Switzerland. The Last Car-free Village in the Alps
Every European traveler should stay in a Swiss chalet at least once. My experience was arranged as part of a longer itinerary through Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. Traveling with my wife, daughter, and mother-in-law, our destination was the tiny village of Gimmelwald, located in Switzerland’s Lauterbrunnen Valley. The town has been described as having more cows than mailboxes.
Our journey began at the rental car desk at Germany’s Frankfort Airport. From there we took the autobahn southward to Strassberg and Freiburg. Passing through Basel and Bern we continued to Thun with a lunch stop in the City of Interlaken, located on a flat alluvial plain called Bödeli that separates Lakes Thun and Brienz. From there we drove south to a parking lot in Stechelberg where we purchased tickets for a cable car ride to Gimmelwald.
Visitors sometimes confuse Gimmelwald with the more touristy town of Grindelwald located to the northeast. Gimmelwald (population 300) is a rustic village positioned high above the Lauterbrunnen Valley. Perched at an altitude of 1,363 meters, it is without newspapers or cable television. Most significant, it is among the last car-free villages within the Alps. Gimmelwald’s population expands in the summer with visitors from North America and in the winter with an influx of Swiss and European tourists. Outside of tourist season, it is a sleepy place with just thirteen farms, about forty houses, and an abundance of goats, sheep and cows. There is a saying, “If heaven isn’t what it’s cracked up to be, send me back to Gimmelwald.” The village has just two hotels and one hostel but no grocery store. Locals and visitors can find cheese, milk, eggs, and meat at unattended “honesty shops.” Signs directs shoppers to the refrigerator and where to leave their payment (in a box).
Gimmelwald has just two streets. Many houses have neatly stacked piles of firewood below colorful window flower boxes. It has been noted that the town was saved from developers because it is located within a known avalanche zone. Each summer Gimmelwald families work together to cut hay with scythes. Some permanent residents work as ski lift operators during the winter, and most have one of two last names, either Feuz or von Allmen. The trails surrounding Gimmelwald offer views of wildflowers, waterfalls, and grazing milk cows. We stayed at Esther’s Guesthouse which has two apartments and seven rooms. On our first night we bought pizza at the nearby Gimmelwald Mountain Hostel.
From Gimmelwald we walked two kilometers to the town of Mürren. Located at 1,638 meters, Mürren is a traditional mountain village and like Gimmelwald, is inaccessible to motor vehicles. Prior to the opening of the Berbahn-Lauterbrunnen-Mürren (BLM) Railway in 1891, residents and visitors could only reach Mürren by mule. From the village, it’s possible to see high mountains including Mönch, Eiger, and Jungfran peaks. Mürren was an alpine pasture until it was settled by immigrants from Lötschental during the 14th century. Subsequently, areas around the village were mined for iron beginning in 1638. With a year-round population of 450, the village swells to 2,000 during tourist season. Mürren’s first hotel was constructed in 1857. The town has fourteen ski lifts and 52 kilometers of runs. Each January since 1928 the village has hosted a ski competition called the Inferno that combines downhill and giant slalom.
On our second full day my wife and daughter decided to go for a paraglider flight using a concessionaire based in Lauterbrunnen. Launched from high on the mountain, the 20-minute flight offered views of the glacially carved U-shaped valley. On our last morning, we took the cable car to the village of Schilthorn (2,970m) a favorite of French philosopher Friedrick Nietzsche. Our plan was to have brunch at a revolving restaurant known as Piz Gloria located next to the Birg cable car station. Offering 360° panoramic views of the Swiss Alps, the restaurant was used in scenes from the 1969 James Bond movie, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.
