Melnq8

I'm trying to put the finishing touches on my wish list for our week long stay in Blankenburg, near Gstaad in late December.

I've not looked up the details for all of the mountain excursions, but is it safe to assume that the Swiss Pass is valid (meaning discounted fare) on most of them in the Gstaad region? I'm leaning towards the Swiss Pass for convenience sake.

I very much appreciate all the suggestions our very helpful Fodorites have given me, Ingo and Swandav in particular, from which this list was compiled.

Hiking to small villages of Simmental, Diemtigtal, around Lenk, Lauenen.

Walks on the Rinderberg from Zweisimmen, Simmentaler Hausweg, Wispile to Lauenensee (snowshoes)

Valley walks - Gstaad to Saanen, Schönried to Gstaad, Gstaad to Lauenen, anything in/around Rougemont.

Day trip to Montreux to stroll the lake

Thun & Spiez on Lake Thun

Explore Lenk and the walks via gondola (excellent details on this from Ingo, cheers mate)

Bus to Engstligen, cable car up to Engstligenalp and hike there, Iffigfall also

Loop walking trail on Sparenmoos, access by bus from Zweisimmen.

Castles - Gruyeres, Thun

Rougemont - walks, architecture and the handcrafts of the region

Château-d'Oex - La Braye - sledding

Gstaad – free NYE concert at St Josef Church

Am I missing anything really good?

kja

If you go to Montreux, Chateau de Chillon:
http://www.chillon.ch/en/castle

Ingo

No, I don't think you're missing anything important. Good plan!

As for Swiss Pass - it is valid on the railways and buses, but you only get a discount on cable cars/gondolas/chair lifts. For example Lenk - Leiterli (2 sections, to the top): standard fare round trip 31 CHF, with GA/Half Fare Card 25 CHF. (GA = Generalabonnement, the equivalent for the Swiss to a tourist's Swiss Pass)

Have fun!

I.

Ingo

PS: Ca. 50% discount with GA-Tarif (Swiss Pass, too) in the Gstaad area on cable cars/gondolas.

Dukey1

Frankly, while you are IN Montreux you MIGHT consider taking the train trip up to Rochers de Naye. Yes, Lac Leman is great; no, it doesn't do much. That trip UP is spectacular, (do it and you'll find out) believe me but your pass will only get you a discount.

Melnq8

Thanks everyone.

The Swiss Pass covered all our trains and buses in the Engadine last year, but we were surprised that it didn't even offer a discount for gondolas/funiculars in the area, unlike in the BO.

We plan to buy our Swiss Pass upon our arrival in Zurich, hoping that we can have it post-dated as we won't need it until our train from Freiburg to Scuol five days later.

Anyone know if this will be an issue?

swandav2000

Hi Melnq8,

Yes, according to the Gstaad website (go to "mountains" then "cable cars" then the price list), you get a discount for the cable cars to Wispile and Rinderberg.

I wouldn't take the time-consuming trip up to Rochers-de-Naye; it will take an hour in each direction. If you do that, you won't have time to do the old town in Montreux or the Lavaux vineyards, both of which are unique compared to your other destinations.

I agree that the walk along the flowered promenade should be your first priority -- walking from Montreux to Chillon is better, as your views will be water and trees; going from Chillon to Montreux, your views will be of the built-up town. I'd recommend you continue on to Villeneuve, where very few folks walk. Villenevue is a delightful town with its own nice street away from the lake. I'm here now, and I just discovered that they are celebrating the 800th year of the founding of Villenuve -- you'll see the placards along the lake if you walk that far. The walk is about 45 minutes from Montreux to Chillon and 45 minutes again from Chillon to Villeneuve. There are many bus stops along the roadside, so you can go up to the road and catch the bus at any of the stops. In Villeneuve, the bus stop is at the big Coop on the left as you walk along the lake.

You'll see the amazing views of the lake from the heights as you enter Montreux on the Golden Pass -- that's one of its significant advantages. You'll also see lots of moutain views from Scuol and Gstaad, of course. So, to me, a 2-hour or 3-hour trip to Rochers-de-Naye is not a good use of your one day in Montreux.

Have a great trip!

s

neckervd

"along the flowered promenade"
in December?

swandav2000

Actually, yes! I'm in Montreux now, and there are plenty of flowers planted along the lake. What's even better imo are the sculptures made of tree branches and leaves -- sculptures of beasts this year, lion, snake, butterfly, chicken, a storck in a tree with 3 babies . . .

s

Bedar

The Palace Hotl for a drink at least !

Melnq8

Bedar - in which town?

Bedar

In Gstaad, of course.

Melnq8

Thank you Bedar, I'll look for it.

Melnq8

Many thanks for all the help - we've just returned to hot and sticky Perth (a record breaking 111 degrees F yesterday) and I'm already missing the cold and snow.

Had a wonderful time, a mixed bag of weather, some lovely accommodation and entirely too much good food.

Didn't care for Gstaad (or Montreaux), but LOVED Lenk im Simmental and Blankenburg made the perfect base for us.

Report to follow, assuming I don't pass out from heat exhaustion first.

neckervd

Thanks for the feedback.

The old center of Montreux (above the railway line) is just a small place with narrow cobbled streets and local people living and working there. It's all but touristy. May be it's therefore I like to cross it en route to the hiking trails leading to the waterfalls of Chauderon Gorge or to Glion - Caux and finally to the mountain restaurants of La Cergniaule, Col de Jaman or Sonchaux (with breathtaking views over Lake Geneva).

I like the villages around Gstaad too:
Rougemont with it's more than 1000 years old castle and church (with frescoes) and it's more than 300 years old wooden chalets;
Lauenen with it's mountain lake;
Gsteig with a small cableway (gondola) to Lake Rawil from where you can continue to Sion (capital of Valais) by postbus....
... or to Glacier3000 by hiking along the Tsanfleuron Glacier

Melnq8

I liked Rougemont too neckervd - I'm the first to admit we barely scratched the surface of the areas around Gstaad, which is sufficient reason to return.