We Drove To Basel To See Where Switzerland, Germany & France Meet

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When we decided to rent a car in Germany, many opportunities suddenly opened up to us. One of them was Switzerland.

Visiting Basel, Switzerland, wasn’t originally part of our trip. Before planning this trip, I honestly didn’t have a great sense of where Germany’s Black Forest region was located. But once I started looking at the map, I realized Basel was only a relatively short drive from where we were staying. That made it tempting enough.

Then I found out something that made it almost impossible to pass up: Basel sits right where Switzerland, Germany and France meet. There’s even a spot along the Rhine where you can stand near the border of all three countries.

That was the real hook.

We’ve been to plenty of places because they were beautiful, historic or famous. This one was different. The idea of visiting a point where three countries meet just sounded like the kind of oddball travel stop we’d enjoy.

And, admittedly, there was another bonus: it gave us a chance to visit Switzerland for the first time ever, even if only for a few hours.

So along with places like Miniatur Wunderland and Rothenburg, Basel — and especially the Dreiländereck — went onto our must-see list for the trip.

Getting To Basel Without Buying A Swiss Vignette

Since we were driving from Germany, there was one thing I wanted to avoid: buying a Swiss motorway vignette.

Switzerland requires a vignette to drive on its motorways, and since we were only going into Basel for a few hours, it wasn’t an expense we needed. Google Maps gave us a route that crossed into Switzerland using local roads instead, so we avoided the motorway entirely.

That meant we weren’t taking the fastest possible route, but for a quick visit, it made sense. We weren’t in a rush, and part of the fun was seeing how easy it was to cross from one country to another without it feeling like a major production.

The Dreiländereck: Where Three Countries Meet

Our first real stop was the Dreiländereck, the point where Switzerland, Germany and France come together.

There’s a tall monument along the Rhine marking the area, and while it’s not the kind of place where you need to spend hours, it was exactly the sort of stop we like finding when we travel. It’s geographically interesting, easy to visit, and just unusual enough to make the detour worthwhile.

You’re standing in Switzerland, looking across the Rhine toward Germany and France. In simple terms, Germany is on your right, and France is on your left. It’s not flashy, but there’s something fun about being in a place where three countries are that close together.

Was this a bucket-list destination on its own? Probably not. But since we were already in Germany and had a rental car, it was a perfect side trip.

And yes, we could now say we’d been to Switzerland.

A Few Hours In Basel

Once we were in Basel, we didn’t try to turn the visit into a full sightseeing marathon. We only had a few hours, so we kept the plan simple: walk around, have lunch, see a little of the old town, and visit the Rathaus.

That ended up being the right approach.

Basel was easy to enjoy without needing a long checklist. The riverfront was beautiful, the city felt very walkable, and the old town was the type of place where you just want to wander.

Lunch at Walliser Kanne

Before heading deeper into the city, we stopped for lunch at Walliser Kanne. Since it’s been around since 1947, we figured it would be a good place to stop and try some Swiss cuisine.

The interior had exactly the kind of atmosphere you’d imagine at an old European restaurant: wood beams, stone floors, a small bar. This wasn’t a place that felt like it had been built for tourists last year.

Basel’s Rathaus Was Worth The Stop

After lunch, we made our way to Basel’s Rathaus.

This was the part of Basel that surprised me the most. I knew the Rathaus was one of the city’s better-known sights, but I wasn’t prepared for how striking it would be in person.

While the exterior is impressive, it doesn’t prepare you for what you’ll see inside. The red facade, painted details, courtyard, clock and statues all made it feel more elaborate than I expected. And while we only had a short time to wander around, it’s a place we’d definitely try to see more thoroughly if we ever visit again.

Even with limited time, the Rathaus made Basel feel like more than just a quick country-counting stop. The three-country point may have been the reason we drove there, but Basel itself made us glad we didn’t just turn around and leave.

A Short Visit, But A Memorable One

We didn’t spend a full day in Basel, but that was never the plan.

Our visit wasn’t about going to a museum, taking a boat ride, or doing anything close to a complete city tour.

This was a side trip built around one specific idea: go see the place where Switzerland, Germany and France meet. Everything else was a bonus.

And for us, it worked. We got to visit the Dreiländereck, cross Switzerland off the list, have lunch in a memorable old restaurant, and spend a little time walking around one of Switzerland’s most interesting cities.

The funny thing is, Basel wasn’t the only “extra” country stop that day.

When it was time to head back to our hotel in Germany, we decided not to simply backtrack the way we came. Since we were already that close, we crossed into France and took a route through some of the villages of Alsace on the way back.

But that’s another story.

Final Thought

Basel wasn’t originally on our itinerary for Germany, but renting a car made it possible. And once we realized we could visit the point where three countries meet — while also adding Switzerland to the trip — it became too interesting to skip.

It wasn’t a long visit, and it wasn’t meant to be. But as a quick detour from Germany, Basel was absolutely worth it.

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