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Now already in its fifth edition, our Journal has reached its first big anniversary. We are all the more excited to share with you what we have discovered – at the Palace, in Gstaad and the rest of beautiful Switzerland!
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Panthère Ajourée de Cartier watch Gstaad - Chalet «La Rocaille» - 033 744 66 44
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Big Bang Unico Italia Independent. Designed in collaboration with the Italian brand.
UNICO column-wheel chronograph. In-house Hublot movement. 72-hour power reserve. Case
crafted using a carbon fiber and aluminium alloy developed exclusively by Hublot: Blue Texalium.
Blue jeans straps with studs stitched to black rubber. Limited edition to 500 pieces delivered with sunglasses made with the same materials.
B O U T I Q U E G S T A A DPromenade 44
Cover page: At Saanen Airport. Photographed by Yannick Andrea
IMPRINT “THE JOURNAL” N° 5, 2016 — PUBLISHER Gstaad Palace, www.palace.ch
CONCEPT & EDITING Andrea Scherz, Stefanie Krisch (sk), Reto Wilhelm (rw)
ASSISTANT Barbara Kernen GUEST CONTRIBUTIONS Taki Theodoracopulos, Esther Hürlimann (eh)
DESIGN & LAYOUT Sonja Studer — PHOTOGRAPHY Yannick Andrea, Gstaad Palace archive, pages 4, 5, 9, 10, 11, 12, 17: Swiss Brand Museum,
page 6: Sprüngli, page 7: Caran d’Ache, page 8: Nespresso SA, page 13: Musik & Technik Marburg (G. Schwarz), table of contents and page 15:
Tres Camenzind, page 16: USM Möbelbausysteme, page 83: famebiography.net
ENDNOTE ILLUSTRATION Oliver Preston — TRANSLATION Astrid Freuler
PRINTING Kromer Print, printed on Paper Planojet, white, offset, FSC© — PRINT RUN 7500 copies — NOMINAL PRICE CHF 12, EUR 12
COMMITTED BY TRADITION
We would like to thank our long-standing partners, without whose support this journal could not have been realised in this form. Values such as quality, authenticity and dedication unite us.
We represent history — and share a passion for its continuance.
Andrea Scherz
THE JOURNALHIGHLIGHTS
Open and close, quick as you like: That’s how the RiRi works. The zip fastener revolutionised fashion and the clothes industry. Thanks to
Martin Othmar Winterhalter from Sankt Gallen, the ingenious system consisting of rows of interlocking teeth came into widespread use in the 1920’s.
Winterhalter had adopted and improved the original version, which was developed in the US by Guideon Sundback. — www.riri.com
1
SWISS MADE Swiss design icons conquer the world 4
TAKE-OFF A backstage visit to Saanen Airport 20
SOMMELIER Port Flip — a classic drink, easy to prepare 31
SOUNDSCAPES The ABC of alphorn playing 32
PERFECTION On tour with Residence Manager Sophie Weibull 38
RECIPE Tandoori chicken with master chef Ravi Bajaj 43
CURLING Clever manoeuvres on ice 44
INTERVIEW An hour with Jean-Claude Biver 56
INSIGHTS Enthralling Gstaad — dream designs in wood and glass 64
OUR TIP A visit to the bunker — explosives included 80
TAKI TALK Just peanuts 83
SKI TOUR
ANECDOTE Oberbort, not 10 Downing Street 90
EXCURSION Hobelkäse and goaty fun at Vordereggli 92
LES NOUVELLES DE GSTAAD In-house, local news, shopping, suggestions 94
2
3
I ’ll be honest: Being the boss also has its upsides. This I realise time and again — especially when I can delegate certain jobs which I think may best be hand-led by others. It’s not that I don’t want to do them. It’s simply that I have a team at my side which I can fully and entirely rely on, and always have had. Take our night concierge Andrea Gambardella for example. Du-ring the 41 years that he has been with us, he has only
that, even bosses get a good night’s sleep.
Another matter in point are ISO checklists. When I -
ply not diligent enough. In such situations I am glad to have long-standing companions like my director Ro-muald Bour at my side. He meticulously applies him-self to the matter, supported in turn by his assistant. He also saves me from having to plan the music sche-dule for the Lobby Bar. Getting it right for everyone is an art mastered by none, but thanks to his calm, even manner he always strikes the right note.
Just like my faithful assistant Barbara Kernen, who gets to work on the keyboard when 1001 things are going through my head. Writing has never been my forte — probably due to a school trauma caused by a typewriting exam, which prevented me from ever mastering the skill of touch-typing...
Perhaps bosses simply have better excuses, or they can get away with them more easily. Nevertheless, I do of
— during my brief absences — on the wheel of my old Jaguar. With my foot hard down on the pedal I can truly
-land or here in the Saanenland. That’s when the ideas
is always good, for bosses as well as the whole team. That is why we at the Palace are stepping up a gear or two for the coming year. Take a look for yourself to see what we have discovered — on the road for you!
