The blue and white trail maps that are distributed to skiers in winter
show snowy slopes and lifts and the outstanding terrain in the Alps of
Europe.
These trail maps often have a flip side, also in relief but green and
showing the same areas in their vibrant summer and fall colors. Many of
the symbols are the same ---lifts, railways, mountain restaurants. What is
different, however, are emblems for warm weather fun---such attractions as
hiking trails, bike paths, tennis courts, golf courses, camp sites, and
boat rental spots.
They are signposts to the kinds of outdoor adventures a skier
gravitates to while skis rest in the basement. They proclaim that alpine
countries are lands for all seasons.
The scenario is repeated countless times in Germany, Austria, Italy and
Switzerland, countries represented in the Alpine Tourist Commission. Vast
snowfields change magically to lush meadows where cattle graze among
alpine flowers. Sailboats glide past steamships on sapphire lakes. Rafts
and kayaks bounce through whitewater in rushing streams. And the mountains
are always there, wearing their crowns of snow a little higher.
Skiers whose summer passion is tennis can always find a court---and
someone to play with. Courts abound, outdoors and indoors.
Golf courses are a little harder to find, but they are there, and some
of them are quite impressive. Plans-Bramois, for example, at Crans-Montana
in the Valais canton of Switzerland is called by Greg Norman "the most
spectacular championship course in the world." The European Masters
tournament is played there every September.
A summer visitor usually does not lug golf clubs to Europe, if a
non-golfing, significant other comes along. There are too many attractive
alternatives to share.
Hiking at all levels
Alpine countries have made hiking into an art form. People who have
shed parkas and ski boots now stroll in shorts and stout shoes along
marked routes. Casual wanderers saunter on paths beside lakes, such as
Lake Constance, which Switzerland shares with Germany, the Traunsee at
Gmunden in Austria, and storied lakes Como and Garda in Italy. Such walks
are identified with frequent directional signs that estimate the time
needed to the next village, where the hikers’ luggage may have been moved
on ahead to another hotel.
More energetic hikes are in the hills. Brochures from ATC occasionally
show hikers in single file on narrow paths through exotic rock formations.
One popular trek above the lakes at Interlaken in Switzerland is
challenging but still quite manageable. And views are magnificent of the
majestic peaks of the Jungfrau region.
Innsbruck in the Austrian Tyrol offers a variety of tougher walks,
including one on the Seegrube that looms over the city. A hiker puffs on
steep trails and hangs onto wires threaded into pitons that someone else
has hammered into the rock.
Pure climbing is available, of course. At Cortina d’Ampezzo in the
dramatic
Dolomites of Italy, it is possible to emulate Sylvester Stallone
on the Five Towers, a location for the movie "Cliffhanger." In Switzerland
more than 2,000 people climb the Matterhorn each year, but it is not
recommended for anyone who is not acclimated and whose only exercise is
running for a commuter train.
Biking
Biking is often considered a more rigorous choice. Not by lakeside
riders, perhaps, but certainly by those who like to barrel downhill on a
mountain bike on clearly-marked trails An example of cycling adventure
that is in between these two extremes is found in Centovalli, the 100
valleys of northern Italy and Switzerland. A rented bicycle is put in the
special car of a regular train that hauls cyclists high into the
mountains. The ride back down a tree-lined, winding road requires no
pedaling but a stout grip on the brakes---and in autumn a wary eye for
chestnuts in the gutters. Along the way there are several charming inns
where riders can stop for lunch.
Lunch breaks
Pausing for lunch almost becomes a ceremony for hikers and bikers.
Often it is in strategically placed restaurants. Some offer modestly
priced cafeteria food, others cook to order in rustic and intimate
surroundings. Sometimes, it’s a picnic lunch packed by the hotel, sturdy
enough for a farmer, the kind of fare that will blemish one’s savoir faire
when he burps.
Who would not enjoy a noontime break and share food with a guide after
a long walk up to Lake Thoma in Switzerland? Especially when the guide
points to a trickle in the cliffs across the small lake and says, "That’s
the source of the Rhine." He waves his hand northward and continues, "1300
kilometers down that way, it empties into the North Sea at Rotterdam."
Eating out is the day’s highlight for many folks who take their
adventure in softer form. Like people who like to sit on the deck of a
steamship on a mountain lake, a large craft that is both cruise ship and
ferry boat. The ships are found on larger lakes as they crisscross from
village to village or to an island castle on a lake like Maggiore. The
dining room aboard ship is popular with those who stay aboard. Others drop
off to sightsee, visit a museum or shop, kibbitz a native festival,
perhaps lunch in one of the villages. They come back aboard on a later
ship.
