Snowshoeing Chablais

Bad weather day?!

There is no bad weather day when you snowshoe! They are always fun!!

Here we were under the summit of Valerette, with more time we could have gone to the top.

Snowy forests are just awesome to discover on snowshoes! There were lots of roe deer tracks visible today! 

Hike up Dent de Valerette

Stunning hike! Stunning views! Stunning day!

This is a fun hike to a summit that doesnt take too long, but reaps all the benefits of being up high!

The Muverans poking out as you go up up up up in the dry grassy winter fields.

At the summit of the Dent de Valerette the Massif des Combins is just amazingly beautiful. It is hatd to catch the correct skyline in these photos, with so many ridgelines to get confused with...

A nifty cross at the top to remind us that we can be looking accross at the Canton de Vaud which is not Catholic (shudder)!

On the way back down passed by the Whitepod Hotel. Fabulous views above the stratus clouds with the Dents de Morcles here. Not much snow for snowshoeing....

And then the moon came up!!!

Sirop au bourgeons de sapin. Epicéa

The Norwegian Spruce is the key to the magic of our Swiss healthy alpine air!

The famous "bourgeons de sapins"  come from the épicéa. They are picked now in the Spring.

Pick the green fresh ones and put them in a jar with sugar and let the jar sit in the sun all summer. The humidity and heat will melt it into a beautiful sticky mess. But when you filter out the pine needles you get a wonderful concoction!

Here it is in the jar now, alongside the sirup from last year. It is used to soothe sore throats and is super yummy on ice cream or in yogurts! 

Learn about wild flowers

Wildflower Workshops every Wed and Sat of May and June!

Happy flowers! 

Do you know what is in your flowery bouquets? Are the beauties you are picking edible? Are they toxic? Should some be dried for making an infusion when you have a sore throat in December?

Would you like to learn these things, and discover what to add to a salad or omlette for a unique zing at the same time?

Well then let's go for a walk together!

Learn how to pick and eat raw stinging nettles!

I will be available to do these workshops every Wednesday and Saturday in May & June with you.

If you would like to go on a different day call or email me to organise it!

Make gold like the alchemists were with these diamonds of water!

Col de Jaman

After the greatest downpour of the year the great winds blew all the clouds away and revealed a magical 360 degree landscape of absolute beauty!

The lac Léman and Jura were cleaned. The air was magnificient. Chasse season opened today so if you go for any of the many beautiful hikes here be aware. We bumped into some hunters who had hung out in their cars during the storm. 

This is one of the spots migrating birds fly through at this time of year. They know the pass will be the easiest place to fly through the Alpes. Hete the black nets used to catch and study them has been taken down because of the rainstorm, which just ended. We got to see some birds of prey and a few pipits.

The geology of this area is fabulous! The limestone dried up almost instantly, it was amazing. 20 minutes ago there was practically a stream flowing through here!

The architecture of the cheese house is typical and unique to this area. The roofs are made of tavillons, which are wooden shingles. They are an art to produce and to place on the rafters. They kept us dry as the rain came down in sideways sheets! Viva natural materials!

Lac Léman Walk

This is such a great spot with the  lake & mountains, all the best Switzerland can offer. You can go into France as well as change cantons and hop from Vaud into Valais. This is also the start of a hike up and over mountain passes to Chamonix.

There is even an outdoor art exhibit

A nice flat walk for a change! 
At the end of the lake, there is a bird sanctuary with wild reeds and dragonflies and flat paths. 

Leysin

Wow, I had not been back to Leysin in a long time and I am not sure I have ever been there without snow!!! It was beautiful & fresh! We had a delicious picnic at the base of the Tour d'Aï & Tour de Mayen. After lots of geological blabla, which I am sure everybody understood....

I sure hope these guys get snow this winter. We saw lots of wild chevreuil & chamois hopping around between the frozen ground line and the unfrozen grass!

Villars

 

Such a beautiful place to hike, even on a cloudy day!

Aphrodisiac plants

Out in the rain with a bunch of wild girls to learn about the looooove qualities of wild alpine plants. What a hoot! Have not had a quiet sleep since!!! Am a bit reticent to try the stinging nettle action...

