. Local food includes lake fish, especially perch and whitefish, and wines from the north shore vineyards. Take a break by the lake at Lüscherz or Gerolfingen, watch the boats on the water, and enjoy the view across to the vineyards and the Jura. It is one of the quietest corners of the Swiss lowlands.