St Peterinsel

The most popular excursion on Lake Biel is to St Peterinsel (alt. 435 m/1,427ft: Hotel), a place of idyllic beauty. Once an island it can be reached from Biel or La Neuville by boat, or (since the 19th C. regulation of the River Aare) on foot from Erlach on the "Heidenweg". The inn was originally a Cluniac priory (founded 1120, dissolved 1530); the room in which Rousseau stayed in 1765 is shown to visitors. The return route from Erlach crosses the Aare canal and just before Biel reaches Nidau (alt. 430 m/1,411ft; pop. 8,400), which is separated from Biel only by the Zihl canal, and is the starting point of the Nidau-Büren canal; thus in effect Nidau lies on an artificial island.