swandav2000

Folks:<BR>I finally got around to organizing & setting up a website to cover all of my recommended activities at Montreux. I've got 8 chapters & lots of photos. I hope you enjoy it/can use it.<BR><BR>http://www.igougo.com/planning/journal.asp?JournalID=7825<BR><BR>s

jw

Hello, s. Yes, indeed. You know I'll enjoy looking through your Montreux site. Took a quick glance this morning while drinking my coffee and was delighted to see your photographs of the vineyard walk and Rivaz. Memories came flooding back. How often are you able to go? I'm filled with envy. But shhhhhh, don't tell too many people, or the Lavaux will become crowded! J.

richard j vicek

Good evening, would certainly like to<BR>see your journal on Montreux, however<BR>put the address in four times and each<BR>time received "invalid column name undefined"..."/planning/journal.asp.<BR>line 16"....<BR>Richard of LaGrange Park, Il..

CT

I have the same problem.

s

Hi folks,<BR>I'm flattered that you even tried to look! Anyway, I just copied the web address & pasted it in my browser's address box & it took me right there -- I'm sorry you're having trouble. To get to it manually, go to www.igougo.com, then click on "Travel Journals," then select "Switzerland" in the drop-down menu, then select "Montreux." Mine is the only one there.<BR><BR>jw, I'm so glad you enjoyed the photos of Rivaz. Yes, those photos do fill me with longing -- and I've got them hanging all over my house. I've been six times since 1995, and I'm planning to go again in the fall of 2002. Can you believe there are still lots of things I've not done there? Aigle wine museum, Leysin (where some friends went to school 'way back when), Chateaux d'Oex. Lots.<BR><BR>s

jw

Hi S. I love it. A sweet addiction. I don't know when I will be free to return, so I'll just have to watch for your journals and maybe some Fodors posts while you plan? I've visited Chateau-d'Oex and Aigle as day-trips from Rivaz. CdOx is very tucked away, cool and misty. In June the little climb to its church is cluttered with lovely wild flowers (cultivated, I presume). We spent a couple of hours in a little restaurant there eating raclette (spelling?), drinking wine, and watching a cheese-making demonstration. We were waiting for the afternoon opening of the Musee du Vieux Pays-d'Enhaut--an excellent collection of folk art--Glad we did, because I saw some of the most gorgeous examples of paper-cutting (decoupage or scherenschnitte) I've ever come across. (Ursula, if you're reading, can you recommend any other collections of the same? or sites?) The day we visited Aigle (boat to Villeneuve and then train), it was a bit rainy, and we didn't spend enough time there to really experience it (so it's on my 'return' list). The wine museum was interesting, but I really wish I had set aside time to walk out in neighboring vineyards to see if I could find the view of the chateau that appears in books and on postcards. (You enter right in the village itself and don't get a visual approach from 'afar' like Chillon). And I know the town deserved more exploring than I gave it in the rain. I'll look forward to reading your impressions. By the way, do you have a copy of the Phaidon Cultural Guide to Switzerland pb'd by Prentice-Hall? If you think your list of places still to visit is long now, wait till you see that book. Bye. J.

Ursula

jw: Sorry, I am not terribly interested in paper-cuttings, but much more in modern art. Don't get me wrong, please. I do admire it in a way, but it does not get me attracted. That's all.<BR>I do know that it is also done in the area of Appenzell. Seems those people in the little villages have a lot of spare time.... Anyway, I know the area of Chateaux-d'Oex quite well, because we used to go on holiday (summer and winter) to Gstaad which is close by.<BR>Chateaux-d'Oex is well known for it's balloonings and, as you mention, cheese production too.

jw

Hello again. Ursula or S, I wonder if you know if it is possible to travel the rail route between Montreux and Thun/Spiez via a Swiss Pass w/o paying a surcharge? I'd love to explore the places along that line someday, but I remember that there was a surcharge for the trip between Montreux and Chateau'd'. Perhaps it was on a particular train -- cannot recall. I've never even visited Gstaad or Gsteig or Saanen or Rougemont (etc.,etc.,) and would like to. (I like the Swiss postal buses almost as much as I like the trains, so they are a possibility, too.) Fond regards to you both. J.

