Berneuse – Panoramic views from Kuklos
Overview
Intro
Left beside the Dents du Midi you catch a glimpse of the majestic Mont Blanc, while looking right the Diablerets and mighty Matterhorn – and between the Col du Pillon and Col des Mosses you spy the Eiger. The mountain above Leysin and Aigle is famous for the “Kuklos” revolving restaurant – from the Greek for “circle” or “rotation”.
The round glass construction, 750m above Vaud’s Leysin holiday resort, (Kuklos in Greek meaning "Ring") takes on its mountain neighbour’s Tour d'Aï and Tour de Mayen.The seemingly futuristic panorama restaurant revolves under the power of self-produced solar energy, achieving full-circle in 90 minutes.
The Berneuse is accessible by cable car from Leysin; there are successive projects to extend the cog railway from Aigle – where trains to Les Diablerets and Ollon/Champéry depart – all the way to the Berneuse.
Hikes to the mountain lakes, Le Temeley alpine cheese-making dairy, mountain-bike routes, challenging via ferrata and interesting renewable energy trail.
Altitude: 2045m
Accessibility:
Train to Aigle, steep cog-railway trip up to Leysin-Feydey, on foot to the valley station (10 minutes), gondola railway to the Berneuse
View: Part of the Bernese Alps, Vaud Alps, over the Rhone Valley to the Dents du Midi, Lake Geneva and Jura
Attractions: Modern glass construction with revolving restaurant "Renewable Energy" trail, via ferrata Tour d'Aï (K4)
Culinary aspects: Revolving restaurant 250 places, self-service restaurant 120 places, terrace 180 places
Overnight stays: Berneuse: none; Refuge de Mayen sleeping in straw
Groups: Club Berneuse, facilities for seminars, meetings & private gatherings for up to 50 people, private terrace
Winter: Winter sports region Leysin
Special comments: One and only revolving restaurant in western Switzerland