The Most Popular Trail in Switzerland

We decide not to go up to the Jungfraujoch, Europe's highest train station, because it just seemed like too long of a train ride for a two year old. Inga was super cranky that day so I know it was a good decision, but I really wished we could have gone to the top. It was the perfect day. Instead, we hiked from Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg. The trail is well deserved of all its hype. It was pretty crowded, but all the hikers were very polite. We had a great time and even found another couple playgrounds.

Ready to get on the cable car up to Mannlichen

The perfect view of the Eiger, Monch, and Jungfrau (left to right).

We ate our sandwiches at the Mannlichen cable car station and took in the sights. Inga was ready for a nap at this point and not interested in pictures.

Inga did not want her picture taken. She will thank us in the future for getting this iconic shot.

Looking down on Wengen and Lauterbrunnen

My ultimate Swiss picture: cow and Jungfrau.

I loved the juxtaposition of the cow and BMW ad.

My good little hiker waking up from her nap.

We ate a snack and had some beers at the Berghaus Grindelwaldblick above Kleine Scheidegg. Inga made friends with some other kids and taught them to say "mountain".

Cog railway, Wengernalpbahn, that runs between Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald.

Hotels at Kleine Scheidegg below the north face of the Eiger.

Looking across the valley to Muerren and Gimmelwald

Muerren and the Schilthorn

Muerren is located on the western side above the Lauterbrunnen valley. Here is a good map: http://www.muerren.ch/wanderplan/index_e.html. There is endless hiking from Muerren and it is the perfect place to make an early morning trip to the top of the Schilthorn mountain. This is a 10,000 foot mountain was featured in the James Bond movie On Her Majesty's Secret Service as part of the opening of the cable car and revolving restaurant to the top of the mountain. It also has the best view of the mountains in the Bernese Oberland. I love how the Swiss just build cable cars to the top of mountains so I don't have to hike up there to get the view. We took the cable car up early in the morning and then hiked back down to Muerren.

View of the Eiger and Monch from our bedroom window

Muerren also has the Allmendhubelbahn funicular that goes up a smaller mountain above Muerren and is another great jumping off point for hikes.

The Allmendhubelbahn and Birg station

The company that operates the Schilthorn area attractions really plays up the James Bond thing. The cable car played the James Bond theme music. It was kind of weird. The section between Muerren and Birg station was the scariest part of the ride up. The last hundred feet into Birg station is up a sheer cliff. It was a little unnerving. 

Looking down on Muerren as we enter Birg station

Birg station 

The view was pretty good, but there were some high clouds. We could see Thun at the top of the Thunersee and Zurich and probably into Germany.

View of Thun from the top of the Schilthorn

The best thing was being able to see Mont Blanc in France. It was pretty far off in the distance, but we could definitely see it.

The white mountain in the background is Mont Blanc in France.

Best family photo from the trip

It was about 32˚F at the top this early in the morning so we got some coffee and hot chocolate in the revolving restaurant to help warm up. It takes about 45 minutes to go the 360˚.

Having some hot chocolate and coffee in the revolving restaurant

We decided it would be totally amazing the hike down from the top. Fortunately, Inga was asleep for the worst part of the descent. The first stretch down is just a scree field and this terrifying ridge. Sam kept stopping to take pictures, which really annoyed me because I just wanted to get down to the better part of the trail. In the winter, people ski down from the top.

No Bond girls on this trail!

Hiking down from the Schilthorn crossing the worst part of the ridge line

We promised Inga we'd take her to a new playground so we were hiking down to the top of the Allmendhubelbahn. That took us passed the Schilthornhutte, which is a mountain restaurant and hostel. We had packed lunches so we just got beers and enjoyed the view from their patio. It was a pretty epic view.

