hahumm, Toucan. I just can't stand folks who make pronouncements on what is "best" for everyone. The op mentioned Gstaad, so obviously there is something that is drawing him/her to that region.

Pal, the things you list are quite near the mountains. My list of things are in the rolling hills, in the Prealps, in the plains, and by Switzerland's largest lake -- very, very different scenery. Much, much greater variety.

The differences of the French language sections of the country are dramatic, not at all comparable to hearing different languages in the German area. The difference are architectural, interior design, ambiance of the towns/cities (a café-life feel), cuisine, fashion, history, etc. So I guess you've been to Gstaad -- for longer than an afternoon??? Have you ever been to Montreux? Montreux has the look and feel of the French Riviera -- the difference between that and the Oberland is far, far more than hearing different languages spoken.

s

The exchange between swandav and PalQ makes me chuckle. And I am tempted to jump in with the activities in *my* favourite area, the Engadine ;-) But I won't.

Just want to point out that labeling the Schilthorn cable car as "the Alps longest aerial cable way" is not true. Which of the sections do you refer to? There are stations in Stechelberg, Gimmelwald, Mürren, Birg and Schilthorn. If you count all these sections as one (6931 m) it is still much shorter than the Zermatt - Klein Matterhorn cable car (9482 m). If you compare the longest section (Mürren-Birg, 2779 m) then the cable car Laax - Crap Sogn Gion (4168 m) wins.

And listing the Lucerne day trip as an activity in the Jungfrau region stretches it quite a bit, I think. You could list it as a day trip from Gstaad as well then, as it is just a half hour longer from there (via Bern, but the Brünig pass is not really *that* scenic).

Gstaad is great - Engadine is great but yes I would say for the average traveler the Jungfrau Region and Zermatt regions are the highlights of Switzerland and yes I can say what I think is best for the average traveler - folks do that here all the time - does not even mean it is my favorite necessarily.

Been to Montreux many times and it is nice but not awesome like the Jungfrau - awesome that is for folks who never been to an Alpine like area.

Warning!

If you suffer any kind of motion sickness, dizzy spells, ear disorders think twice about going up to the Schilthorn.

You can get very dizzy and nauseous up there because the gondola ascends too fast from Murren.

The revolving Piz Gloria doesn't help matters.

Thin

May be nobody remarked that Johnslymy didn't come back since more than half a week.

This is just hilarious, Pal!!

I didn't mention Montreux as an Alpine area -- goodness, I'm not daft!

When I mentioned the vast differences between the French speaking and the German speaking parts of Switzerland, you responded that

<<No there is no French-speaking part of the Jungfrau Region but the babel of languages you hear in Switzerland most popular place for foreign tourists - so many Chinese and Japanese they have advert billboards in those languages as well.>>

Implying that hearing other languages spoken was, somehow, the same as moving from the German to the French parts of Switzerland. So I concluded that you had never been to Montreux since you seemed to be unaware of how different they were.

I'll agree that the Jungfrau area has the best tourist infrastructure -- trains into & around, hotels and restaurants at every price level, folks who speak English at every corner. So, for a first-time visitor or someone who may be a little timid about visiting, it may be a good choice.

But. One Alp for all? Nope. Not even.

s

But. One Alp for all? Nope. Not even.>

Agreed!

And the Deutcher Switzerland and Suisse francais areas are much different, in look and mentality - I always like to say what I saw on the Golden Pass railway where around Chateau d'Oeux - just before the German language zone suddenly ends and signs are in French - and the wood piles next to every house were stacked exactly straight - straight as a wall but as soon as we engtered the French area the wood was stock piled more haphazzardly - not so meticulous flat.

But I think for the average first-time visitor seeing and appreciating such differences between regions is far below awesome Alpine wonderlands like they do have ethced often in their minds' eyes. Gstaad certainly can fulfill this dreamy picture but Zermatt or the Jungfrau Regions will do it much much more.

So I always advise a first-timer to Switzerland to go to the Jungfrau Region because I think this most matches what they expect to see in Switzerland - and though this area is my favorite area I would not say anyone has to go there - just that this is the Switzerland they have been dreaming about I suspect.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder - some may think Montreux and its lake more beautiful than the majestic Matterhorn - some folks have called Interlaken an awfully dread place yet others like me and tower feel far differently - no one is right and wrong but says what their opinions are.