SIP Vespa Roadtrip 2025 Switzerland
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Until recently, they called it the smallest Vespa meeting in Switzerland: the Snail Days in Leuk in Valais. But to be honest - it wasn't that small after all.
A large team of SIP employees, the two founders Ralf and Alex themselves and even two guests from Manila (Eugene from Scooter Depot Philippines) and Bangkok (Lome from Vintage Vespa Thai) got on their old Vespas at the beginning of August to find out just that. The goal: to meet Gabriel and his Snails. And what can we say - it turned out to be a detailed, intimate little Vespa festival surrounded by majestic Swiss mountains. But slowly - back to the beginning. After all, the journey is the reward.
We set off early in the morning in high spirits towards our first destination: Chur in Switzerland. Not on the boring motorway, of course, but on the smallest and most winding roads we could find. First over the Hahntennjoch (1,894 m), then the Albula Pass (2,315 m) - and after around 350 kilometres, we arrive in picturesque Chur, Switzerland's oldest city, pretty exhausted but happy.
Riding slowly on the Vespa in the Snail Race
Day two has the Oberalp Pass (2,044 m) and the Furka Pass (2,436 m) in store for us, where James Bond was already up to mischief in Goldfinger in 1964. Once we arrive in Susten (Leuk), a dreamlike location in the middle of the vineyards awaits us. Ice-cold Vino Bianco, a reunion with our friends from France from the Vespa Club du Sud Est and the Snails - plus a sunset over the Rhône Valley that you won't forget in a hurry. La vie est belle.
Day three: showtime! The meeting starts. Snacks, drinks and chilled beats from the city's legendary DJ. After a joyride through the Valais hinterland, it's time for the highlight: the Snail Race. It's not about speed, but the opposite - who can ride the ten metres the slowest? Two riders start at the same time, the slowest one goes further. In the end, our product designer Elvis takes the heroic title of "slowest snail". We hope to be able to offer the trophy back to the organiser Gabriel and his snails for revenge next year at the SIP Open Day in Landsberg. Perhaps they will be tempted to come to Landsberg?
Back over the passes on a Vespa
In the evening, the main square in Leuk is transformed into a Vespa party - sometimes cosy and swaying, sometimes rocking. Everyone as they like, with a fabulous feeling and a cool lens in their hand. Just like at a good family party.
The next morning, our heads still a little heavy, we continue over the Grimsel Pass (2,165 m) and over the Susten Pass (2,260 m) past Lake Lucerne. From Horgen we take the ferry across Lake Zurich to Meilen and relax our limbs in the Hotel Hirschen right on the lake.
The last stage takes us through the Damüls ski area to the Furkajoch (1,761 m) and the Riedberg Pass (1,407 m) through the Allgäu back to Landsberg am Lech.
Conclusion and thanks
We've been on many road trips before - with downpours and breakdowns, we've literally seen horses vomit in the past. But this time it was different: the 18-strong group had a great team spirit. If there were any problems with the machines, they were secretly fixed at the next refuelling stop. And where others would have given up long ago, our Young Guns welded together two Smallframe exhaust systems - one of them by gondola ride on the mountain, on a mountain pasture - and pulled the tour through to the end without even tapping the ADAC Plus card. Chapeau!
Last but not least, many thanks to the organisers of the Snail Days, especially Gabriel. You have a wonderful Vespa meeting that is definitely worth a trip. Let's see how long you can continue to call yourselves the smallest Vespa meeting in Switzerland.
Et bien sûr, nous adressons nos meilleures salutations à nos amis français du Scooter Club du Sud-Est. C'est toujours un grand plaisir de passer du temps avec vous. Gros bisous!
Picture gallery: SIP Vespa Roadtrip 2025 Switzerland
