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Support Group for Those who Love Switzerland

Support Group for Those who Love Switzerland

Old Jan 5th, 2002, 10:08 AM
  #21  
Ingo
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Jw, the UNESCO is a sub-organisation of the UNO, being engaged in culture and such stuff. About 30 years ago or so they decided to create a list with outstanding, unique contributions to culture. Later they decided to create a similar list with nature stuff.

In Switzerland there are 4 cultural (medieval city of Bern, Abbey and Library of St. Gallen, Benedict convent of Mustair, the 3 castles of Bellinzona) and 1 nature (Aletsch glacier and surrounding mountain area) heritage. If you want to hear more about it, please tell me.

Very good website for lavaux! The Lake Geneva tourist office sent me a similar wine guide, you must know I am a connoisseur concerning good wine. As I wrote before I only know Lutry in the Lavaux area. My vacation in Montreux (Hotel Masson) was too short! Where did you stay? Which hotel can you recommend in this area?
Tara, March is a good time for the Lakes Region in Ticino. It is spring time, flowers start blooming while the mountains are still covered by snow. I love spending a week skiing in St. Moritz and adding a week in Lugano or nearby to feel the spring time in March. Beginning of March could be a little too early in the year. It depends on how the winter will be.
(Sorry, jw,) but if this is your first time in this area you should prefer Lugano or a village nearby. Public transport to all directions is better. Gerra is maybe more for an individualist who already knows the main sights of Ticino and wants to explore the secret spots.

BTW, there are always special offers on the website www.ticino-tourism.ch Maybe this is helpful for a lonely planet traveller. In case you stay for more than one week it is worth considering to rent a holiday apartment. Will be cheaper.

Concerning English I do not know. I speak German and some Italian and this works.

Ingo

 
Old Jan 5th, 2002, 02:12 PM
  #22  
jw
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Hello. The UNESCO choices are very interesting, don't you think? Bern and St. Gallen and Bellinzona? I always thought both Bern and St. Gallen were beautiful and underappreciated, and now I'll be certain to spend some time in Bellinzona on my next visit. What do you think about the possibility of budget accommodations there for Tara? Or perhaps there are B&B possibilities in Lugano? That's a bigger place than I prefer, but such a lovely little city with super rail possibilities north and south!

In the Lavaux I've stayed twice at a little auberge just by the train and boat stations at Rivaz. --just a few unpretentious (very) rooms over a yummy restaurant. I can't remember if it's called Auberge de Rivaz or what -- s' refers to it in one of his posts. He'll be the one to recommend nice hotels for that area I think, though I know that there are two very special small ones in Cully -- The Major Davel and the Auberge d' Raisin. As I mentioned before, the quaintest and maybe the oldest little place of the Lavaux is St. Saphorin. I know it has a couple of good restaurants, but I cannot recall if any have rooms. I had thought about a pretty hotel/restaurant called Le Castel just outside of St. Saphorin, but it turned out to be a bit longer walk from the St.S' station that I wanted. Bye for now. J.
 
Old Jan 6th, 2002, 06:36 AM
  #23  
Ingo
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I am a little disappointed you did not mention the convent in Mustair next to the Engadin. This is an underappreciated place! I see I have to tell you something about it. It was founded in the 8th century. The claim Charlemagne himself was the founder, but others say the Bishop of Chur did it. There are famous frescos from this time, perfectly preserved, some of them in the National museum in Zurich, others still at the wall inside the church. These are the oldest and best preserved frescos of this period of art. There are also younger frescos from the 12th century and a sculpture of Charlemagne (gothic style). The buildings of the convent are partly renovated. You find a small museum in a couple of rooms, showing Romanesque sculptures, copies of the frescos in Zurich, and original living rooms of the former abbesses. Nuns are still living there, so the atmosphere is very authentic. It is a religious centre not only for the valley, also the surrounding areas.

Auberge du Raisin is quite expensive, don't you think? I have seen a picture of Auberge du Rivaz. There is a road in front of it. Is the road busy at night? I am afraid of a noisy room!

