From the 33rd edition of “XXth Century Health And Pleasure Resorts Of Europe” published in 1933
ROUGH CLASSIFICATION OF SOME OF THE MOST POPULAR SWISS RESORTS
SUMMER MOUNTAIN RESORTS: (For those opening in Winter, see Winter Sports Resorts) :Adelboden, Airolo, Anderrn rtt Arolla, Arosa Arveyes, Axenfels, Ballaigues, Beatenberg, Berisal, Binn, Bricolla, Btirgenstock, Caux, Celerina, Charnper y, Champex, Chateau-d’Oex, Chesieres, Col des Plariches, Centers, Corbeyrier, Crans-sur-Sierre, Davos, Diablerets, Eggishom, Engelberg, Etivaz (Bains d’), Evolena, Fafleralp, Ferpecle, Fiesch, Finhaut, Forclaz, Frutigen, Gletsch, Griesalp, Grimentz, Grindelwald, Gruben-Meiden, Gryon, Gstaad, Guttannen, Gsteig, Innertkirchen, Interlaken, Kandersteg, Klosters, Lauterbrunnen, La Fouly, La Sage, Lenk, Lenzerheide, Les Hauderes, Les Plans s. Bex, Les Rasses, Le Sepey, Leysin (climatic), Maloja, Mayens de Sion, Meiringen, Montana, Muhlen, Monte Generoso, Morschach, Murren, Oeschenen-See, Pontresina, Reuti, Riederalp, Riederfurka, Riffelalp, Rossinieres, Saanen, Saanenrnoser, Saas-Fee , Saas-Grund, Sarnaden, San Bernardino, Savognino, Scheidegg, Seelisberg, Simplon-Kulm, Spliigen, Ste-Croix, St-Mcritz, Taes’ch, Tiefenkastel, Val Ferret, Val d’Illiez, Villars, Weiss horn, Wengen, Wengernalp, Wiesen, Zermatt, Zernez, Zuoz.
RESORTS on or near the following LAKES: Lake of Geneva (Lac Leman), see Caux, Chexbres, Coppet, Evian-Ies-Bains (France), Geneva, Lausanne- Ouchy, Montreux with Clarens and Territet, Nyon, St. Cergue, Vevey, Villeneuve. Lake Lucerne, see Axenfels, Brunnen, Burgenstock, Lucerne, Morschach, Lake Lugano , see Lugano, Cademario, Monte Generoso, Monte Salvatore, Sonvico. Lake Maggiore, see Locarno, Ascona …. and Section ITALY. Lakes of Neuchatel and Bienne, see Neuchatel, Bienne, Cressier, Neuveville, St. Blaise, Yverdon. Lakes of Thoune and Brienz, see Interlaken, Beatenberg, Gunten, Hilterfingen, Oberhofen, Spiez, Thoune. Lake of Zurich, see Zurich. Mountain Lakes, see Arosa, Champex, Crans, Davos, Fafleralp, Le Prese, Klosters, Maloja, Montana, Piora, San Bernardino, St. Moritz.
SPRING, AUTUMN and MID-CLIMATIC RESORTS: PRACTICALLY ALL THE LOWER LAKE DISTRICTS (see above), as well as such places as Ballaigues, Bex-les-Bains, Henniez (Bains d’), Le Prese, Meiringen, Ragaz, Sierre and some of the lower mountain resorts. (For the dates of opening of the latter, see individual insertions.)
WINTER SPORT RESORTS: Adelboden, Andermatt, Arosa, Arveyes, Baltatgues , Beatenberg, Caux, Celerina, Champery, Champex, Chateau-d ‘Oex, Ohesteres , Crans-sur-Sierre, Davos, Diablerets, Engelberg, Grindelwald, Gryon, Griesalp, Gstaad, Gsteig, Jaunpass, Julier Route, Jungfraujoch, Kandersteg, Klosrers ;’ Lenk , Lenzerheide, Le Sepey, Les Rasses, Leysin, Maloja, Montana, Montreux (by mountain railways), Murren, Pontresina, Reuti, Roasinieres , Saanen, Saanenmoser, Samaden, San Bernardino, Splugen , Ste. Croix, St. MOritz, Surlej, Vevey (by mountain railways), Villars, Wengen, Wiesen, Zermatt, Zuoz. – Summer ski-ing on the Jungfraujoch.
SWITZERLAND FOR THE FOREIGN VISITOR
Switzerland, the" Inexhaustible ". is no longer looked upon as a mere tourist district. the World is recognizing more and more the advantages of its health giving properties and educational facilities,
and, now that the League of Nations has" come to stay", it may even be regarded as the centre of International Politics.