Boat rides are a diversion on rivers, too. You can follow the Rhine on
several sections of its long journey, including its course through Lake
Constance and when it becomes the border between France and Germany. You
can waltz on the deck of a ship named the Mozart as it floats gently down
the Danube River from Passau in Germany to Vienna in Austria, past
Bratislava in Slovakia, to Budapest in Hungary. It is a marvelous
excursion, with landmark castles and monasteries that keep cameras
clicking.
Rail fun is real fun
Many visitors prefer train travel. No one who has ever experienced its
comfort, convenience and scenic splendor gives a train ride in the Alps
anything but high marks. Such rides as the Swiss Glacier Express between
St. Moritz and Zermatt, the Simplon over into Italy, or a journey over the
Arlberg to Innsbruck are the stuff of memory banks and photo albums. Train
travel is even more enjoyable if you have in your purse or pocket one of
the popular passes offered by Rail Europe.
Cultural enrichment
"The Greatest Outdoors," is part of the theme of the Alpine Tourist
Commission. The other half says "The Greatest Indoors." That’s often
overlooked during the ski season, particularly by ski club members who
want to maximize a day’s vertical. Indoors means the après-ski scene,
relaxation in a bar or hotel pool, and the camaraderie of the dining room.
Then, too, the wonders of big cities are often ignored. However, there
are signs that this is changing. Many ski clubs have gone the add-on route
during ski season. They tack on Venice or Milan to a junket to the
Dolomites or Val Gardena. They hopscotch from St. Moritz to Barcelona or
Paris or spend time in Innsbruck or Munich after the Arlberg. Besides an
abundance of museums, galleries and various sightseeing marvels, each
metropolis has a full calendar of special events.
Such uplifting bonuses are available year-round. They are in packages
put together by tour operators and travel agents, who are just as
interested in making travelers’ summertime arrangements. However, in
summer a group is more likely to be just two or three couples traveling
together. And there is more likelihood for consensus in deciding to see
cathedrals and romantic castles.
The Alpine Tourist Commission points out that this is an ideal time for
exploring cultural riches of the Alps and getting to know hospitable
people. They are guardians of architectural treasures found among
breathtaking landscapes. ATC’s website has a wealth of information on
opportunities to make exciting discoveries in summer and fall. Their
periodic e-mail newsletter, available on request, has many other examples
similar to those cited here, along with links to additional sources.
But you can still ski
A skier who reluctantly stashed his skis at season’s end may be excited
at the prospect of making a turn or two on a glacier in shirtsleeves.
There are places in the Alps to ski in summer. Two of many examples: the
Stubai glacier, two miles high, is an hour’s bus ride from Innsbruck. It
is snow-sure year round. It is possible to ski in the morning and go
rafting on the Inn River in the afternoon. The Theodul glacier in Zermatt
is adjacent to the Matterhorn and is also eminently skiable. Skiing past
the world’s most magnificent rock is more sensible than trying to climb
it.
Of course, carrying skis and boots on a summer trip might send the
wrong signal to a companion. It’s better to rent and make it look like an
impromptu thought that doesn’t really interfere with a green agenda.
The individual countries that comprise the ATC offer brochures that
will have you salivating long before the journey begins.
For More
Information:
See the website of the Alpine Tourist Commission
at
www.alpseurope.com.
* * *
Rhone Alps
Turn Green
Snow-covered trails in the Rhône-Alpes that skiers
schuss down
in winter can be hiked and biked on when they’re green.
(reprint from FranceGuide 2007)
By Ted Heck
Ski resort personnel shed their parkas in summertime, slip into shorts or
jeans, and lead the way to warm weather adventure. They can fly a skier over
a favorite slope in a two-person parachute, heat up a hot air balloon,
saddle a horse for a jaunt through alpine meadows, and show you how to
paddle a raft in white water rapids, catch a fish, or swing a tennis racket
or golf club.
Seasons change, but not the grandeur. Stunning white-mantled mountains still
dominate the landscape, but villages become more colorful. Flowers bloom in
fields and window boxes; animals graze in pastures. Tourists stroll
comfortably among centuries-old buildings in the paths of history, getting
to know residents when they pause for culinary delights.
