Sat 26 July . Picked up at home by our holiday Co. Got to Dover after quite a delay-detour via new Olympic site and Blackwall Tunnel due to severe M25 congestion.Had to wait for a feeder coach to arrive at Dover so that other passengers could join us-eventually got the 5pm ferry instead of the 3pm. We were already scheduled for a late arrival at our overnight hotel near Reims but in view of getting the later ferry,the driver advised us that the ferry was the last chance of a full meal today.
Anyway wifey ("P" in this blog ) had a very nice ham and chicken salad for main and a mixed fruit salad for pudding. I opted for an excellent fish, chips and peas for my main course followed by half a bottle of a very passable red wine for pud!
After a millpond crossing we sat back on the coach and relaxed- arrival at overnight hotel was just before midnight.
Sun 27 July Set off for Switzerland , scenery got better and better and became quite dramatic as we approached the Swiss border .Last part of journey was quite breathtaking (Aigle to Les Diablerets)
Reached our hotel in Les Diablerets well in time for evening dinner .
outside our hotel
general views of Les Diablerets -note the snow up top
Monday 28th July Day out on our coach , trip to Montreux , then on to Lausanne for a paddleship trip on Lake Geneva back to Montreux,finishing off with a guided tour of Chateau de Chillon.Absolutely wonderful-glorious weather (31c) and stunning views everywhere-yes and even trains to photograph!
Lake Geneva (Montreux)
Station at Montreux
me on station!
Ship at Montreux, en route to Lausanne where we boarded for the return to Montreux
Freddie Mercury statue on shore of the lake
Tuesday 29th July Took the optional coach trip to Martigny then over the border to Chamonix in France with views of Mont Blanc. Scenery was stunning but the road to Chamonix was so steep and winding i was amazed that a coach could get up it! The views down into the valley below were hair raising,with sheer drops the likes of which i have never seen before. P refused to look at the view for much of the journey and i cant say that i blame her!
3 views of the station at Martigny
To give an idea of the height achieved to reach Chamonix see the pic below.Make sure you double click to enlarge it and look towards the lower right.You will see Martigny far below.
Well , not long before this piccie was took,thats where we were!!
Layby somewhere very high up.Vertigo inducing view , only a few idiots like me actually got off the coach to take photos!!!
Chamonix was a delight but v.hot (around 30c). wandered around town , checked out a bar for cold lager etc.
2 contrasting views from coach window,on the way to Chamonix
Chamonix
Chamonix Mont Blanc station
Video Clip-The rack railway Chamonix-Martigny
Wednesday 30 July Free day today so we used our Free Local Access Cards as part payment for the scenic rail ride on the metre gauge ASD line (Aigle-Sevey-Diablerets). Great views and pleasant trip-more excuses for some railway photos.On returning to Les Diablerets,it had the audacity to rain! Despite this,photos were taken.
Aigle- View of the bay platforms where ASD and AL(Aigle-Leysin) trains arrive and depart,both services use track laid into the tarmac road at this end of their routes.
Aigle -Main line train
ASD train approaching Les Diablerets.
Thursday 31st July -Todays inclusive coach tour was Gstaad-(exclusive ski resort) , then Gruyeres (visit to cheese factory included ) then Broc (visit to Cailler-Nestle chocolate factory included)
Once again ,an absolute scorcher , lunch at Gruyeres where P and I dined in a pleasant restaurant garden- lovely ham and salad baguettes and (for me ) ice cold beer.
Gruyeres,although famous for cheese ,is undoubtedly one of the quaintest places we have had the pleasure to visit.
Gstaad
Gstaad station.Engineering work includes lift and subway to new 2-line platform plus some sidings to left of the picture.Sounds very familiar.Will the work overrun at Christmas?
My new friend taking a drink!!
Gruyeres station
Gruyeres -the main (only?) street
Gruyeres-Cafe garden on left is where we lunched.
Friday 1st August - Our coach took us to Geneva,including another boat trip on Lake Geneva.Today was Swiss National Day, a major Bank Holiday with many shops shut so the lake trip killed some time but was very enjoyable. After the boat trip we walked from the lakeside to have a look at the main station.
NB , the obvious route to go is down the wide fashionable cafe society Rue du Mont-Blanc,
but not P and me! Tip-If you have The Rough Guide to Switzerland with you like we did, then read it BEFORE a trip.We walked a 100m or so along the lake and went to the station via Rue de Monthoux.I remarked to P about the vast number of eateries en route,serving every cuisine imaginable but P didnt seem to want to linger. Well I thought the scantily clad girls leaning on walls were tourists catching a bit of sun. However , P knew better and the Rough Guide agreed with her. We had strayed into the rather dingy red-light district of Les Paquis. We dined at Mcdonalds instead!!
Returned to Les Diablerets via the southern shore of the lake ,ie into and out of France ,and stopped for a short time at the delightful French lakeside resort of Evian-les-Bains, the place famous for Evian water.
Anyway, some photos below to finish the blog, as next day and Sunday were the travel home days,similar to last Sat and Sun in reverse but with much better timings.
Geneva's main station, the Gare de Cornavin
the famous fountain - Jet d'Eau
Housing estate,Geneva style!
Rue du Mont-Blanc ,Geneva (recommended route from lakeside to main station!)
Front of our hotel,decorated for Swiss National Day
Part of the dining room, the 2 seats left and right nearest camera were ours for the week.They happened to be nearest the bar(immediately behind camera ) but this was sheer chance!