Hiking in Vaud!

Yep, not so far from the autoroute above Montreux is a spot with more flowers than you can imagine! Oh and the views of the lake, France & the Valais from up there is just breathtaking! You also get to check out the mountains of the Massif du Mont Blanc!

Here we have an unusual view of the Chardonnet, Aiguille Verte & Les Drus squeezed between the Dents de Morcles & Dents du Midi. Definitely worth seeing.
If you take the time to poke your nose a little closer to the gazzzillion-millllion super cute & cuddley flowers you get to notice the special beauty of each one individually. It doesn't take long and the rewards for the observations is fun.

These cuties are called Stellaria holostea - Stellaire - Stitchwort. Yeah...not so romantic to know the name...

This wooden shingle architecture is called 'tavillons' in Suisse Romande. It is really interesting to learn how they traditionaly built their chalets d'alpage. Today this is a protected artisanal cultural art. Just imagine, for 2 square meters of roofing in this fashion you need about 250 wooden shingles to ensure it was water proof!

Les Diablerets

An exceptional automn day! The area we chose to walk in changed constantly. We started off in a forest that was dark and chilly, but soon the temperature & scenery morphed as we entered an area of long grasses caressed by the sun. As we stopped to peek at views that were hiding from us, we observed the passage of the glaciers in the area. Walks like this are always fun as you can see so much variety in the warmth of the sun and the vegetation.

The path emerged into a clearing with cows grazing under the imposing mountains and the frost melted into vapour. We took a break at a magical spot with tipis and had a hot cup of tea and some cakes before continuing on to Les Diablerets.

Dent de Jaman

 

Sometimes it is worth hiking up in the shade, mud, snow, and the steep polished slippery limestone to get to the top! We had a wonderful view into Gruyères and tried to figure out all the Vanil summits, not sure we acheived it...but it was fun trying! The Rochers de Naye were covered in a cold blanket of fresh snow, but the sight of the lake lying in the sun below us made us chipper and we couldn't help feeling as though we were on vacation! After a delicious bowl of pumpkin soupe and local tomme (soooo yummmmmmy) we discovered the château of la Tour-de-Peilz and the old town of Vevey.

 

 

The locals build their roofs with wooden slates that are called 'tavillons'. I was lucky last year and saw them in action making one. These roofs are increadibly effecient, certainly as this area is not particularily dry or warm.

Making swiss cheese

What a way to start a hike! There is nothing like starting the day helping the locals with their daily work making cheese. It is not as easy as it looks! Hard & hot work! The cows have the easy job, I mean not only do they have an awesome view to hang out in but look at what they eat - wild orchids!

Vibram five fingers

My toes are blue from picking myrtilles!!
What a fun hike testing out these toe shoes. Really gives you the feel of the earth below and gives your calf muscles a workout (felt it for 3 days!)

Tour des Muverans

A view of the Muverans in all their splendour!

Nothing comes for free...

Tour des Muverans - Day IV

Col de Demècre to Pont de Nant.
Loooooooooong last day! We rounded the corner with the fabulous Dents du Midi and all the other friendly peaks glowing at us in the sunshine. After a view down to the Lac Léman we puttered & huffed & puffed our way up to the Col des Pierriers Blancs, before the never ending descent of 1300 meters back to the car!
Yippeee & bravo!

Tour des Muverans - Day III

Cabane Rambert to Col de Demècre.
The Grand & Petit Muveran were watching over us as we descended into Ovronnaz. We then took a well deserved dip in the Lac de Fully as the Mont Blanc stood gard. Really beautiful and worthwhile trip.

Tour des Muverans - Day II

Derborence to the Cabane Rambert.
Gorgeous walk through lunar rock piles before arriving at the 360 degree view at the Cabane Rambert. The sunset & sunrise were just astounding. All the Alpes Valaisannes to the Mont Blanc and the Dents du Midi right at the front door.

Tour des Muverans - Day I

Pont de Nant to the Buvette du Pas de Cheville.
We got caught by a rain storm just at the col, right after passing through a bolder & grass field with tiny lakes filled with alpine Salamanders!

Les Mosses

Meet Winnie - the cow that is!