France pioneered the development of ski resorts that come to life in the
winter. But many towns and old villages in the Rhône-Alps recognized the
need to be vacation spots for all seasons—to offer warmer, alternate forms
of excitement or relaxation. Their foresight led to wide expansion and
contributed to France’s reputation as a world leader in the percentage of
citizens who own second homes.
Increasing the seasons for fun is why many cross-country ski trails in La
Clusaz become walking paths and biking and hiking venues in summer. One
of the oldest ski resorts in France, the village is post-card pretty. It has
2,000 residents, but 10 times as many guest beds—testament to the allure of
the five-mountain massif that envelops it.
Le Grand Bornand is a nearby resort with centuries-old chalets, more
than 400 of them, and a claim to gastronomic fame as the home of Reblochon
cheese. It joins LaClusaz in offering a regional pass which can be purchased
in local tourist offices; the debit card gives discounts on more than 50
games, sports activities and cultural attractions.
A reasonably fit person can walk at high altitude above these villages or
try their hand at mountaineering. Cadres of instructors sharpen skills of
climbers or introduce novices to the sport, proving that there’s a way up
for every level of ability.
Both villages are in the Haute-Savoie département and a short ride
from the capital city of Annecy, which is a year-round adventure in
and of itself. Situated on a nine-mile-long lake, with mountains as a
backdrop, the town of 52,000 lets tourists in old sections of the city step
back into the Middle Ages. A popular diversion for skiers on bad weather
days in winter, Annecy is a charming locale for summer vacationers
interested in history, castles, museums—and shopping.
Southeast of Annecy and a short distance east of the Olympic city of
Albertville is bucolic Les Saisies, which, with several
participating venues of its own, was also a part of the 1992 Olympics.
Summer attractions for children include a swimming pool, trampoline,
electric car track, mini golf and game areas.
Two of the best-known resorts in the northern part of the Rhône-Alps are
Megève and Morzine. The former is one of two French resorts, along with
Chamonix, that belongs to the marketing consortium known as Best of the
Alps. Megève is an upscale resort, where some people wouldn’t care to be
seen in last year’s outfits. Fashion-conscious folk patronize top
restaurants as well as gambling tables—another pastime that ignores the
calendar.
A recommended adventure is a helicopter flight from Megève around the
mountains that link to Mont Blanc, western Europe’s highest peak. Any skier
who has ever made the incredible run down the Vallée Blanche and the Sea of
Ice will want to sit beside the pilot and take rapid-fire photos of the
exotic formations below.
Less than an hour from the Geneva airport, Morzine is the centerpiece
in the Portes du Soleil, the world’s largest ski area that crosses a border
(six villages in Switzerland, eight in France, interconnected with more than
200 lifts and 400 miles of prepared slopes).
The remarkable terrain that envelops Morzine and neighboring Les Gets
is a summer paradise for those who want to wander in the woods. There are
numerous activities families can enjoy, including trekking with a donkey or
the Adventure Park, where kids can swing through the trees like Tarzan.
Summer evenings give local restaurants and hotel dining rooms the
opportunity to demonstrate the region’s mastery of the kitchen. The savoir
faire of guests may be challenged, however, when they’re confronted by a
cheese platter that displays more than 20 varieties. Which cheese to choose?
And which Savoyard wine?
Despite all the attractive options in summertime, some hard-core skiers want
to see their breath in the mountains. They still wish to ski! For them, Rhône-Alps has glaciers that extend through
summer. A popular one is the Sarenne, a two-mile-high, lift-served snowy playground above the high
village of Alpe d’Huez, located just east of Grenoble, that
calls itself “Island in the Sunshine.” It was a recent stop on a Tour de
France race.
Like all resorts, Alpe d’Huez offers fitness and wellness programs, some of
which are centered in the Palais des Sports, a huge facility that
also contains a theater and an art gallery. From thrilling sports to
breathtaking scenery to family fun and delicious cuisine, this village is
further proof that Rhône-Alps guarantees exciting holiday opportunities any
time of the year!
For more on Rhône-Alps, visit
http://www.rhonealpes-tourism.us/.
Did you know?
Rhône-Alps hosted three Winter Olympics, the first ever in Chamonix (1924),
then in Grenoble (1968) and in Albertville (1992).