The days when people had time to spare are past, and with them the days when EngIish families could afford to put in a few months (sometimes even a few years) of leisurely existence on the Continent , Money is more plentiful, but time scarcer now-a-days. This has affected the Swiss Tourist World to acertain extent though the main Summer mountain resorts and Winter Sport centres are still crowded during the height of their respective seasons. It is for this reason that from time to time some “mumbling and grumbling” regarding prices is heard. If only people would realize how comparatively cheaply they could live when the rush is over and what delightful accommodation would then be offered them for the same terms as a small room during the season, no one except those obliged to, would travel in the full season, excepting, of course in the more remote and less patronized places. Except for actual mountaineering, May and June, when the Alpine Flora is at its best, and Autumn with its glorious colouring, are preferable in any but the highest Mountain resorts. On the lakes and in the lower regions it is during these months that the meadows and orchards offer such a wonderful sight, whilst for Winter Sports, snow conditions from the middle of January to the end of February are usually at their best and the hours of sunshine longer.
From a TOURIST point of view, Switzerland consists of several distinct districts, which can be roughly classified as follows:
THE BERNESE OBERLAND Best reached from Berne via the Lake of Thoune, includes:
THE LAKE RESORTS of Thoune, Hllterflngen , Oberhofen, Gunten and Spiez, with Beatenberg above the Lake;
THE KANDER VALLEY (Berne-Loetschberg-Simplon Railway) leaving from Spiez to Kandersteg, in which lie the stations of Pruttgen (junction for the car service to Adelboden), Reichenbach (junction for Griesalp) ; . The famous excursion centre of Interlaken and the many beautiful Summer and Winter mountain resorts at the foot of the Jungfrau Group (Grindelwald, Lauterbrunnen, Murren, Scheldegg , Wengen, Wengernalp) ; The Jungfrau Railway, which carries passengers up to an altitude of 11,400 feet into a world of ice and snow, is unique; The Bernese Oberland extends beyond Lake Brienz to Melrfngen at the foot of the Grimsel, whence the railway continues via Brünig (junction for Hohfluh and Reuti) to Lucerne.
THE GRISONS (Canton of Graubünden), starting at Coire, the Capital, includes the famous high mountain resorts of Arosa, Davos , Klosters, Lenzerheide, Pontresfna , and the Engadine with. Samaden, St. Moritz and Maloja. Sunshine and snow conditions in these higher places can be relied upon m Winter, whilst in Summer the wonderfully bracing air and the sun on the high altItudes is unsurpassed in health-giving properties. The scenery with its white capped mountains, dark pine forests and turquoise blue lakes is beautiful in all parts. The Grisons extends, passing Maloja, towards the Italian Lake DistrIct ; passing the famous baths of Tarasp-Schuls to the Austrian Tyrol; by the Bernma Railway passing Pontresma and Le Prese to Italy, and via Zernez over the Ofen Pass (for Merano in the Alto-Adige). It includes the Albula Pass (by train or car) and the beautiful Car Routes over the Julier, Fluela, Splugen and San Bernardmo Passes.
THE JURA round about the Lakes of Neuchatel and Bienneincludes the Baths of Yverdon and the heights above, where several charming Summer and Winter resorts (Ste. Croix-Ies Rasses , etc.) are dotted amongst the beautiful forests. Ballalgues , being just above Vallorbe, is the nearest Swiss Summer and Winter resort to Paris and a delightful motoring centre. Neuchatel is charmingly situated on Its own Lake. Cressier and St. Blaise are within a short distance of Neuchatel ; Neuveville and Bienne (Biel) (a centre of the watchmaking industry) lie on the northern shore of the Lake of Bienne. Fribourg (Berne-Lausanne main line) and Morat (Murten) (Berne-Lausanne car route) are extremely picturesque and historically interesting old towns. Henniez-Ies-Bains (mineral springs) and Marnand are on the mam Berne-Lausanne car route.
THE LAKE OF GENEVA (Lac Leman) forms the frontier between France and Switzerland, extending from Villeneuve in the Rhone Valley to Geneva, with Montreux, Vevey, Lausanne, Nyon, Coppet, etc. on the Swiss side. Large, comfortable steamers link up all towns and villages on the Lake, whilst railways, trams, funiculars, and car services run from all places to the many beautiful resorts on the heights, famous in Spring for their Flora, in Autumn for the colouring of their wooded slopes, and several of them for Winter sports. This is the most" residential" district of Switzerland for foreigners, partly owing to Its mild climate, partly to its facilities for international travel, and greatly owning to its educational advantages.
GENEVA, now a great international centre, has many attractions. The neighbourhood includes Coppet, Divonne-Ies-Bains (France), Monnetier (France), Nyon, St. Cer gue , and the numerous charming resorts just over the frontier in Savoy.
THE LAKE OF LUCERNE (Vierwaldstattersee) extends from the famous tourist centre of Lucerne, (with Burgenstock and Sonnenberg on the heights above), between the Rigi, Pilatus and other mountains, towards the Briinig Pass; towards the well-known mountain resort of Engelberg, and, passing Seeliberg, Schoneck and other places on its slopes and shores, is rejoined at Brunnen by the Gotthard Railway which leaves it at Fluelen. Morschach and Axenfels lie just above Brunnen. This lake is considered by many to be the most beautiful of Swiss Lakes. In Spring and early Summer, when the orchards are in blossom, this can scarcely be disputed. The Autumn foliage is also very beautiful. -Comfortablesteamers, railway and car services link up all places.
