Switzerland in the summer, by train

Transcription

1 Switzerland in the summer, by train In a few words: it is perfection and performance, in all services provided and initiatives put forward to celebrate the magnificence of its natural environment, the purity of the water and the air, the peaceful atmosphere, the cultural diversity of the German, French, Italian and Romansh, and its legendary know-how, notably in cuisine. In summer, because Switzerland has much more to offer than ski trips, namely a very mild temperature of 25 degrees Celsius. By train, because it is the best way to discover and enjoy this country. Elsewhere, the train is often a kind of boring, surviving transportation mode. In Switzerland, it s the opposite. It is an immense asset, brilliantly taken advantage of not only to serve the local population on a daily basis but also to entertain tourists while allowing them to travel easily and economically. The true stars of our trip this summer in the Bernese Oberland region, more precisely, in the 1 / 17

2 counties of Vaux, Lucerne, Bern and Fribourg, here are a few words about the Swiss trains before reviewing what we experienced. Always on time Swiss trains are frequent, stations are numerous and their cleanliness is an unavoidable virtue. Trains a Diverse ambiance and décor Many private and public train companies serve Switzerland and its touristic routes. In this country of mou Trains are also interesting in of themselves. We appreciate their velocity to reach a destination or slown A smart and generous offer To discover as many sites and panoramas as possible, while enjoying excellent rates combined with oth Some are specific to a particular Jungfrau region, Railways suchand as the one that coversmont the Top Pilatus of Europe with Pilatus with Railway ; others offer itineraries buil Golden Pass Interlaken: happiness and boldness Interlaken, the lovely town where we stayed, owes its name to the fact that it is located between two sup 2 / 17

3 These vast areas of water allow the practice of a multitude of nautical activities, some quiet ones (panora Interlaken, at the foot of (see the Swiss other Alps, article) means are athat fewthe minutes launchaway. sites for paragliding When the time comes to rest after all the effort, guest houses, youth hostels, boutique hotels or a palace We were lucky to be hosted by the Grand Hotel and Spa Victoria and to enjoy its 5-star designation in its What s more, a 5-minute walk to the left or to the right took us to a train station. Harder Kulm: the ultimate platform With excitement, we climb into a shining red funicular along a vertiginous slope, crossing a long, dark up The oohs and aahs ring out at the summit: we find ourselves on a large platform with a glass floor in the The Jungfraujoch: and there was light The Top of Europe, the Jungfraujoch, almost 4,200 meters high, forms the highest point in a triangle tha At 10 degrees Celsius in the summer, it is one of the most distinctive sights in the Swiss Alps and very p A windbreaker and a scarf are the only equipment you will need to enjoy the slide and zip line or to reach 3 / 17

4 The Jungfrau Railways Company organizes some colorful sports events, with the Hublot Watches, wher There are many opportunities to reunite with alphorn players. This instrument, with its long and straight Grindelwald: active and fun! In other parts of the Swiss Alps, trekking, interspersed by panoramic clearings and stunning cliffs, is the Back from a trek, a well-known restaurant s terrace offers all we need to build our strength back before Should such an adrenaline rush not make you rejoice, or if it s too windy, you can choose to go down wit Or, relax and take the gondola down and reach Grindelwald s main street, which has restaurants and ter Thun: millennial and medieval A dinner cruise along the coast of Lake Thun, while admiring beautiful houses and castles, takes us to th Traditional and culinary festivals are held every year here. It has a lovely river that is crossed by an old Speaking of sun, during the summer, sunset occurs around 10:30 PM, providing long evenings for pleas Mount Pilatus: so powerful! 4 / 17