View of the Eiger, Monch, and Jungfrau from the Schilthornhutte patio

From the Schilthornhutte, it was a very steep descent to the Allmendhubel. We were following the Inferno ski run, which is an amateur ski race from the top of the Schilthorn to Muerren. It was not the best route down to Muerren, but we had promised Inga a different playground. We played at the Allmendhubel playground next to the top of the funicular and restaurant. We took the funicular down so we would have time to go to the pool. Muerren has a modern sports complex with indoor swimming pool.

The Blummental below Birg station

We rented a 2 bedroom apartment at the bed and breakfast, Chalet Fontana. It was a true 2 bedroom with full, eat-in kitchen, and bathroom. The apartment could sleep up to six people! We loved staying there because we were able to cook dinner and save a lot of money because eating out in Switzerland is really expensive. It was also nice having a second bedroom for Inga. If we ever go back to Muerren, I would stay at this B&B again.

Our adorable B&B in Muerren, Chalet Fontana

There is really a lot of hiking to do on this side of the Lauterbrunnen valley and I wish we had had more time to explore. We were doing the highlights tour and I really can't complain about the epic views we had all day long of the Eiger, Monch, and Jungfrau.

Lauterbrunnen Valley

Main street in Interlaken

Our GoldenPass train ride ended in Interlaken. It is the city between two lakes, the Thunersee and the Brienzersee. It is a pretty touristy town as it is the gateway to the Jungfrau region, which is like a national park of sorts. Interlaken is full of Arabs and Indians. I was slightly disturbed by the number of women in full burqa type clothing (nothing showing but hands and eyes). We didn't spend much time in Interlaken. We did some shopping for tourist trinkets and had a beer on the main drag. 

On the train into the mountains, Inga made friends with a little Swiss boy who was maybe five years old. He spoke English very well and tried to play with Inga, but she kept playing like a girl with his army man and policeman. I read them Curious George from the iPad, which was really amusing to the other passengers. The little boy really enjoyed reading a story in English. The Swiss are super relaxed about their children. It is very apparent they live in a very safe country.

Reading monkey George

We were headed to Muerren, which is above the Lauterbrunnen valley. We took a train from Interlaken to Lauterbrunnen, a cable car to Grutschalp, and another train to Muerren. That was a lot of transportation with a 2 year old and 3 suitcases, but we made it with the help of some very nice Swiss people.

Looking down on the Lauterbrunnen train station from the cable car up the valley.

View of Wengen, on the other side of the valley, from the train to Muerren.

Looking down the Lauterbrunnen valley from Trummelbachfalle.

The first full day in Muerren it was kind of cloudy so we walked down to Gimmelwald, took the cable car down to Stechelberg, and walked the length of the Lauterbrunnen valley back to Lauterbrunnen. It was like a highlights walking tour of the valley floor. The area was very similar to Yosemite National Park in many ways except there were no rangers or bears (but a lot more cable cars and beer gardens!).

Playing in a water trough in Gimmelwald. All the public water fountains in Switzerland are fully potable unless otherwise signed.

"Downtown" Gimmelwald

Looking at the loud water (glacially fed!)

We visited Trummelbachfalle, which is a water fall inside the valley wall and the only run off outlet for that side of the mountain range. I really enjoyed the waterfall, but Sam and Inga were pretty scared of the rushing water right next to the wet walkway with minimal railings. Understandable. Inga got a piece of cheesecake for her troubles.

They had signs in 3 languages at the falls. They were big signs.

Happy little family

Fox and Ornery enjoying the falls

On the way back to Lauterbrunnen, we purchased some alpkase from these little girls with a cheese stand (similar to a lemonade stand). Sam had seen signs for alpkase in Gimmelwald, but it was Sunday so there were no sales (these are sales directly out of a home). He was super happy to find alpkase for sale and gave the girls an extra CHF 0.40 when he said, "Keep the change." This was a super awkward cross-cultural moment. The girls looked back at their mothers like, "what do we do? we can't accept this?" Sam convinced them to keep the change, finally. They probably talked about this all day. Those weird Americans just giving away their money. Along those same lines, the night before Sam tipped the waitress at the Stagerstubli in Muerren because the bill was CHF 95 and he just gave her a CHF 100 note and said, "Keep the change." The waitress blushed and was quite embarrassed. Yeah, it's just what Americans do. 