THE PAYS D’ENHAUT lies between the picturesque old town of Gruyeres, the hills North of Lake Geneva and the Bernese Oberland, terminating at Zweisimmen, the junction for Lake Thoune and Lenk. It consists mainly of pasture land, wooded hills and rocky summits, interspersed with picturesque and prosperous villages, including the well-known Summer and Winter resorts of Cha teau-d ‘Oex, Rossfniere , Etivaz (Bains d ‘), a few miles from Cha teauvd”Dex or Le Sepey , Gstaad, Gsteig, Saanenand Saanenmoser and the Jaunpass with the picturesque village of Charmey. Beyond Zweisimrneri lie the Baths of Weissenburg, and at Oey-Diemtigen a road branches off to Grimmialp.
THE RHONE VALLEY, though the river has its source in the beautiful Rhone Glacier at Gletsch, is generally referred to as the district extending from Brigue (junction of the Simplon, Lotschberg and Furka Lines) to Lake Geneva. From a tourist point of view, with the exception of Sion and Sierre, it acts chiefly as the starting point for the numerous mountain resorts on the heights and in its lateral valleys. Commencing from the Lake.
AIGLE for Champery (via Montheyand Val d’I1liez) ; for Corbeyrier ; for Leystn (by funicular or car) ; for Le Sepey and Diablerets and via the Col des Mosses to Chateau-dOex ;
BEX-LES-BAINS for Villars (with Arveyes and Chesteres), Gryon, Les Plans;
MARTIGNY for Lac Champex, the Great St. Bernard, the Val Ferret (La Fouly), Col des Planches, Fionna y, the road to Chamonix via Forclaz and Trient, and the Martigny-Chamonix Electric Railway via Finhaut .
SION for Mayens de Sion, Evolena, La Sage, Les Hauderes , Arolla, Ferpecle and Bricolla ; SIERRE for Montana and Crans, Grimentz, St. Luc, the Weisshorn Hotel and the Val d’Anniviers generally;
TOURTEMAGNE for Gruben-Meiden .
VIRGE for the famous Summer and Winter mountain resort of Zermatt and the Zermatt Valley resorts (Randa, Taesch, etc.), and via Stalden for Saas-Fee and Saas-Grund ;
BRIGUE for the Furka Railway and Route, which includes Fiesch (starting point for the Eggfshorn mountain hotel and Binn) and Gletsch at the foot of the Rhone Glacier and the Grimsel Pass ; For the Loetschberg Railway to Berne, passing the stations of Goppenstein (for Fafleralp), Kandersteg, Fruttgen (for Adelboden), Spiez and Thoune ; For the Simplon Railway and car route to Domodossola (Italy) passing Berisal and the Hotel Bellevue at the summit of the Simplon Pass. Cars can be shipped through the Loetschberg and Simplon tunnels.
THE ST. GOTTHARD ROUTE (Bale-Milan Express) runs from the Lake of Lucerne southwards through beautiful mountain scenery to Lugano , Goeschenen (junction for Andermatt on the Furka-Oberalp Railway), Airolo and Bellinzona (for Locarno and Mesocco). The Car route over the Pass is open from Spring to Autumn. Cars are shipped through the tunnel at very moderate rates.
THE SWISS-ITALIAN LAKES include the Lake of Lugano and the Lago Maggiore, Locarno with Orselina and Ascona being the only resorts on the latter in Swiss territory. Lugano is a large tourist resort and the starting point of several beautiful excursions by mountain railways, steamer or car. Cademario and Sonvico lie on the heights above Lugano. Locarno, rendered famous through the Conference, is a mild climatic resort, the starting point for Lake excursions and the beautiful Centovalli Rail wa y to Domodossola and the Simplon, and for the Val Maggia Line to Bignasco. In early Spring the mimosa trees, camelias and other Southern vegetation add greatly to the charm of these Tessinese resorts.
Amongst WATERING PLACES, Ragaz , between Zurich and Coire, Tarasp-Schuls-Vulpera in the lower Engadine, Weissenburg on the M.O.B. line and Yverdon in the Jura are of the best known. The LEADING TOWNS are Basle, Berne, the Capital, Geneva, seat of the League of Nations, ‘Lausanne and Zurich. Each of these towns has an individual character and charm and is historically interesting. (For picturesque towns, see" For Sightseers ", Part I). The Railways of Switzerland are almost entirely run by electricity.
The "POSTES ALPESTRES" (public motorcar services) are most excellently organised and greatly facilitate travelling on the old diligence routes and in out of-the-way places.
The Principality of LIECHTENSTEIN, adjoining the Eastern Frontier of Switzerland, with its picturesquely situated Capital, VADUZ, is well worth visiting, either by train or car.
This post is the last of the “Holidays in The thirties” series so I’ll see if I cant find something else to build a new Monday series on. As I’m interested in just about anything I think you may see a new series next Monday –Ted
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Filed under: Article, Holidays, The thirties, Traveling Tagged: 1933, Switzerland