Julier · Albula · Flüela Graubünden Triangle · part 1

Scenic road chapters

Waypoint introductions and full write-ups

1. 1. Chur fuel gate

   At 593 metres, in a wide bend of the Rhine valley, Chur makes a strong claim to be the oldest town in Switzerland, with traces of settlement going back thousands of years and a Roman presence from the first century BC. It has been the seat of a bishop since late antiquity, and the bishop's court, with its cathedral, sits on a terrace above the old town. Down below, the narrow streets and squares of the Altstadt, with painted houses, fountains and arcades, are a pleasant place to wander after a morning in the saddle.

   Read the complete Chur write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Chur is where the day begins. Next is Lenzerheide balcony road, climbing 882 m.

2. 2. Lenzerheide balcony road

   Lenzerheide is a high, wide valley south of Chur, a broad saddle of meadow, forest and small lakes at about 1,475 metres. The twin villages of Lenzerheide and Valbella have fuel, cafes and shops, and Chur, a little more than fourteen kilometres north, has everything else.

   Read the complete Lenzerheide balcony road write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Lenzerheide balcony road comes up about 18 km into the recorded legs. The road climbs 882 m on the way up to it, steadily. Reckon on about 6 °C colder than the valley, and more in the wind. Next is Julierpass high road, climbing 809 m.

3. 3. Julierpass high road

   The Julier is one of the oldest crossings in the Alps, and the summit at 2,284 metres still carries two stumps of stone columns beside the road, thought to be the remains of a Roman shrine. The Romans pushed a road over the pass in the first century, and ever since the route has linked the Oberhalbstein valley with the Engadin, carrying merchants and pilgrims between Chur and the Bergell and the passes south. A small lake sits near the top and a handful of buildings, but there is not much else, and it can be bleak and windy.

   Read the complete Julierpass high road write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   The route ends here after 65 km. The road climbs 809 m on the way up to it, steadily. Reckon on about 11 °C colder than the valley, and more in the wind. Nothing on this route is higher.