During my courses at Le Cordon Bleu Paris, from time to time I was able to travel around especially when we had long weekends. And that happened quite often! Some small towns in my bucket list, Gstaad is one of them. It’s a small town like village in Switzerland and has been named “village for the rich”. Actually I want to go there because of the tennis tournament between the top players.
First, I booked the hotel in Gstaad but then I changed my mind, and booked another one in Rougemont – a village nearby. It was good as I was motivated to know two villages – one for the rich and probably another one for – the very rich! My damage was the two way daily tickets from Rougemont to Gstaad for the tennis tournament and that was 10 Euros for less than 10′ route!
I booked a hotel in this village, Rougemont, nearly 10′ by train to Gstaad.
I took a train from Lucerne to Rougemont, it was quite a long way as Rougemont up to the mountain, with one stop, I had only 4-5 minutes to transfer to another train. I was running otherwise I may miss my train. It’s terribly scenic route from Lucerne to Rougemont! The train with huge glass window, everyone could enjoy the fantastic view along the road.
The “glass train” to Rougemont so you can enjoy the beautiful view…
The scenic route to Rougemont…
I arrived to Rougemont early afternoon, it was a bit chilly with showers. I asked some people, probably not locals, sitting near to the train station, they have no idea where my hotel but they showed me the map right behind the train station and I quickly found how to go. as the village has only one main road…
The main road from train station to my hotel in the village…
My hotel, owned and managed by a lovely couple, they are helpful…
After check-in to the hotel, I decided to go around Rougemont, it still rainy a bit! Actually Rougemont and Gstaad are very popular for winter holidaymakers, skiers due to their beautiful mountains, hills…for me I fall in love with this unspoilt village, with the evergreen valleys, the charming wooden houses (chalet), some of them are over 300 year old, the small alleys in the village and the peaceful, purely fresh air in the mountain.That could explain why Diana, the Princes of Wales came here to study here in the late 1970s.
A small fountain next to my hotel… wondering any story behind these lovely animals!
My hotel on the left and the above-mentioned fountain right in the middle…
I walked around in Rougemont, discovered peaceful corners…
beautiful wooden traditional houses (Swiss chalet)…
I planned to make a long trek to Gstaad but gave up the idea…
It was so peaceful so some people could find it boring but look at the green…
Rougemont – a small village with population of nearly 900 people.
Small route in the mountain…looks like a beautiful train landscape model
Later when I left Rougemont and heading to Lugano, met my Swiss friend living there. I did ask him about how to keep the green like this everywhere in Switzerland, he explained it’s a hard work by the farmers and especially by the cows…in hundred of years!
The owner was taking care of the trees in the garden…
The green, the peaceful atmosphere made me so refreshed after the course in Paris
Many windows, floral balcony, some classical writings under the roof – traditional Swiss chalet
My quick lunch – cold cuts, before heading to Gstaad – a village for the super rich!
After few hours of wandering in Rougemont, I returned to my hotel, had a quick lunch, I tried to order something very Swiss, but it turned out that was a plate of cold cuts with cheeses! By the way only here in Switzerland, I found the cheese vending machine! Swiss pride!
Mynext part of this post will be about Gstaad, a village for the super rich, where I spent my days under the strong mountain sun for the tennis tournament and got a very strong suntan that made me look like a man coming back from long holiday in sunny Hawaii!
Le petit renard 
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