View of the Lauterbrunnen valley from the town of Lauterbrunnen. Staubbach falls visible on the right side of photo. 

The Lauterbrunnen valley is incredibly picturesque. It definitely earns its name. The river that runs through the valley is very loud. It was late summer so all the cows and sheep were in the high pastures, but this was definitely cow country. The trail that runs the length of the valley floor is well maintained and flat. This is such a great walk for everyone. It was Sunday so all the locals were out taking their afternoon stroll with the dog and family. I felt like I was in a California park hence the similarities to Yosemite. I didn't even know this place exists 1 year ago, but now I would say this is a top 10 place to visit before you die!

GoldenPass Train Ride

The biggest reason we stayed in Montreux was to be able to ride the GoldenPass train over to Interlaken. Switzerland has a great passenger train network, which many people use to commute. They also have special tourist trains that operate on particularly scenic routes. The two most popular are the GoldenPass from Montreux to Interlaken and the Glacier Express from  Zermatt to St. Moritz. The GoldenPass is the shorter of the two tourist trains and took us into the Bernese Oberland, which was on my must see list. I cannot recommend the GoldenPass train enough. It is fully covered by a Swiss Saver Pass (8-10 day, all-inclusive train ticket) and has panoramic cars for better views. We splurged for first class seats (an extra $45 for all three of us!) and reserved spots right in front. By right in front, I mean right in front.

We rode in the first row with the same view as the train operator. The train operator sits up top.

First class was predominately old people. I think our fellow passengers were a little worried about Inga, but she did great! 

 The GoldenPass line between Montreux and Zweissimmen is a narrow gauge rail line. It was built specifically for sightseeing.

Leaving Montreux station

The first 30 minutes are climbing out of Montreux with breathtaking views of Lake Geneva. This is the most dramatic part of the train ride.

Grapevines and chateaus

 Inga got her own seat for the train ride. She felt like such a big girl, which is probably why she kept wanting to take pictures with "Mama picture"(camera). The train goes through many tunnels, which Inga always announced for the fellow passengers in case they didn't see the tunnel ahead. She also made sure to say bye to the tunnels when we left them.

Inga in choo-choo heaven.

You go through a pass above Montreux and enter the Fribourg canton, which is French-speaking and known for its cheese (think Gruyere). You stop in Montbovon where you can change trains to go to Gruyere, which Sam has done on a previous trip to Switzerland. The French-speaking countryside is very neat and tidy. All the hay fields were freshly mown and raked. All the gardens carefully weeded. All the geraniums perfectly planted. 

Montbovon train station

You travel through this nice valley with lots of cows and hay fields. Eventually you cross another pass (well, tunnel through it) and come out in the German-speaking part of Switzerland. It definitely has a different look from the French part. The houses are a little bigger with the classic carved-wood balconies covered in geraniums. You stop in Gstaad, which looked beautiful, but expensive. I think I would stay in the next town over. The valley with Gstaad was the prettiest on the trip.

Gstaad train station

Homes outside Gstaad

Heading down to Zweissimmen

At Zweissimmen, you change trains to a standard gauge rail line. We were back in second class in a regular window train car. It was about lunch time by now and Inga was starting to fade. The trip to Interlaken is still pretty, but the train follows a river and doesn't have the same views. The area was more industrial with several lumber mills. I wish my daughter would take naps on a train, but she just never did. It was a fussy ride to Interlaken, but what else is new when traveling with a toddler.

Inga was not happy about being back in 2nd class.

The GoldenPass line is a must-see if traveling in Switzerland. I recommend riding a panoramic car and reserving first class seats ahead of time.

