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France, part seven – Roquefort, the bridge, Aubrac and Laguiole
We left the camping site in Cahors early in the morning, after emptying the tanks and refilling freshwater. On the trip to Roquefort, about three hours driving time, we passed several small villages and drove over the fabulous Viaduc de Millau, considered the tallest bridge in the world, crossing over the gorge valley over the river Tarn. It opened in 2004 and the bridge is…
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France, part six – the château of the royal family, Cahors and the market
After leaving the kiwi plantation and winery at Domaine Chantelle in the morning, we headed for the beautiful Château de Cayx, situated on a rocky hillside in the Luzech district. Château de Cayx is a 15th-century castle and is surrounded by 2.000 years old vineyard. The castle and the vineyard have been owned by the Danish royal family since 1974. We actually also visited the…
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France – part two – Calvados and Camembert de Normandie AOP Cheese
Monday morning we left for what was just to be a transport day, in direction of the Calvados area. On the way, we passed the Oise-Aisne American war cemetery near Serenges-et-Nesles, with more than 6.000 American war dead from World War I. A beautifully maintained cemetery, but with a dark, dark history. However, it was still so beautiful and peaceful. Worth a visit for the…
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Hiking to Seealpsee and the Seealpchäs in Alpstein, Switzerland
SEEALPSEE, LAKE ALP LAKE… is located at 1.143 m.a.s.l. in the Alpstein area in Switzerland. Upon arrival, it is clear why pictures of the lake are so popular on all social media. IT IS JUST STUNNING. Surrounded by mountains and so quiet – at least on a workday. During weekends it can be a bit crowded on the hiking paths. So, we will definitely suggest…
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Unterstammheim – home of Swiss hop growers
UNTERSTAMMHEIM is a small Swiss village with just about 900 citizens. We visited Unterstammheim to find out a bit about hop growing in Switzerland. We were in the right area for this, hops have been grown here since the 1930s. And if that isn’t enough, wine and tobacco are also grown here. We stayed at Hopfengut, they have recently opened for stays for motorhomes and…
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Fronalpstock – hiking with the most fabulous lake views
Wow, we just figured out, we never told you about this place, that is a mistake, sorry! Nowadays, the world’s steepest funicular railway is running from the Muota Valley, about 2 kilometers from Schwyz, to Stoos in about 4 minutes. The track has a gradient of 47.7°! Because of the construction, we didn’t really feel it as steep but have a look at some of…
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ALSACE – important wine region of France
ALSACE – among the most well-known regions, when it comes to fantastic white wine, in France. Since we moved to Switzerland, we have been visiting Alsace countless times every year. The wine-growing area is so beautiful, the wines are extremely delicious and the local dishes too. This first post might be a bit long, but keep on reading. We will be writing more posts about…
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Geograhical center of Switzerland
ÄLGGIALP is where the geographical center of Switzerland is located. A very tranquil, silent, and absolutely beautiful place with just some 15-20 houses in the relatively flat area, including the most picturesque little 200 years old chapel, a mountain restaurant, and a farm with a cheese dairy making the most delicious alp cheese which can be bought directly from the shelves for a very fair…
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A MONASTERY and a MOUNTAIN pass in one day
This time our day trip was a good mix of CULTURE and NATURE! The first target was the IBERGEREGG mountain pass at just 1.406 meters a.s.l., a beautiful, sometimes steep (13 %) 20 km drive from Schwyz to Oberiberg. In the winter the area is crowded with skiers and snowshoe hikers, in summer a paradise for hiking and mountain biking. In clear conditions, views to…
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Vertical cliff hike at Galerie Défago, Switzerland
After our first interesting short hike along the Vièze River, we had also planned another hike in the area, being of a completely different character. The first part of the Galerie was opened in 1864 by the local entrepreneur Emmanuel Défago, thus the name. The view over the valley, to the Vièze River and Champéry is fabulous. Most of the trip is secured by a…