Stage 1: From the Reschen Pass to Zernez
This starting stage of the TOUR Transalp 2022 - from Italy to Switzerland via a short detour to Austria. Despite the proximity, each region in the border triangle has retained its own character and culture. There are not only mountains and panoramas to see along this route, but also stories to discover. Like that of the starting village of Graun, which had to give way to the water in 1950 after the construction of the dam for Lake Reschen. Only the church tower was not demolished. It is still a reminder of the difficult time when the citizens lost the battle for their village and had to rebuild on the edge of the lake. But time heals all wounds, they say, and 70 years later the tower has become a celebrity, the region's trademark, and the lake has long been a paradise for windsurfers and kitesurfers. They are also a good indicator for cyclists on Lake Reschen. When the surfers glide with steam over the Kappel waves, the wind also whistles on the lakeside roads. Watch out!
That's why the Reschen Pass can be climbed a little faster or slower from here, depending on the wind direction. But basically it's just a small hill that stands between the lake and Nauders, the last outpost of Tyrol in the south-west. In the winding streets in the village centre, anyone who wants to can immerse themselves in the everyday life of a Tyrolean village. Tourism is present here, but it has not taken over the culture. A short detour is therefore worthwhile before the Norbertshöhe is conquered after only 100 metres in altitude and the road now leads down to the customs station in Martina on the banks of the Inn. The main road leads along the river into Switzerland, into Graubünden, as far as Zernez.
However, it is more beautiful on the sunny balcony above. Roads with far less traffic than down on the main artery lead through villages such as Ftan or Ardez, through village centres of ancient Engadin houses with their thick walls and round arches at the entrance. There is always a square with a village fountain where you can fill up with water. There is even a very special spring in Scuol. If you fancy leaving the main road and exploring this little town, you will find the Plaz village fountain with water from the Sotsass spring in the lower part. The orange-brown colour of the fountain basin quickly reveals that this water contains a special mix of minerals with a high iron content. It is refreshing. However, caution is advised. If you want to fill your drinking bottle with this water, you should try it out to see if you can tolerate it. You can look forward to a cold beer at the end of this stage in Zernez. There, even though it's only been a few hours by bike, the Tyrolean language is far away. Rhaeto-Romanic is spoken here, the old dialect that sounds like a blend of Italian, Spanish and Portuguese and is also similar to Ladin, which is spoken in the Dolomites around St. Vigil, Alta Badia and Cortina d'Ampezzo. In fact, Italians, Spaniards and Portuguese can muddle through better here with their language's vocabulary than elsewhere in Switzerland, where only Schwyzerdütsch is spoken. But don't worry: they still speak German here in the Inn Valley. So nothing stands in the way of a cool beer at the finish.
You can stop off here
An espresso before the start before leaving Italy. No problem! In Graun, there is a hotel bar or two right by the road that will brew you a quick pick-me-up in style. If you don't feel like a coffee until after the lap around Lake Reschen, you can also enjoy one from the terrace of the Restaurant and café "Mein Dörfl" your feet in the lake and your belly in the sun. Countless "rest stops" - supermarkets, cafés, bars, restaurants - can be found in Nauders, which as the starting point of the Dreiländergiro also welcomes racing cyclists travelling through. Later on, the route passes Scuol in the Inn Valley on the main road. If you get hungry or thirsty, you can also take a short detour into the town. In Ardez, the Café La Cuarsot with wooden benches outside in the alleyway is located on the side of the road in the historic town centre. In Zernez, there are a number of restaurants around the finish area of this stage, e.g. the Hotel Spöl or the Crusch Alba. If you don't want to stop for a bite to eat, you can also buy a snack in the supermarket on the road to St. Moritz.
Shortcuts / variants to the original route
If you want to make short work of it, cycle from Graun directly to the Reschen Pass and stay on the main road in the Inn Valley to Zernez. However, if you do this, you are depriving yourself of the beauty of this stage. The extra clockwise loop around the Reschensee lake is charming, if only because of the view of the Ortler at the start in the direction of St. Valentin. After the dam wall, the route continues on a small road through the forest around the lake to Reschen. The cycle path a little below on the embankment, just a few metres above the shore, is a nice option here because you always have the lake in view. Later, in Switzerland, there is the Direttissima, but the detours from the Inntal road up to the sun-drenched balcony on the northern edge of the valley are spoilt with far-reaching views and spared from traffic. In short: shortcuts due to bad weather or technical or physical problems are always possible via the main road down in the valley, but they do detract from the experience.
The stage as a short trip:
The Swiss Postbus Cycles via Zernez and Scuol through the Inn Valley to the Martina border station (approx. 2 hours). For the last few kilometres over the Norbertshöhe back via Nauders to Lake Reschen, unfortunately no bike transport is offered. Here you would have to use the buses of the Tyrolean Transport Association change to at least get up to Nauders. Or climb the Norbertshöhe backwards a second time. Conclusion: Returning by public transport on the same day is theoretically possible, but a lengthy journey.
The stage as part of a round trip (2 to 4 days):
A two-day round trip back to Lake Reschen is a great idea. The best option for day 2: Zernez - Ofenpass - Santa Maria im Münstertal - Umbrail Pass - Stilfser Joch - Prad im Vinschgau - Reschensee. On day two, a good 2800 metres in altitude are covered, sweetened with mountain experiences in the category of honour. The short variant with around 1400 metres of altitude difference leads from the Ofen Pass through the Münstertal valley directly near Latsch into the Vinschgau valley and then up to the Reschensee lake.
Marc Schneider's tip:
Only on this stage are the typical Engadin houses along the way, lovingly decorated farmhouses with thick stone walls, which together form a beautiful and typical ambience in the cobbled village centres. A break at the village fountain in one of these villages is part of this stage. Or you can stop off at a café or restaurant along the way.
General information
If you want to stay overnight or are looking for other tourist offers, you will find what you are looking for at reschenpass.it and under engadin.comthe portal of the Engadin Scuol Zernez holiday region, the "Lower Engadin". (Attention, risk of confusion! engadin.ch is the website of the "Upper Engadine" around St. Moritz and Pontresina).
Bike shops: If you have a problem or need something at Lake Reschen, the best place to look is at Sport Tenne in St. Valentin. There are a number of bike shops in the Lower Engadine, which are listed on the homepage. In Zernez it is Kellybikes (address: Quadras Muglin 77A).
The 1st stage from Lake Reschen to Zernez: 77.87 kilometres and 1484 metres in altitude.
The GPS data will be available for download on the TOUR website after the TOUR Transalp 2022, which takes place from 19-25 June.
If you are still thinking about switching from Touri to Race mode, you can find all the details about the Everyman Race over the Alps at www.tour-transalp.de