I have no idea about budget accommodation in Bellinzona. Lugano is quite noisy, you are right. But you don’t have to stay in the middle of the city. Castagnola is a wonderful and quiet place. What about Fischer’s Seehotel? The price range is from 52 to 79 Sfr. per Person and day incl. breakfast. In March Tara should be able to get a special rate. The hotel is situated directly on the lake shore, very quiet with a wonderful view. Another good choice might be the Villa Rita Garni in Gentilino. It is only 2 km from the railway station in Lugano, in the centre of the village, a bus stop is nearby. The atmosphere is said to be familiar (a friend of mine stayed there). Price range from 43 to 48 Sfr. incl. breakfast.

I must admit, Locarno has more cheap accommodations, but the train connections to Italy (Como, Milan) are not that comfortable.

Bye Ingo
 
Old Jan 6th, 2002, 06:05 PM
  #24  
jw
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I saw Fischer's Seehotel from the boat to Gandria. It looks like a dandy place. What about getting from there to the station in Lugano? It's a snap by boat, but what about the bus system? Tara, Fischer's is right on the lake.

Ingo, you're right about the auberge at Rivaz being on the road (as well as across from the railroad tracks), but I guess I can sleep through anything -- it never bothered me; in fact, I like hearing the trains go by. The rooms at the back face the vineyards, but they are also over the kitchen. Again, for the price and the lake and the food and the vineyards and the boat station just across the street -- well it was perfect for me. The rooms are very basic. Did you find anything on the Major Davel in Cully? Loved their restaurant. Or see if there is anything in St. Saphorin. Or maybe Vevey? You would probably like larger places where there is more going on. Thanks for the information about the convent at Mustair. I don't know anything about it! I'm reading about it now in my Phaidon Cultural Guide, and it does look marvelous. All for now; back to teaching tomorrow. J.
 
Old Jan 7th, 2002, 10:40 AM
  #25  
Ingo
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There is a bus stop near Fischer's Seehotel. It is served by the city line Paradiso-Castagnola. I do not know how late in the evening or early in the morning they run, but it is a main line.

I am not really convinced by the Auberge de Rivaz. Au Major Davel seems to be good. Price range 150-170 Sfr. for a double incl. breakfast. Quiet location, magnificent view.

In St. Saphorin I found "Le Castel". 7 rooms, 75-90 Sfr. per person incl. breakfast, rooms with bath/shower. But it is on the Cantonal Road, noisy I am assuming.

I loved the small medieval town of Lutry and its Caveaux. There is a hotel de Ville et du Rivage, 190-240 Sfr. double incl. breakfast directly at the port, magnificent view, quiet.

And I am wondering about the small Vaudois cafe in Corsier above Vevey (where Charles Chaplin lived) called De La Place. 135-150 Sfr. double incl. breakfast. Charming, old house (built in 1592), renovated in 1998, only 5 min. from the centre of Vevey. 8 rooms.

Still another secret spot might be the Hostellerie Chez Chibrac on the Mont Pelerin above Vevey, accessible by funiculaire. www.chezchibrac.ch

That's all for today.

Ingo
 
Old Jan 11th, 2002, 02:50 PM
  #26  
jw
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Hi Ingo! You've been doing quite a bit of research! You know, I really cannot recall much noise from that little highway running along the lake. There is another bigger highway higher up the hillside. The only sound I recall is that of the trains, which I don't mind at all. If you are able to find out how far Le Castel is from St. Saphorin, you might like it, because it was quite pretty (from the train as I passed). However, the Major Davel seemed very nice when I went there for supper one evening (arrived by boat and returned to Rivaz by train). Super quiet; you won't have any noise of any kind there. The two places near Vevey both sound terrific! I'll be interested to hear more about them. J.
 