Gateway airports are Lyon in France and Geneva in Switzerland
SKI RESORTS
www.laclusaz.com
www.aravis.com
www.legrandbornand.com
www.lessaisies.com
www.megeve.com
www.morzine-avoriaz.com
www.lesgests.com
www.alpedhuez.com
Ski France International
www.france-4-ski.com -
A map on this site pinpoints resorts mentioned here—as well as
more than 70 others.
The mountains of the Rhône-Alps are also home to many small but excellent
museums.
Musée Alpin, Chamonix
89, av. Michel Croz
tel. 04 50 53 25 93
Musée Château, Annecy
Tel: 03 21 10 02 22
Le Musée du Haut Val d'Arly, Megève Area
(rural heritage museum)
tel. 04 50 91 81 00
Musée de la musique méchanique, Les Gets
(mechanical music museum)
tel: 04.50.79.85.75
http://lemuseedesgets.free.fr (in French)
For more information, contact the regional tourist office:
http://www.rhonealpes-tourism.us/.
To read more of FranceGuide 2007, visit
www.franceguide.com/us
Click here to order a print copy of FranceGuide 2007.
Austria’s World Tourism Games Drew Big
Crowd
By Ted Heck
One of the best examples of all the sports fun you can have in the Alps in
summer time is the World Tourism Games sponsored by the Austrian National
Tourist Office.
They pulled out more
stops than an organist struggling with a Mozart composition.
They left nothing to
chance when they staged the 2006 Games in Schladming-Ramsau region of the
state of Styria. It was a grand demonstration of hospitality and
Gemütlichkeit. Nearly 650 sportive guests from 42 countries participated
in a program designed to promote visits to the alpine nation. Guests
included tour operators, travel agents, allied men and women in tourism,
and journalists. I was among the last group, part of an American
contingent that participated in archery, beach volleyball, golf, mountain
biking, running, tennis, triathlon and skiing. (Yes, skiing in summer on
the Dachstein glacier.) We vied for medals which were awarded in daily
Olympic-like ceremonies.
"As a Styrian , I am
naturally pleased to be able to welcome you to my native region,"
said Arthur Oberascher, then CEO of the national tourist office, "where a
diversity of holiday offers is combined with highest quality. We are a top
destination for sport holidays, be it in summer or winter. You can
experience for yourself what it means to be active in Austria."
These were the third WTG
I have been privileged to attend. Four years ago I entered the ski race on
the glacier above Kaprun in the state of Salzburgerland. Two years ago I
competed in tennis in the Olympic village of Seefeld in the Tyrol. In
Styria I played tennis again. I found the competition too tough, but other
members of the American team this year ended up on the podium.
Gabriele Wolf of
Austria’s New York office had assembled our team and was impessed when
three women beat the Europeans in skiing. Carrie Sheinberg, a member of the U.S. team in the 90s and now a
journalist, won a gold medal in the giant slalom race. Lili Winslow, a
former ski instructor in New England, won a silver in another age
category. Michelle Cournoyer won the gold in cross country. Lili also won
a gold in mountain biking and Michelle a silver in triathlon. Michelle and
Lili work in tourism.
Our three-man golf team was edged out by golfers from China, Canada and
India, but they took some comfort from playing on a course of incredible
beauty, with a backdrop of huge cliffs, alpine pastures with grazing cows
and an occasional chalet.
Because of the huge number of contestants, we were assigned to different
hotels in Schladming and neighboring villages, with centuries-old
.buildings, charming restaurants, and flowers everywhere. When we weren’t
playing, we were still networking with various members of the tourist
industry. I didn’t win any medals in the athletic venues, but I starred in
wine tasting.
Pre-Games Fun in Graz
Some of us went to Austria early to visit Graz, capital of Styria and
second largest city after Vienna. We strolled among marvelous architecture
and along the Mur River, which rushes through the town. We dined in fine
restaurants, including one that sits on a promontory and overlooks the red
tile roofs of the old quarter. A highlight for all of us was a tour of the
armory; its huge collection of armor and weapons is one of the best in
Europe.
An hour away in the countryside we stopped at the stud farm, where
Lipizzaner horses are bred for the Spanish Riding Schol in Vienna. Lunch
of cold cuts and fine wine was served later in an inn overlooking vast
vineyards. A special treat was a tour of a tiny factory where we watched
pumpkin seeds being heated and pressed into cooking oil. The jolly owner,
who is also the village mayor, cooked eggs for us in his cellar
restaurant. Black eggs, of course, covered with his product.
Fortunately, we had the World Tourism Games still ahead of us to work off
some of the calories.
