Welcome to Watch Valley

TEXT & PHOTOS : Keith W. Strandberg

That's what the Jura Mountain range is for two joys of life: motorcycling and fine timepieces. The area, stretching from Geneva to Basel like a spine, is the center of fine watchmaking the world over and offers some of the very best motorcycling roads anywhere.

This area, the "Watch Valley," is a relatively unknown destination, while the roads of the valley have become a guarded secret among serious motorcyclists.The watch tour starts in Geneva, where watch powerhouses like Patek Philippe, Rolex, Vacheron Constantin and many more are located, then up it goes to the start of the Swiss Jura in Le Brassus, offering the best of all motorcycling worlds – little traffic, smooth, sweeping curves and breathtaking views (the Swiss and French Alps are in the bike's side mirrors the entire way, framing Geneva below).
Once the road crests the Jura, it's down into Le Brassus, home to Audemars Piguet. A cup of coffee is welcome at the Hotel des Horlogers in this little village, then the ride continues on either side of the pristine waters of Lac de Joux, where the watchmaking legends of Breguet and Jaeger-LeCoultre can be found.
At the other end of the lake, a choice can be made to ride up higher in the Jura or go through the valleys, passing picturesque dairy farms, castles, rushing streams and deep green fields.
The conditions of the roads are just about perfect -- well kept and relatively traffic-free. In addition, the drivers in this area of Switzerland are very aware of motorcyclists and go out of their way, literally, when a motorcycle comes through.

Read the rest of the article in the Mountain Report magazine - Where to find ?