SWISS ALPS

                   Villars, a Small Mountain Village

            We expected to see snow in Switzerland, but in June really weren’t thinking of hiking in snow and slush! I’d hiked part of the Swiss Alps a few years previously, but this trip was full of surprises. Of course we were in a different part of the country.

 In Villars everyone spoke French and few understood, much less spoke, any English. We got creative with language, but the time we asked 4 different people for directions to a grocery store we got four different answers. Finally my daughter asked about a market---ah the magic word! No one understood grocery.

            Villars is full of grape vineyards; running up the terraced hillsides they occupy every available space. An hour and a half from Geneva, Villars-sur-Ollon is situated on a sunny south-facing terrace high above the Rhone valley in the heart of the Vaud Alps with breathtaking views of the Dents-du-Midi and Mont Blanc. With traditional chalet-style houses and hotels, Villars, at 4100-feet has the charm of a small village, which it is.

            This huge ski area has 45 ski lifts. There are 300 km of sign-posted footpaths in the area. Hiking signs are posted in time, not in distance; as is true for much of Europe. Mountain biking also is a popular sport. Population of the area increases seven times in winter! One can imagine what a traffic problem such an influx of people would present.

            Throughout this trip all hotel rooms had balconies with fantastic views. What a surprise to learn that we could fill our water bottles from any fountain in town. The fountains were not fancy but certainly useful. The water from the faucet was cold as it comes from the mountains.

            In Villars we had an orientation walk around town to learn where everything was located. We also rode trains through lovely wooded uphill areas, buses, and a cog train up to a summit. We hiked in snow & slush a couple of days and hiked along rivers. We passed several small lakes and took a break by one fairly large one, We also hiked through a couple small villages when we arrived for lunch, a wine tasting or a museum.

            We learned about Rivella, a carbonated drink made from milk serum, which after much discussion we decided must be whey. The drink comes in bottles and is a creamy-champagne color. I likened it much to a crème soda. It was delightfully refreshing and is unique to this part of Switzerland.

It was a surprise to see hundreds of crocuses popping out of the ground and blooming right next to a big patch of snow. Although there was a lot of snow in June it was melting very rapidly. Ice on the lake in the morning was all melted by late afternoon.       

            One day after a medium hike we stopped at our local guide’s summer cabin in the mountains to learn how to make fondue. It was yummy and we enjoyed 2-3 hours of good eating and camaraderie.

We told stories and learned much about the Swiss mountain culture.

            Our local guide was a delightful woman. Since I often lagged at the end of the crowd she was most attentive making sure I heard all of her explanations. Our weather was clear, warm and sunny—really ideal for hiking! It is hard to surpass the Swiss landscape. It is simply gorgeous and we had a great time enjoying it while walking along. Photo ops were plentiful! It was a wonderful few days!