The Toblerone Trail: a unique walk through Swiss history and nature

The Toblerone Trail, which winds from the forests of the Jura mountains in western Switzerland down to the shores of Lake Geneva, is a reminder of an important part of Switzerland’s war-time heritage. It’s also a wonderful hike through nature. “There’s no chocolate along the Toblerone Trail,” points out outdoor activity platform SwitzerlandMobility, perhaps anticipating complaints from disappointed parents. “It’s actually an educational route that focuses on history, following a defensive line set up in the Second World War.” The toblerones in question – some 3,000 of them – are massive concrete pyramids, also known as “dragon’s teeth”, built to stop German tanks invading from France. These blocks, which are up to two metres tall and can weigh 15 tonnes, popped up all over Switzerland during the war, but the ten-kilometre line from Bassins, in the Jura mountains, running south to the lakeside near Prangins, is the best-preserved section. Dragon’s teeth around the world Toblerones ...