Old Jan 12th, 2002, 09:42 AM
  #27  
Rodney
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Old Jan 14th, 2002, 01:21 PM
  #28  
s
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jw, Ingo, et al:

I've tried to post this three times and it finally dawned on me that it's too long. So I'll post in two parts, extending your misery.

I found it much harder to write in details & sights & sounds & images than I can remember. I just hope you-all find something to enjoy in it!

I first found the Corniche Lavaux in August 1999 during the Vevey Wine Festival, held just about every 25 years. I took the train from Montreux to Vevey, then changed trains to the “Wine Train” for the 10-minute run from Vevey to Chexbres. As I exited the Chexbres station, I found myself in a typical small Swiss village of cozy stone, red-roofed houses and narrow, winding streets. Unsure of where to go, I followed one road leading to the right. After passing some blocks of small buildings with blooming flower boxes and one small village square, I decided the lake likely lay “downhill,” so I crossed the street and headed down. I was prepared to see the magnificent blue of Lac Leman and the snow-capped mountains beyond, but I was unprepared for the suggestion of green, the vineyards immediately in front of me. I could only glimpse the tops of the vineyards because I was still in the middle of the village, but I continued to follow small, unmarked streets downward. Soon the village was behind me and I was standing next to a low stone wall with a signpost, “Route des Corges,” pointing toward the vast fields of vineyards. The vines were planted in parallel rows down the hillside leading to the lake, and the rows were interrupted every so often with a low stone wall border next to a narrow paved road wide enough for one car.

end part 1
 
Old Jan 14th, 2002, 01:23 PM
  #29  
s
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part 2

These views stretched out as far as I could see to my left and right, from Montreux in the east to Lausanne in the west. In fact, there are 32 km of footpaths linking Lausanne/Ouchy and Montreux that go through Chailly, Corsier, Chardonne, St Saphorin, Rivaz, Epesses, Grandvaux, and Lutry. The green field seemed to be a gracious, verdant carpet bordering the icy blue of the lake. As I meandered down between the vineyards and the stone walls with the lake in front of me, I could see a small sea of red-tiled roofs ahead and below butting next to the blue Leman. A signpost identified the village as Rivaz, and I noticed the village was enclosed with taller versions of the same stone walls. Topping the red roofs were the towers and steeples of the village churches. If you visit during the winter, the mountains beyond the village steeples and the lake are covered with snow, and the lake itself has a mist of haze on its surface. The mix of white snow, blue water, red roofs, and green/yellow vineyards -- all covered in mist -- is inescapably magical. It is a Swiss Brigadoon, and I hope one day to get permanently lost there! However, this initial visit was in August, and because the wine festival was going on at the time, several of the houses displayed long red banners with pictures of historic vintners, but most of the old white and stone walled houses had flower boxes overflowing with red geraniums. The streets were barely wide enough for two cars in the village, with views of the lake and its opposite shore alternating with intersections of the neat, ancient houses. Down at the lake, I walked to the left, east, toward St. Saphorin. There is a footpath linking Rivaz and St Saphorin above the lake, but I wanted to walk right at the lakeside, which may have been a mistake. In addition to a sidewalk, there is a major road and train tracks that line the lake. But I found the Auberge du Rivaz at the edge of the village just where it meets the lake, and had a great meal of white asparagus and crisp white wine sitting on the outdoor, canopied terrace overlooking the lake. Then I continued east to St. Saphorin. This village is a bit larger than Rivaz, and there is a Café du Raisin on the outskirts, but I haven’t yet eaten there (for a while I thought this was the same place as the Auberge du Raisin, a Relais & Chateaux hotel and restaurant, but the Auberge is in Cully, in the west toward Lausanne). Walking next to the lake, I could ignore the fast cars whizzing by on my left and the slow trains whizzing by on my right as I gazed over the lake toward Vevey and Montreux. It’s a very long walk to Vevey, and the next time I visited the Lavaux, I took the ferry from St. Saphorin to Montreux.


