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The Alps is a Europe's finest natural export, birthplace of downhill skiing, progenitor of the winter wonderland. In 2001, time of cheap flights and last-minute holidays, mini-skis and man-made mountains, the survival of the Alps' heritage is, you might say, nearing the point of no return. Evolving from a chain of valleys with distinct dialogues at the end of the 19 th century to the spa villages of the early 20 th, then from the jet-set destinations of the post-war years to the maximum-capacity towns of the millennium, the image of the Alps as a quiet paragon of luxury is almost a nostalgic recollection. Now we try to compare the different regions of Alps, their culture and traditions. When you travel to Switzerland, make sure to visit destinations like Geneva, Bern and Lausanne.
In addition, Switzerland offers a wide range of adventure travel activities, including hiking the Swiss Alps. The popularized image of Switzerland is almost too perfect and timeless: spectacular Alpine scenery, cozy mountain chalets, dazzling ski runs, window boxes spilling over with red geraniums, tidy cities set on serene lakes, elegant grand hotels. Though you " ll undoubtedly encounter these along the way, they don't present a complete picture of this modern country. Switzerland may guard its neutrality and assert its independence, but it is very much an active participant in the world. If you " re going for the scenery or for the skiing, there are few places that can equal it (in quality or high prices). And there are few places as clean, safe and orderly as Switzerland.
Likewise, few countries have such diversity in terms of culture and language: German is prevalent in Zurich and the northern, central and eastern regions; French in Geneva and the western region; Italian in Lugano and the southern region; and Romansh in St. Moritz and the southeastern region. Despite its varied cultures and linguistic traditions, Switzerland is one of the most politically and economically stables countries in the world. The Alpine Belle Epoque was and is synonymous with St. Moritz. There, the Palace Hotel, with its Byzantine proportions and opulent history, completely defines European decadence, taking luxury to another level.
The Suvretta House has a grand North American atmosphere, reminiscent of the hotel in The Shining - with a view of the horizon to vanquish any personal demons. The ancient town of Pontresina, ten minutes away, has become a hub for the well-informed travelers, with its Grand Hotel Kronenhof in marvelous Louis XV style and the sleek, chic Hotel Sarah making a modernist statement. The best restaurant in Switzerland, Der Schluessel, hides in the sleepy town of Mel's, en route between Zurich and St. Moritz, where duck liver with vineyard plums and mustard and Britanny lobster with calves' feet in aged balsamic awaits you. Booking is a sine qua non. Continue along the road through St.
Moritz and don't stop: the Engadine highway will take you all the way to Italy, past countless archaic villages with cobbled streets, Gothic churches and improbable place names in Romansch dialect. The further you go, the better it gets. Nietzsche, not a man for small talk, called the Engadine an earthly paradise. The picturesque valley of Gstaad is home to 7 000 cows, a number which works out at one cow per person. Here, the big, beautiful Palace Hotel has a fireplace stretching over ten feet long and was immortalized by Peter Sellers in the Pink Panther films. A castle dominating the gentle valley with spiky turrets and a fairy-tale quality, this internationally renowned establishment has been run by the Scheme family since they founded it in 1913.
The keen gourmand will stop by the local cheese ripening centre along the road to Gsteig and catch that mountain cheese at the moment of perfect maturity. The quality of life is so good in Gstaad, with its twenty or so Michelin-starred restaurants, that the skiing up on the glacier at Les Diablerets is almost neglected, although a mile-long tree run beckons to the guest whose eye keeps wandering in the direction of the peaks. To nourish the soul as well as the urge to ski, the tall-steeped church at Saanen with its walled garden is where Yehudi Menuhin, a resident of the town, often played. It still hosts exceptional concerts, including the annual Menuhin Grand Festival. The Matterhorn has always exerted a fascination on the Alpinist, since long before an Englishman by the name of Whymper beat an Italian to the summit in the late 1800 s.
This car-free village is home to the Hotel Mont Cervin, a magnet of winter luxury run by the Seiler family since 1853. The cellar contains over 10, 000 bottles of wine, many of which are served by the glass, including a fine selection of Valais wines and burgundies and Bordeaux clarets. To accompany this, try the veal tartar perfumed with cognac followed by a mountain honey ice parfait. Nighttime sees the Vernissage swinging, a bar which transforms itself into a cinema at the flick of a switch. Reminiscent of a James Bond set, this architecturally experimental venue has to be seen to be believed. It's not all backward-looking in the Alps - nor is it all about sliding coolly downhill.
Real thrill-seekers can ascend to the Theodul glacier lake at the foot of the Matterhorn, glittering with melt water in summer but snowbound and deep-frozen in winter, where the ice can reach a metre and a half thick, penetrated only by ice divers drawn to the most unique diving spot in Europe. Besides Switzerland Alps, there are Alps in France and Italy. Travel to the majestic French Alps and discover the legendary deep snows of France's great ski resorts. In resorts such as the Trois Vallees, linking Courchevel, Meribel, La Tania, Les Menuires, and Val Thorens, the network of interconnected lifts stretches so far you can ski there for weeks without ever retracing your tracks. Gaze in awe at the mythical Mont Blanc, the "rooftop of Europe. The French Alps are actually more popular in summer than they are during the winter season.
