Wild camping in Switzerland is not as easy at it seems. In Switzerland, you are not allowed to camp at less than 2000 metres of altitude. Yesterday night, we were going to camp in a camping ground in Vallorbe, down at the bottom of the mountain, but another  road with a sign signaling “REFUGE” roused our curiosity. We cycled up the road until we came upon a big field. Inside the big field , there was many trees, some fireplaces many cut-up logs, a water fountain which probably came directly from a mountain spring, a refuge that was actually just an open room with  a blackboard, some windows and benches, and some picnic tables scattered around  the field.

It happened to be, that day, the “Fêstival Nationale de Suisse”, which  made camping even more difficult, for there was fireworks and music all around, though we couldn’t see the fireworks, as we were much higher than Vallorbe, which was at the bottom of the hill. We collected lots of firewood to light a fire and put up the tent. Then we made a big fire in one of the fireplaces which was  tricky. It made a lot of smoke. We discovered that hay burns very well but also very quickly. Soon hay was being piled onto the fire like crazy until the fire was getting smothered by all the ashes. We ate tie rice with nuts around the fire that was delicious. At the end, as there was loads of rice left, it was poured onto the fire. When we went to bed, the fireworks and the music made it tricky to sleep  so we told each other  stories in bed. At last we fell asleep.

In the morning, we played “I spy with my little eye…” in bed. Then we went outside and told stories until breakfast. Breakfast was porridge and condensed milk, with a choice of having nuts and raisins or peanut butter inside. The fire had been smoking all night, and at last we managed to get some flames out of it. We played a bit, then before going down the hill to Vallorbe, poured 3 litres of water over the fire to put it out. Then we left. That is not the only time we have been wild camping in Switzerland. There has been one other time that we have been wild camping in Switzerland before. Come back another time to read about it!

To be continued…