One day, you can combine a trip to Vevey with a visit to the Lavaux vineyards. This is my second-favorite activity here, just after I've been revived by the Promenade Fleuri. For lunch, find the Auberge du Rivaz with a terrace lake view or see if any of the cellars are having a cheese/wine tasting. Return to Montreux by train or ferry from St-Saphorin

s
 
Old Jan 14th, 2002, 01:23 PM
  #30  
s
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part 2

These views stretched out as far as I could see to my left and right, from Montreux in the east to Lausanne in the west. In fact, there are 32 km of footpaths linking Lausanne/Ouchy and Montreux that go through Chailly, Corsier, Chardonne, St Saphorin, Rivaz, Epesses, Grandvaux, and Lutry. The green field seemed to be a gracious, verdant carpet bordering the icy blue of the lake. As I meandered down between the vineyards and the stone walls with the lake in front of me, I could see a small sea of red-tiled roofs ahead and below butting next to the blue Leman. A signpost identified the village as Rivaz, and I noticed the village was enclosed with taller versions of the same stone walls. Topping the red roofs were the towers and steeples of the village churches. If you visit during the winter, the mountains beyond the village steeples and the lake are covered with snow, and the lake itself has a mist of haze on its surface. The mix of white snow, blue water, red roofs, and green/yellow vineyards -- all covered in mist -- is inescapably magical. It is a Swiss Brigadoon, and I hope one day to get permanently lost there! However, this initial visit was in August, and because the wine festival was going on at the time, several of the houses displayed long red banners with pictures of historic vintners, but most of the old white and stone walled houses had flower boxes overflowing with red geraniums. The streets were barely wide enough for two cars in the village, with views of the lake and its opposite shore alternating with intersections of the neat, ancient houses. Down at the lake, I walked to the left, east, toward St. Saphorin. There is a footpath linking Rivaz and St Saphorin above the lake, but I wanted to walk right at the lakeside, which may have been a mistake. In addition to a sidewalk, there is a major road and train tracks that line the lake. But I found the Auberge du Rivaz at the edge of the village just where it meets the lake, and had a great meal of white asparagus and crisp white wine sitting on the outdoor, canopied terrace overlooking the lake. Then I continued east to St. Saphorin. This village is a bit larger than Rivaz, and there is a Café du Raisin on the outskirts, but I haven’t yet eaten there (for a while I thought this was the same place as the Auberge du Raisin, a Relais & Chateaux hotel and restaurant, but the Auberge is in Cully, in the west toward Lausanne). Walking next to the lake, I could ignore the fast cars whizzing by on my left and the slow trains whizzing by on my right as I gazed over the lake toward Vevey and Montreux. It’s a very long walk to Vevey, and the next time I visited the Lavaux, I took the ferry from St. Saphorin to Montreux.

s
 
Old Jan 14th, 2002, 01:48 PM
  #31  
will
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Has anyone heard of a shopping mall in Switzerland, near Lake Maggiore, called "FOXTOWN"? What's the best way to get there from Milano?
 
Old Jan 14th, 2002, 03:09 PM
  #32  
jw
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S !!! Your impressions of the Lavaux were worth waiting for! I'm going to file them away to re-read again later; this is a school night and there are chores. I'm especially interested to hear about Chexbres, because I never managed to take a peek at that town. My visits to Rivaz and St. Saphorin were in June, but you make me want to visit them in the winter, too. How was your trip to Salzburg? J.
 
Old Jan 14th, 2002, 10:40 PM
  #33  
Ursula
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Will:

Re Foxtown, check out their website at
www.foxtown.ch
Click on "Mendrisio". Good explanations how to get there, opening hours, etc.
 
Old Jan 16th, 2002, 11:04 AM
  #34  
ingo
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What a great report, s! It is hard sitting at home and knowing that the next vacation in this region is so far away ...

I also would like to hear more about Chexbres. There is a special (cheap!) offer to stay there: Hotel Cecil. Has anybody any info about this hotel? I know their web site but I am not sure about the location. The motorway seems to be quite close to the village, and I absolutely dislike noisy rooms (Am I boring you, jw?).

