Rorschach sits on the south shore of Lake Constance, the big, shallow, sea-like lake where Switzerland, Germany and Austria meet, at about four hundred metres above sea level. It is a small port town with a promenade, a harbour, and the look of a place that was once busier than it is now. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries it was the centre of a linen trade, and later of embroidery, and the grain trade passed through it too. The Kornhaus, a big granary built in the 1740s by the monks of St. Gallen, stands on the waterfront with a baroque gable, and it is the town's emblem.
The lake has its own character. Called the Bodensee in German, it is large enough to have waves, storms and a horizon, and steamers and ferries connect the towns on its shores, so you can cross to Lindau in Germany or Bregenz in Austria in an hour or so. On a fine day the Alps rise behind the Austrian shore, and a long, gentle light lies on the water. In summer, the promenade fills with walkers, cyclists, ice-cream eaters and sailing enthusiasts, and boats bob in the harbour.
For riders, Rorschach is a good place to begin or end a loop through the hills of eastern Switzerland. A rack railway climbs from the town to Heiden, an old spa resort high above the lake, and the road up beside it is a fine ride through orchards and meadows, with views over the water. To the south the Appenzell hills offer wavy farmland, small villages and a chain of lovely roads toward the Säntis. To the east, the roads cross the Rhine plain into Austria and the Bregenzerwald, and from there on to the German Alpine Road.
Rorschach has about nine thousand people, and Goldach next door is the same size again, so there is no shortage of petrol stations, supermarkets and cafés. The lakeside restaurants serve perch and whitefish, which are the local favourites, with a glass of Swiss or Austrian wine.
Cross-border formalities are easy, but carry your passport, and be aware that Austria charges for road use in some places and requires a vignette on motorways. Check the current rules before you ride across.