WORKHARD & PLAY HARD
EDITORIAL
Full speed ahead in England: The boss as co-pilot for once (on the right), together with steersman Thomas Maechler, director at the Beau Rivage Neuchâtel — www.endurorally.com
4
SWISS BRANDS conquer THE WORLD
Who is the most beautiful, the sharpest and fastest in all the world? It is Rex — the king among peelers.
Always on the ball: Precise, reliable and indestructible — in other words, a truly Swiss product.
Made from aluminium and light as a feather, the award-winning design has been a success since 1947:
One million of these peelers are sold each year. — www.zena-swiss.com
ORIGINAL
5
One man, one watch: With the Swatch, the flattest watch of its time, Nicolas G. Hayek rescued the Swiss
watch industry from its worst crisis. Thanks to the brand’s flair for courageous innovation and creativity,
Swatch is still riding high 40 years on. More than 500 prominent artists have immortalised their work on
“the world’s smallest canvas”. — www.swatch.com
6
Indulgence of the most airy kind: The Luxemburgerli — developed at Confiserie Sprüngli in 1957 by a young
confectioner from Luxembourg — is the show-piece of the renowned Zurich confectionery business.
The tiny macaroons are available in every conceivable flavour — from bourbon vanilla to champagne — and
have since become an emblem of the city on the Limmat river. — www.spruengli.com
6
77
They consist of wood, paint and graphite — that prehistoric rock found in the Swiss mountains: The vibrant
colour pencils made by the Geneva-based firm Caran d’Ache of Switzerland are celebrating their centenary
this year. The company’s most widely sold set is called “Prismalo”, contains 12 pencils and has been on
sale since 1931. They were the first colour pencils that could be blended with water, which revolutionised the
world of drawing and illustration. — www.carandache.com
8
The right amount of air, in perfect proportion to the pressure — that is the secret behind the Nespresso capsules.
After a journey to Italy in 1975, Eric Favre wanted to prove to his Italian wife that the Swiss too are capable
of making good coffee. Forty years on, the precious grinds wrapped in aluminium have become one of the most
economically successful inventions of Switzerland. — www.nespresso.com
9
Swiss time: Created by Hans Hilfiker in 1944, the classic clock with the bright red second hand dictates the rhythm in
more than 3000 Swiss train stations. In 1984 watchmaker Mondaine developed the station clock into a wrist watch —
to great success: Today the Mondaine watches are sold in over 40 countries. By the way: The station clock is also available
as an app for smartphones. — www.mondaine.com
10
The Sulzer hip joint: A revolutionary development in modern medicine, and for many the key operation of the 20th
century. Working with industrial firm Sulzer (now Zimmer) in Winterthur, Swiss surgeon Maurice E. Müller developed the
hip joint replacement in 1962. Across the world, the prosthesis is now implanted almost half a million times a year.
And another good deed: In 2005, Müller founded the arts centre “Zentrum Paul Klee” in Bern. — www.zimmersuisse.ch
11
Up to 0.004 millimetres thin, more than 100 years old and found in (almost) every household: The ground-breaking
development of aluminium foil was patented by Swiss engineer Robert Victor Neher in 1910. The first food item
to be wrapped in aluminium was the Toblerone bar. Other food companies such as Maggi followed suit, as well as the
cosmetics and industrial sectors. Even artists have found use for the versatile all-rounder. — www.korff.ch
12
The trade mark of the Swiss Red Cross is the Swiss flag in reverse. The SRC is Switzerland’s most important humanitarian
aid organisation. Founded in 1866 by General Guillaume Henri Dufour and Swiss Federal Councillor Jakob Dubs,
the SRC relies on over 73,000 volunteers and 500,000 members to provide health care and disaster relief in over
30 countries. — www.redcross.ch
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With musical giants such as the Beatles, Tom Petty and Lemmy of Motörhead, the legendary electric Rickenbacker
bass guitar conquered the world’s stages. The Rickenbacker company was founded by Swiss-born pioneer
and entrepreneur Adolph Rickenbacker, who today is seen as the creator of electromagnetic sound pick-ups.
— www.rickenbacker.com
14
The Univers typeface has travelled far for Audi, represented the Deutsche Bank, featured at the 1972 Olympic Games
in Munich and has flown around the world for SWISS International Airlines. It was developed between 1950 and
1956 by Swiss designer Adrian Frutiger and, thanks to its simple elegance and neutral objectivity, still counts among
the most widely used typefaces worldwide. — www.linotype.com
1515
In 1939, Fritz Fischer — a bright spark and professor at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology ETH Zurich —
developed the precursor of today’s projector. Following its market launch in 1959, the “Eidophor”
(Greek for “image bearer”) became a huge success: Even NASA used it, to project the routes of Apollo space-
craft onto large screens.
16
Three elements working together: Chrome-plated balls, tubular sections and sheet metal casing panels.