Ingo
 
Old Jan 16th, 2002, 04:20 PM
  #35  
s
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jw & Ingo:

Chexbres seems like an entirely enchanting place. They have a website at www.chexbres.ch though it's all in French. It takes a while to load, but the photos are worth it! I don't recall anything on the Cecil?? Let us know, Ingo, what you find out.

Salzburg was beautiful, of course. But Switzerland still has my heart! I'm planning my Sep trip now. Any takers (sorry no Engadine this time -- a return to Montreux)??

s
s
 
Old Jan 17th, 2002, 10:01 AM
  #36  
Ingo
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s, Thanks for the web address. I checked it and they really have a local map from Geoswiss! Unfortunately the Hotel Cecil is only 100 m or so away from the motorway: nothing for me.

It can never be a mistake to go to Montreux! But I think you are an "advanced" Switzerland traveller, so what about adding a couple of days in another region?

There are still so many lakes with vineyards nearby in Switzerland! Walensee, Bodensee or the Lakes of Biel, Neuchatel, Murten.

When I was in Bern (Aug 01) I did a boat trip from Biel over Lake Biel watching the small villages surrounded by vineyards (Ligerz, Twann, Le Landeron, Erlach, La Neuveville) to Lake Neuchatel. I got off the boat in Neuchatel, visited the cathedral, castle and the old town, had a good lunch on the lake promenade, and took the boat to Murten. This is really a fantastic, picturesque and well preserved town!
In 2002 the Swiss Expo takes place in this region. Could be worth a trip.

The scenery around those lakes is not comparable to Lake Geneva (mountains up to 1700 m), but it is not such a touristy region!

bye Ingo
 
Old Jan 18th, 2002, 06:02 AM
  #37  
s
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Hey Ingo!

Actually, I was planning to take some time to explore Neuchatel on the next trip! Someone else on this board (Ursula???) has posted that Neuchatel is beautiful and has a lakeside promenade that rivals Montreux; of course I have to sample it!

I've also spent a few days in Murten, but it didn't really touch my soul.

And that's my big problem. My connection to Montreux goes beyond just the scenery and the activities; it simply touches my soul. I had the (good or bad -- you pick) fortune to attend school in Montreux in 1968 when I was 13 years old. I guess I was at an impressionable age because it made a **huge** impression on me. I just thought that the perfect streets, the perfect apartment houses, the perfect promenade were all designed for me. I remember walking up the small streets around Territet thinking that **this** is how people were meant to live. I felt at home there as I have not felt at home anywhere!

So I guess I'm a hopeless addict. I believe I'll quit fighting it and just indulge. So Montreux in Sep!

But sometime in the next few years I *will* get to the Engadine, I promise! I am wholly intrigued by Arosa & Pontresina. Darn it.

s
 
Old Jan 18th, 2002, 06:16 AM
  #38  
Ursula
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s:

Both, Arosa and Pontresina are really beautiful, in winter as in the summertime. Great for skiing and hiking.
Don't know which one I like better. I love them both.
I learned how to ski in Arosa, so maybe a small preference for Arosa.
 
Old Jan 18th, 2002, 06:29 AM
  #39  
s
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Ursula,

Thanks a load! I suppose I'll have to get serious about making plans for Arosa. I was planning to ski at Grindelwald (for the fourth time -- I like it there!) in Jan 2003, but maybe I'll look into Arosa. I'll be taking one or two of my nephews as an introduction to Switzerland, so it'll be a critical trip.

Lots to research. Hurmph.

s
 
Old Jan 18th, 2002, 06:49 AM
  #40  
s
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Ursula,

Thanks a load! I suppose I'll have to get serious about making plans for Arosa. I was planning to ski at Grindelwald (for the fourth time -- I like it there!) in Jan 2003, but maybe I'll look into Arosa. I'll be taking one or two of my nephews as an introduction to Switzerland, so it'll be a critical trip.

Lots to research. Hurmph.

s
 

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