Daytrip from Vevey/Montreux?
 

We'll be in the area for a few days in June and would like to take a daytrip to the mountains to possibly go hiking. What do you think is the best mountain village to go to that's within 2 hours by train from Vevey/Montreux that is quaint, amidst spectacular scenery and has good hiking possibilities? Thanks!

Hi Peep,

I think your two best alternatives are Chateau d'Oex (www.chateau-doex.ch) and Gstaad (www.gstaad.ch). I've only spent the day in Gstaad once and only gone *through* Chateau d'Oex on the train, but both are great for your needs. You may also want to consider Leysin (www.leysin.ch). Do a text search here at Fodors to see detailed reports from other travellers.

s

Hm, I partly agree with s. Leysin is IMO not a quaint village, but offers great views of the mountains. Chateau-d'Oex is definitely a quaint village, Gstaad partly, but both are not amidst spectacular scenery - if you think of glaciers and high mountains. Both are surrounded by green meadows with cows, wooden chalets and not very high mountains.

IMO you should consider Les Diablerets. It is a quaint village and the Diablerets massif with glaciers rises up 2000 meters above the village.

You can, e.g., take the gondola to Isenau and hike to Lac Retaud and further to Col du Pillon, from where a cable car starts to the Diablerets glacier. Spectacular panoramic views of the mountains/glaciers from Matterhorn to Mt. Blanc from there!

By the way, Vevey and Montreux offer great hiking in the nearby mountains as well. E.g. from Col de Jaman (cog-wheel train from Montreux to Rochers-de-Naye) to Sonloup, or further to Les Pleiades above Vevey.

Ingo

Along the Rochers de Naye tram up the mountain, we saw mnay people hiking (actually last summer there was some kind of marathon race the day we went, with people running up the mountain!). Hikers got on and off the tram at different stops. You catch it at the main Montreux train station, but at a different ticket counter than regular trains (to the back of the station if I remember correct).

If you're looking for a more remote location than the spots mentioned above, I'd recommend the Val d'Herencs (Herens valley). You reach it by taking the train to Sion (45min), where postbuses leave about every 2 hours to the valley with beautiful, traditional villages and great scenery. They have a homepage, but only in French and German (you won't find many tourists there): www.herens-vacances.ch