When the ice and snow melts, beautiful craggy hills and lush meadows are unveiled creating an ideal destination for walking, biking and climbing, or just taking in the pure mountain air Valle Mail, Valle Grand and Valle Store: doc land, Occitania. A nation that does not exist but is united by a language, a dialect, art and traditions that ideally join this strip of Piedmont to Provence, to the Pyrenees, to the Gulf of Guascogne. Long valleys, which were difficult to access in the past and have remained as wild today as they were back then. There are no high peaks or glaciers, but many passes, however this area has made it possible for people to share ideas and trade from one valley to the other.
And not only between Piedmont and Liguria but also between Italy and France. Only with the Utrecht treaty of 1713 was the end of this cultural unity sanctioned. The valleys on this side of the mountains were given to the Savoy State, while the respective valleys on the other side became part of France. Many elements of the common have survived on both sides of the mountains and, lately, their importance is being rediscovered.
One of the most spectacular mountain ranges in the world, the French Alps stretch from Lake Geneva in the north to Provence in the South. The area is divided into two regions - Savoy and Dauphine. Savoy is home to Europe's highest mountain - Mont Blanc. Whether youre a ski enthusiast, a hiking fanatic or just want to enjoy the stunning scenery, this part of France will provide you with unforgettable memories for years to come.
The city of Grenoble is the capital of the Alps. Enjoying a spectacular setting surrounded by Alpine peaks, Grenoble is a university city with a progressive reputation. It is home to a number of interesting museums including the Musee de Grenoble which boasts an excellent collection of modern art. The attractive town of Chamonix lies at the base of Mont Blanc.
A winter ski resort since the turn of the century, the town has nine ski areas. Check out the huge Mer de Glace glacier - the second largest in the Alps. You can actually go inside it at the Grotte de la Mer de Glace. The area around Chamonix also boasts some of the best hiking trails in the Alps. Savour the traditional Alpine village atmosphere of places like Morzine and Megeve. The picturesque lakeside town of Annecy is a great base for water sports, hiking, and cycling.
When all sported out, enjoy a stroll around the narrow streets of the old town, a swim in the lake or a visit to the towns 13 th-century castle. Lying between Annecy and Grenoble, the town of Chamber is also well worth a visit. It is built around a 14 th century castle and has a charming old quarter and interesting museums. The town of Meribel nearby is at the heart of one of the biggest skiing areas in the world - the Trois Vallees which caters for skiers of all levels. The 1992 Winter Olympics were held in and around the Trois Vallees. Dont miss visiting the Parc National de la Vanoise.
Frances first national park, it is a breathtakingly beautiful region of Alpine peaks, lakes and glaciers. It is also home to Frances largest colony of Alpine ibex. For summer skiing, head for the resort of Les Deux Alpes. Truly magical, the French Alpine region has something for everyone so even if youre not the best skier about youll still fall in love with the region. From the nature point of view, as already mentioned, the western Alps have a wide variety of animals and plants that have their habitats in an area which is morphologically composite. This exceptional diversity can be seen especially in the protected areas of the mountains and plains: from the pasture land to the high mountain forests of the parks of the Maritime Alps, Period and Tanaro, down to the plains and as far as the lake shores of the nature oasis of Crazy Morocco, then up again to the wooded hills of the Upper Langa and the fountainhead of the Below.
The largest park in Piedmont, and one of the largest in Italy, includes within its boundaries the upper basin of the Gesso river with its characteristic fan-shaped configuration and the valleys which steeply cut the northern slopes of the Maritime Alps. Monte Matto, Argentina and the Gas with the southernmost Pyrenean glaciers of the Alps are the massifs that meet from west to east. Thirty kilometers of the Natural Park of the Maritime Alps border on the National Park of Mercantour, to which it has been twin since 1987. For years the two parks have conducted research, initiatives and joint projects.
However, the connections between the two twins are also historic both derive from the old hunting reserve of Vittorio Emanuele II created in 1857. In this regard, besides the many attractions of fauna and flora, S. Giacomo, S. Anna, the thermal springs of Valdieri and Valasco, one can also visit the hunting lodges that date back to the epoch of the royal reserve. The final, southernmost Alps plunge dramatically into the sea at the Italian border near Menton. In the bright, warm light of the Mediterranean, pretty villages cling to wooded hillsides.
Delightful footpaths link the settlements, offering wonderful views of mountains, gorges and valleys. One of the real joys of this walk is to experience the transition from mountain to coastal landscapes; by its very nature, this is a very varied walk. Starting in the mountains in enchanting La Bridge, you discover mixed woodland, gorges, dramatic peaks and even the mysterious Vallee des Merveilles. By contrast, the walk finishes on the Riviera, in cosmopolitan Menton, inspiration to many artists, who were drawn by the clarity of the light, and a popular resort since the late 19 th century.
This whole border region is an intriguing blend of French and Italian cultures. Indeed, the Upper Roya valley - which the first part of the holiday explores - remained part of Italy long after surrounding parts were ceded to France - the Italian government persuaded Napoleon that it should remain Italian so that the king could continue to hunt there, and this remained the case until after the Second World War. In the villages through which the walk passes, you are just as likely to hear Italian spoken as French, and the local cuisine is a wonderful mix of Provence and Italian influences, with delicious fish and seafood from the Mediterranean. Worked Cite: Jim Johnson It's Downhill All the Way Christoph Hargreaves-Allen Alpine Fabulous Stanley H. Hell Grandpa, grandsons & the Swiss Alps unforgettable combination. International Travel News Oct, 2002 Jack C.
Ogg Slovenia: the sunny side of the Alps International Travel News April 2004 French Alps: Guided Walking In The Heart Of The Alps International Travel News Feb 2002
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Research essay sample on 19 Th Century Mont Blanc
