The European Chronicles 2023.15 - To Switzerland!
Andermatt - a favorite
Do you sometimes, perhaps inexplicably, just like a place? The vibe? The setting? Simply being there? Andermatt is one of those places for me...like Pitztal, Austria, Crested Butte, Colorado, or Collalbo, Italy. I just like it.
It doesn't hurt that multiple passes "converge" there and it is home to several good hotels, one in particular is a favorite, the Alpenhotel Schlüssel. I first stayed there in 2019...they had a room, so I grabbed it! The above photo is my view. 😎
I head out from La Thuile, Italy to the Grand St. Bernard pass first, which takes you into Switzerland, then over Furka Pass, the infamous "James Bond Pass" from Goldfinger.
You may recall that on my way to Savona I took the Grand St. Bernard tunnel; the pass was not yet open. This time, no tunnel for me, the weather's perfect and the pass opened a few weeks ago.
The tunnel:
Heading to the pass
I love when you can get a shot of the road...
Relive 'To Switzerland!'
At the top
Ciao Italia! I'll be back next year!
Ahhhh, Switzerland, the land of perfect pavement and storybook views.
Heading toward Furka, you pass this dish installation high up on a ridge.
It is the Leuk Teleport and Data Center. It is 100% powered by renewable energy, the only one of its kind.
Heading to Furka
The Lamborghini is almost as fast as the 2CV was on Corsica. 😂
Party at the top
Mia gets Bat Cave parking, along with her friends.
Andermatt is a small village, easily walkable on its narrow cobblestone streets, some cute shops and restaurants.
Some old forms of transportation
And some new
Bond, James Bond. 😎
In fact, you never know what will show up at the Andermatt Shell, the one gas pump in town.
Andermatt's economy is based on three things: agriculture, the military and tourism. There are farms and cows all around; the Swiss military controls quite a bit of the surrounding land and has their Mountain Specialists Department based here; and it is probably best known for the skiing (the Gemsstock).
Andermatt's economy is based on three things: agriculture, the military and tourism. There are farms and cows all around; the Swiss military controls quite a bit of the surrounding land and has their Mountain Specialists Department based here; and it is probably best known for the skiing (the Gemsstock).
Since 2009, Samih Sawiris, an Egyptian multibillionaire, has invested several billion dollars building a tourism resort.
Work continues today.
This complex consists of: 42 apartment buildings, 25 villas, an ice rink and indoor pool, a concert hall, 2 hotels (the Chedi and a Raddison Blu, both open) and an 18 hole golf course. I'm standing on the walking path entrance to the golf course when I took the above picture.
It was voted the most beautiful golf course in Switzerland. No idea what the competition was, but it is stunning. There are cows on the hillsides, so you golf or walk with a cacophony of cow bells ever present.
There are art installations all along the path.
I'm sure that has added substantially to Andermatt's growth. I still prefer the ambiance of the old part of town.
Just after I did my first riding trip to Europe in 2005, I bought John Hermann"s "Motorcycle Journeys Through The Alps" knowing I wanted more. As I mentioned in the Prologue, he passed away last year...I've got the first and fifth (last) editions of his book and it is THE bible on riding the Alps. Andermatt was a focal point in his book, and one reason why I stayed here on my first solo trip in 2019.
That 2019 trip, and my stay at this hotel, Alpenhotel Schlüssel, was an eyeopening contrast to motorcycle travel in the US. On that same trip, Krisanne stayed overnight in Toronto and we were comparing hotel notes. Her check in was totally automated...app on the phone allows you to check in, open the door to your room and check out, no human intervention required. Here, Thomas, the hotel owner, greets you, shows you your room to make sure it is ok with you, shows you the parking space in the garage dedicated to you and mans the coffee machine each morning at breakfast so he can chat with his guests. Low friction vs. High touch. An interesting contradiction.
This time, I'm chatting with Thomas at breakfast about Andermatt's growth. I mention I was here before in 2019 mostly because of John Hermann's book. "Oh, Johnny Alps! I went to San Diego and met him and his riding club, they have all been here several times. Sad that he passed away." The world is incredibly small sometimes.
Ciao!
