Travel
Travel Note
About Erlach and Île Saint-Pierre:
We are so lucky to live in the beautiful village of Erlach! A small town of just over 1,000 residents on the Lac de Bienne in the canton of Bern, Erlach is considered to be one of the most beautiful villages in Switzerland. It has a charming old city center, a beach on the lake and a castle overlooking the village. Above lies the Jolimont, the highest point of Erlach where you can hike up for a beautiful view of the lake. Vineyards lace the hillside and hiking trails can be found everywhere, connecting the nearby villages and natural sites. Erlach is a Swiss German town, so you will see signs in German. What makes Erlach even more special is that it is the entry point to Île Saint-Pierre (Saint Peter’s Island in English or Sankt Petersinsel in German). Originally an island in the middle of the lake, when water levels were lowered in the 1800’s, a peninsula was formed connecting the island to the mainland. Île Saint-Pierre is now a protected natural reserve. The island is frequented by bikers and hikers. At the tip of the island is the Hôtel Cloître (Klosterhotel St. Petersinsel), a small boutique hotel. Originally built as a monastery in the 12th century, the hotel is very special and filled with history. In fact, the philosopher Jean-Jaques Rousseau stayed at the hotel for 3 months in the 19th century. He even said «De toutes les habitations où j'ai demeuré et j'en ai eu de charmantes, aucune ne m'a rendu si véritablement heureux et ne m'a laissé de si tendres regrets que l'île de Saint-Pierre », recounting how his time on the island were some of the happiest memories of his life. You can visit Rousseau’s room and we hope you will take a trip upstairs during the party. Surrounded by nature, this truly special location is considered one of the most beautiful places to be married in Switzerland and we are so happy to celebrate with you here in September!
Flight
Travel to Switzerland:
We are so lucky that many of you are traveling from far away to celebrate with us! There are several ways to reach Erlach, Switzerland so we compiled a list to help you plan your trip. Plane: Erlach is about equidistant from Switzerland’s 3 major airports (Zurich, Geneva, Basel). It is worth checking flights to each of these airports in order to find the best route. From the airport, you will take the train to your final destination. It is about 2 hours to Erlach. Flughafen Zürich (Zurich - ZRH) Zurich hosts Switzerland’s largest and most international airport. There are direct flights from San Francisco, New York, Boston and many other international destinations. Aéroport de Genève (Geneva - GVA) Geneva is a smaller airport, but has flights to many destinations, mostly within Europe (Paris, Marseille) EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg (Basel - BSL) An airport shared by three countries (Switzerland, France, Germany), Basel is a small airport well known for serving budget airlines. If you are coming from within Europe, Basel offers many budget flight options.
Train
SBB Train
Switzerland is known for its remarkable public transportation system. If you are coming from France, Italy or within Switzerland, the train is likely your best option. Check out the SBB website or app to review the timetables and book your ticket directly. Download the app to buy tickets quickly. Trains in Switzerland are expensive if you are buying tickets at the full price. There are several options for tourists that pay off quickly and are worth reviewing when planning your trip. Buy tickets as early as possible to get a cheaper train ticket. Erlach is a small village and does not have a train station. However, it is well served by the bus system. Use the SBB app to check the bus schedule and buy your ticket.
Rental Car
Rental Car Options
Renting a car may be a good option if you are traveling with multiple people and/or visiting other more remote parts of Switzerland/Europe during your trip. Rental cars are available at each airport. Be aware of the speed limits as they are heavily enforced and fines can be very high. The ‘Fête de vendanges’ street party in Erlach this same weekend will make parking options very limited in the village. We have worked with the Commune of Erlach to reserve 30 parking places for you. If you plan to arrive by car, please let us know as soon as possible so we can allocate a parking spot to you.
Travel Note
Travel to the Island
The magic of Île Saint-Pierre stems from its isolation and natural beauty. No cars are allowed on the peninsula. To access the island for the ceremony requires some planning ahead. Here are your options: Boat The most direct way to reach the island is by ferry boat. The boat departs from Erlach’s pier and is a short, but very comfortable and beautiful boat ride. The boat will drop you off at the tip of the island and from there you are a short 5 minute walk to the hotel. A ticket from Erlach (Schiff) to St. Petersinsel Nord is 11 CHF. You may also take the boat from other locations on the Lac de Bienne including Twann, La Neuveville and Bienne. Check the boat schedule on SBB. Use the ‘Erlach (Schiff)’ and ‘St. Petersinsel Nord’ as the ‘from’ and ‘to’ on the SBB website. Bike If you are feeling adventurous, you can bike to the hotel! A 3 mile (5 km) bike ride takes about 20-30 minutes to reach the venue. The road is flat, but has many small rocks (Simon got a flat tire here in April!). There is a bike rack at the hotel where you can leave your bike. If you do not have your own bike, there are rental bikes available at the start of the trail with Velospot. Only 8 bikes are available, so be sure to reserve in advance! The bikes may be rented for between 12 CHF and 24 CHF depending on the plan you chose. Foot A beautiful and easy walk, walking to the hotel is about 3 miles/5 km (1 hour). It is an open path with little shade, so it can get hot if the weather is warm and sunny. Return If you are not sleeping on the island, a shuttle will be available at designated times to bring you back to the mainland. If you are sleeping at the hotel, you will take the boat back in the morning (or bike/walk) with us.
Travel Note
Accomdoation Options
Accommodation As the Hôtel Cloître is very small with only 14 rooms, these rooms have been reserved for close family and those in the wedding party. We have compiled a list of accommodation options in the region.
Hotel
Hôtel Cloître
Slumber Party at the Hotel! Don’t want to leave the island? Join the slumber party! The hotel provides a beautiful and historic room where guests may sleep on the floor with their own sleeping bag and pillow. This will allow you to keep celebrating and spend the night on the island with us. The cost is 90 CHF and includes a generous breakfast in the morning. Please inform us if you would like to join the island slumber party :)
House Or Rental
Camping Erlach
Cabins and Camping on the Lake in Erlach! Erlach has a lovely campground located right on the lake! The campground offers a range of accommodations including a beach hut (85 CHF), beach cabin (104 CHF), beach cottage (130 CHF) and beach loft / beach lodge (156 CHF). Camping with your own tent or camping car (25 CHF) are also good options. All accommodation types include hot showers, wifi and electricity. A beach and nice restaurant are also located at the campsite.
Travel Note
Hotels
There are several hotels in the region which may be of interest. If you are searching for a separate accommodation be sure to check bus / train connections to reach the boat. Uber/Lyft are not available and taxis are very expensive.
Hotel
Restaurant Hotel Bären Twann
Located in Twann, another beautiful village nestled in between the face of the mountain and Lake Bienne, Hotel Bären offers a variety of rooms ranging from 90 CHF to 229 CHF. Twann is accessible by train and this may be an ideal location if you are arriving from the airport or another place in Switzerland. You can take the boat from Twann directly to the island for the ceremony. The hotel is walking distance to the train station / boat.
Hotel
Hôtel Jean-Jacques Rousseau
A cute French speaking village on Lake Bienne, La Neuveville offers a charming old town and an upscale hotel directly on the lake. Rooms begin at 189 CHF. La Neuveville also boasts a train station and a direct boat to reach the island. The hotel is walking distance to the train station / boat.