Ursula

jw: I do not recall either whether there is a surcharge. Could be for the panoramic train, yes. But it's definitely worth to take that one. Huge windows, even the top is glass.<BR>If you want additional information about the Montreux-Oberland-Bahn, go to<BR>www.mob.ch<BR><BR>The route is indeed absolutely lovely in summer and winter. Saanen has a very nice and famous little church. Gsteig is not exactly on that route, but can be reached by postal bus from Gstaad.

Ursula

jw: just had a look at the MOB page.<BR>The "Grandes Vues Panoramic" train is plus SFr. 15.-/seat and that's compulsory. But as said above, it's absolutely worth it.

jw

Hi. Thanks for the reply, Ursula. I did enjoy the route between Montreux and Chateau d', but I was thinking in terms of day-travels within the vicinity if I settled in there for three or four days. I love the idea of locating on a rail route between Lac Leman and Lake Thun. I'm too frugal to spend the surcharge everyday in addition to the Swiss Pass cost. However, I can surely use the excellent SBB web site to see how many places I could visit w/o it. Let me ask both you and S': any thoughts about Les Diablerets? old village or resort only? Is Gstaad more than an opportunity to watch the wealthy? And S', you mentioned Leysin? I've already said that my next trip is, unfortunately, far off in the distance, but you people are saving me from serious withdrawal. Love to all.

s

jw,<BR><BR>Yes, we really do indulge ourselves here, eh?<BR><BR>I really enjoyed the few hours I stayed in Gstaad -- no evidence of the immensely wealthy except the luxe stores that you tend to see everywhere in Switzerland. I had two main impressions of Gstaad: that the village was incredibly tiny for such a large reputation, and that there were scores and scores of green hills to explore in almost every direction. It looked like a walker's dream. I think I've seen Ursula write that Gstaad is her favorite destination in the Berner Oberland (??). When I went there from Montreux, I took a regular train and suffered with smaller windows and the regular fare.<BR><BR>Sorry, I don't remember anything about Leysin. I know I was there in another lifetime (1968 or thereabouts), but I didn't keep any of those memories. I haven't been to Les Diablerets (yet).<BR><BR>Just checking the rail website, I notice there is a route from Montreux to Spiez through Zweisimmen, which is about the half-way point. That might be the best option for your plan.<BR><BR>My own prejudice is for places with both mountains and lake views. That's the main reason why I haven't returned to Gstaad for an extended stay, and the main reason why I wonder if you'll untimately be happy with this plan. I seem to recall that you, too, enjoy small villages with lake views? With that in mind, I think you should force a choice of Spiez or a village outside Lausanne with fast connections to Thun.<BR><BR>Sorry - I'm no help at all. Except to fuel the day-dreams, maybe.<BR><BR>s

Ingo

I'm also too frugal to spend the surcharge every day. But Ursula is right: you have to pay the surcharge only for the panoramic express. You can use all the other trainswithout paying the surcharge. Anyway, I think a regional pass or the Swiss Card or even the Half-Tax Abo could be cheaper than the Swiss Pass.<BR><BR>Gstaad: a lovely place, ideally situated for excursions to the surrounding valleys, mountains, villages ... Not only for the wealthy!<BR>S. you are right, the green hills are fantastic for walking/hiking and the small lake of Lauenen, the water falls etc. are wonderful places. You can take buses to the surrounding villages, cable cars to the mountains ...

jw

Thank you both. Yes, you are so right -- I do prefer simultaneous lake and mountain views, but I was just day-dreaming about a future trip when I might allocate 4 nights to Rivaz, 5 to Gerra-Gambarogno, and tuck the landlocked Gstaad neighborhood in between for several nights -- I really did enjoy the quiet of Chateau d' the afternoon that I spent there. But you know what I've been thinking as well? I've always wanted to spend some time in the Engadine, maybe Garda or Ardez. It's a good thing that I love Swiss trains and buses, because all my wishes are pretty well spread out. J.

jw

p.s. I'm going to recommend again the Phaidon Cultural Guide to Switzerland to all you lovers of Switzerland. Emphasis on history and art and architecture. J.

Ingo

jw: The Engadine Valley is my MOST favourite place in Switzerland, maybe of all places where I've been by now. Guarda and Ardez are really, really wonderful villages. You must know that I will be in Scuol in January for Skiing and in March again in the upper Engadine - same procedure as every year!

jw

Merry Christmas, you all. Ingo, I'm so glad to hear that you like the Engadine! Why? Can you tell me about it? I'd love to hear more if you're not too busy with holiday preparations. You might give swandav and me another section of Switzerland to dream about. J.