The Grand Tour is a journey through Switzerland’s greatest hits – soaking up Alpine passes, pristine lakes… and a night in a hay barn?
Bonjour!” I cried out in the best Gallic accent I could muster, yet still the woman looked at me blankly. I thought for a second or two. “J’ai une réservation pour une nuit…” I looked up, only to see her shaking her head slowly. “Ich verstehe nicht,” she replied. Ah, I realised with a heavy heart. She was speaking German. Not French. It may sound like a rather schoolgirl error to attempt to converse with a local in the wrong language, but then the thing was, I hadn’t actually crossed a single country border. In fact, a mere ten minutes earlier I had gathered directions to find this farmhouse using French. Welcome to Switzerland.
Don’t be fooled. Nothing about this nation is small. True, it might be around one-sixth the size of the UK but, as I was discovering, it had the look and feel of a much bigger country (and, as I would discover when I arrived home, equally large speeding fines to match). I was driving a new route called the Grand Tour, which comprises a loop of 1,600km as well as several offshoots and detours. Its aim is to encompass the best of the country – a kind of greatest hits, if you will.
As someone who has dipped in and out of Switzerland many times, courtesy of its handy hubs in both Zürich and Geneva, I thought I had a good grasp of the country. But with the promise of four linguistic regions, 11 UNESCO properties, two biosphere reserves, five alpine passes, 22 lakes and a collection of seriously cool places to spend the night (more on that later), I was willing to challenge myself to be surprised, and ready to hit the road…
Tiny castles and dairy tales
Denne historien er fra May 2017-utgaven av Wanderlust Travel Magazine.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra May 2017-utgaven av Wanderlust Travel Magazine.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Vermont, USA
The Wanderlust team relocated to New England for part of this issue, as we explored a lush state filled with outdoor escapes, historic towns... and lashings of maple syrup
Unique North America
See a side to the USA and Canada beyond the big cities and discover incredible stories and special wildlife with our pick of the trips
The call of the Rockies
From historic ski lodges to rustic backcountry cabins and a mock-Scottish castle, we pick the stays in Canada's Rocky Mountains that make the most of their setting
A new dawn for the Garifuna community
When the Garifuna people settled in Belize, they had to carry their traditions and culture with them; now a new trail is inviting visitors to explore this heritage through local communities
On the edge of history
In south-west Colorado lies the largest archaeological preserve in the USA, a series of vast cliff dwellings whose residents 'vanished' overnight. But was the answer to their disappearance in plain sight?
Tigers burning bright
As India celebrates 50 years of its Project Tiger conservation scheme, we visit the reserves of Madhya Pradesh to see how its success has impacted a tiger population that once looked in danger of disappearing
SEASON'S GREETINGS
From fiery fall foliage to art fairs and harvest festivals, opens up a wealth of across the USA and Canada autumn experiences
Waking a sleeping GIANT
A slow drive along the North Wales Way, from the English border to Anglesey, reveals not only a land of incredible local food and castles, but a region that is slowly reimagining itself
The rebirth of old JEDDAH
As efforts to restore Al-Balad, Jeddah's historical district, take hold, we get an exclusive peek at how art and culture are taking centre stage
Star-studded escapes
Wilderness, history and wildlife combine at some of Britain's most iconic stargazing sites, as more and more travellers are looking to the heavens