Montreux and Sion

We flew into Zurich, but our first couple nights were in Montreux on the other side of the country. The thing is Switzerland isn't really that big and it has an excellent train system. So we arrived in Montreux around lunch time completely exhausted. As soon as our hotel room was ready (several hours after we check-in), we all crashed.

Swiss train station sign

Taking a walk along Lake Geneva waiting for our hotel room to be ready.

Our hotel, Eden Palace, right on the water. It was pretty good, but desperately needed new carpet. 

The ferry that connects the towns and cities on Lake Geneva.

View from our hotel room balcony looking into France.

We had a late dinner in Montreux the first night. It was an Italian place. Inga's dinner request the whole trip was pizza.

Fox and Ornery posing in front of the Freddie Mercury statue in Montreux.

 We didn't do much sightseeing in the Swiss Riviera. We pretty much stayed in Montreux just to be close to an early morning departure of the GoldenPass line, but more about that later. For Inga's 2nd birthday, we took a train to Sion, the capital of the canton Valais. Valais is home to ski towns, the Matterhorn, wineries, and the oldest Catholic diocese north of the Alps, in Sion.

Sion train station

Immediately after getting off the train, we took a bus into the mountains to the ski town of Haute Nendaz. We had a slight detour when we got off the bus in Basse Nendaz, but got to see some of small town Valais in our walk up the mountainside. The previous post on Swiss gardens has picture of the cemetery in Basse Nendaz. Once in Haute Nendaz, we road the gondola up to a ski area because it was such a clear day.

Inga's first gondola ride. She LOVES gondolas now.

Tracouet had a playground and restaurant. This was like a mid-mountain ski station. The sign to the right in the picture showed the lifts that were open for hikers.

 We had lunch at the restaurant at the top and discovered the best way to make a ham sandwich. Hearth bread, soft cheese as a spread (like brie), mustard, cured ham, hard cheese (like Emmental), and a little pickle (sweet and spicy, not dill) made the best sandwich. We used this recipe for the rest of the trip. The restaurant also had a changing table! (Those are hard to find in Switerzland.) We didn't do any hiking because we wanted to go back to Sion to see the castle and old city.

Pretty Alpine lake

Our attempt at a family photo. You can see Sion at the bottom of the valley.

View of Rhone valley

 Sion is known for its medieval old city and the Chateau de Tourbillon and Basilique de Valere. The Basilique de Valere is a fortified church and monastery that Pope John Paul II named a basilica. The church is on a smaller hill so that's the one I wanted to walk to as I was carrying Inga.

View of vineyards above Sion

Old building outside the church walls.

Chateau de Tourbillon on the hill opposite the church.

Inside the church altar

The church's organ was built about 1435 and is one of the old playable organs in the world.

There was a museum in the monastery I kind of wanted to see, but it cost money and Inga was really worn out by this point.

View of old Sion

Tunnel street!

Center of the old city

We all took naps on some grass by the Cathedral Notre Dame de Fatima.

Beautiful fountain and the flag of Valais

 I really liked Sion. The people were very friendly and relaxed. I could tell they don't get many American tourists in Sion especially at that time of year. I really just saw Swiss people out enjoying a Friday afternoon in late summer. I had to laugh when we left Sion at 8pm that all the teenagers who had come into the big city for Friday night were leaving at 8pm. The Swiss do not stay out late.

Probably the most embarrassing toddler moment of the trip came on the train ride back to Montreux. It was passed Inga's bedtime at this point, but we still had a 45 minute train ride back. We got on the first train to Montreux that arrived at the station. It was a EuroCity train that had originated in Milan and was heading to the Geneva airport. It was packed with business travelers. We could only find two open seats and put Inga on my lap. This led to a toddler meltdown with Inga crying, "Want seat. My turn. My turn." The fit lasted pretty much the entire ride to Montreux.

But it was her 2nd birthday after all and we hadn't gotten her any cake. Well, we still didn't. We got her some ice cream instead. "Birday i cream" as Inga said.

Inga crashed hard that night. Happy Birthday.