5 Leaving the surroundings of Jungfraujoch and Harder Kulm, we are heading to Mount Pilatus. The visua Tunnels, ramps, stairs and platforms are laid out so that the rocks can be seen from inside, outside, from It is also possible to see stein bocks a sort of big ram with long, sharp antlers. And we hold our breath Adding to the enchantment of the site, we are told tales about Pontius Pilate, who retreated there and wa The top of Mount Pilatus is reached with the world s steepest cog-wheel train that climbs 4,618 meters to At the summit, apart from the panorama stretching away in front of us, we reach two hotels with a large t Going back down, adults and kids enjoy themselves sometimes with fright on the 10 obstacle course Lucerne: art with a big A It is with some regret that we only spent half a day in Lucerne. Nonetheless, we can evoke the beauty o And there is the richness of the collections at the Rosengart Museum, showcasing 23 major artists from Chocolate and cheese: irresistible Gourmet adults and kids easily leave out all the promises made to the dentist or their low caloric resoluti 5 / 17

6 Switzerland is not a producer of cocoa but is nonetheless recognized worldwide for its chocolate. It is w Since our arrival in Switzerland, we patiently waited to be in Gruyères to order Swiss fondue. We were re Other specialties of Gruyères are the soup of the chalet, macaroni of the chalet and an assortment of ch Surprise: here, the Swiss do not eat chocolate fondue. Their favorite desert is the double cream on rasp Worth noting: another itinerary with the Golden Pass allows for an all-you-can-eat raclette while admiring Other routes emphasize the Saturday Night grill or a night of shooting stars. Gruyères Castle and HR Giger Museum: fantastic! Literally original, and for many other reasons. Overlooking the town at a height of 830 meters, the castle The castle s team, visibly passionate and an endless source of information and entertainment, works har Another place that is just as surprising leaves us in awe: the house of the artist HR Giger, known interna Bucolic concert: an unusual curfew Heavy bells, often decorated with lovely motives, are not only souvenirs designed for tourists. They are 6 / 17

7 Lausanne: elegance During another too short stay of one day in Lausanne, the capital of the canton of Vaud and host of the I Absolutely everything about the Olympic Games, from their introduction by Baron Pierre de Coubertin to The food that is served is excellent. At Tom Café, with a stunning view of the sculpture garden one of From there, we can board the fabulous 5-star vintage paddlewheel steamer, built 150 years ago and clas One shouldn t miss climbing towards the historic centre with its Gothic Notre-Dame Cathedral and the m At night, we visit the Flon district, a once abandoned district where the river was covered a long while ag Montreux-Vevey: music and cinema The famous Montreux International Jazz Festival was in full swing when we arrived in this attractive little Apart from its rich annual program, one of the most attractive aspects of this Festival are the terraces ov The natural attractions of Montreux and its environs such as Vevy and Morges have prompted various p In 2016, Vevey will be hosting a festival paying tribute to Chaplin and its contemporary artists, the Vevey In Montreux, we stayed in the small, but very cordial, hotel de La Rouvenaz. Its modern rooms h 7 / 17

8 With regards to Montreux, we often hear the three suns. The one shining in the sky, its orange reflectio Because we didn t have enough time, we missed the Chillon castle and the Corniche Lavaux vineyards o We suspected Switzerland was a nice country, but discovering it by train this summer was accompanied Sylvie Berthiaume Translation: Christiane Théberge This trip was made by invitation by the Switzerland Tourism Office, in cooperation with its railway partne / 17

9 Vintage train Jungfrau Funicular to Harder Kulm Chocolate Train Station on the Chocolate and Cheese trains 9 / 17

10 Chapel between sky and precipice, Mount Pilatus Grand Hotel and Spa Victoria, Interlaken Restaurant, Harder Kulm 10 / 17

11 The Top of Europe Trottibike 11 / 17

12 A erial adventure at Mount Pilatus Oberhofen Castle, Lake Thun Hotel Pilatus Kulm 12 / 17

13 Cruise on Lake Lucerne Maison Cailler Fantastic art at Gruyères Castle Gruyères 13 / 17

14 Gruyères Castle's gardens Market stariway, Lausanne Cathedral 14 / 17

15 Mockup at the Olympic Museum Flon district, Lausanne Lake Leman 15 / 17

16 Terrace on the lake, Montreux Hotel La Rouvenaz, Montreux Double cream, raspberries and meringue 16 / 17

17 17 / 17