Together, the three form the basis of the unparalleled company history of “Haller”, maker of the world-renowned
USM modular furniture system. The classic design with the sophisticated structure was created by architect
Fritz Haller in 1961. — www.usm.com
16
1717
“One small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind”: Together with 500 million other television viewers,
the young Swiss ice cream developers of Frisco watched the moon landing in 1969. It was the hour of
birth for the three-colour classic “Rakete” ice lolly. Made entirely with natural ingredients, close to eight million
are consumed every year. — www.frisco.ch
The best of Swiss brands can be admired in the newly opened Swiss Brand Museum in Bern, an inspiring attraction
just a short hop from Gstaad. — www.swissbrandmuseum.com Telephone +41 (0)31 536 08 29
18
MY CHOICE
BEYOND the
RÖSTIGRABEN
19
Stennis tournament for many years. Now Barbara Ker-
work permit, she and her partner like to make the leap across the Röstigraben. This evening their excursion takes them to Rossinière, to the “Jardins de la Tour”, opposite the house where Balthus once worked. They
“I immediately fell in love with this bijou on my very
we have made it here together. And it’s about time!” The two are happy to wait and see what the chef will surprise them with, as part of the three-course Menu
Découverte. The starter is a duo of lobster and scallops
dish is an artwork. I only ever cook what I enjoy eating
with Edgar Bovier in the Hotel Olden. Ten years ago he moved across the Röstigraben, to Château-d’Œx in his beloved Vaud Alps. The main course hails from the other side of the language border: A melt-in-the-mouth
is the magic word — especially for the dessert: Passion
a very fair 80 Swiss francs. (rw)
Restaurant Les Jardins de la Tour, Rossinière, www.lesjardinsdelatour.ch
20
SAANEN —NEW YORKREADY for TAKE-OFF
T
AIRPORT
GSTAAD_THE_JOURNAL_2015_E_INHALT_kro.indd 20 17.11.15 11:07
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from Geneva; Russian visitors, as far as I know. And a
dogs.” The plane’s crew, pilot and co-pilot, are already on site. Having prepared and preheated the cabin for
here in the tower with the three experts: Ilse Böhm, scheduler for 25 years, Thomas Rösti, CEO and him-self a pilot at Air Sarina, plus air operations manager Jaggi. Airport boss Hans Allemann also regularly pops by, between his activities as a pilot for Air-Glaciers.
Who would have thought it? Saanen Airport is an in-ternationally recognised airport, with permission to receive visitors from all over the world. This also in-
Saanen police, who are responsible for customs mat-ters. Theoretically, even a New York — Saanen air con- nection is conceivable. Most of the time, however, the passengers hail from Europe, places like Nice, London or Paris. Regular air arrivals at Saanen include Formu-la 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone in his jet, which he used to pilot himself. Roger Moore was also known to arrive
--
ferring passengers who enjoy the convenience.
It is a matter of luck that this relic from the Second World War did not disappear altogether when the Swiss army ceased operating Saanen Airport in 1986.
“The approach is not without its challenges
in this mountainous terrain. The landing strip is just 1400 metres
long and only approved for visual flight.”
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Thanks to the initiative of a regionally based asso- ciation, this gateway to the world has remained intact for private use. Many guests, residents and local hote-liers contributed to help save the airport. Among them
-vocate for the region’s touristic development for gene-
acquired the land from the Swiss state; and if all goes well, the regional airport will be given a new appea-rance in 2018. In addition to the local airline and operating company Air Sarina, the rescue service of
joined by numerous private promoters, such as glider -
ders in winter. Visitors can also arrange transport for
or even a breakfast trip to a glacier. Every August, the world famous Hublot Polo Gold Cup Gstaad takes place between the landing strip and the taxiways. “The approach is not without its challenges in this mountainous terrain. The runway is short and on the
-
ditions. Currently about 6200 movements take place per year. The airport is licensed for a maximum of
of snow. “This morning it was comparatively easy. All we had to do was spread AVIFORM, a non-corrosive agent, to prevent ice from forming,” explains Jaggi. At other times he is required to make use of the mon-strous snow plough.
Just now, a silver Pilatus Porter has touched ground. It brings the expected Russian customers, who intend to
made arrangements to start their visit to the Saanen-
Allemann is at the controls and takes her and her com-panion up to La Videmanette. For afternoon tea he has
-mon rolls and champagne. The landing on the peak goes well, the rotor blades fall silent and the snow whirls settle. Time to pop the cork: Happy landing in Gstaad! (rw)
www.flugplatz-saanen.ch, www.air-glaciers.ch/gstaad
24
ELEVATION 1049GSTAAD
24
ELEVATION1049.ORG
2016
ART
2525
The mountains have always been associated
with beauty and danger. It is this ambiva-
lence that Elevation 1049 seeks to address
this winter. By dramatic means, the guiding
theme ‘Avalanche’ aims to inspire in the
visitor feelings of wonderment and fear
towards the wintry mountain landscape.
Young artists, poets and designers from
London have joined together to let their
ideas snowball into an interactive explora-
tion of the surrounding landscape.
AVALANCHE
1049 metres: The height above sea level of
Gstaad railway station. Elevation 1049 is a
free-to-the-public exhibition that communi-
cates with its surroundings. The exhibition’s
guiding idea is to present art that links in
with the idyllic and snow-covered mountain
landscape around it. Thus the artworks are
largely situated outdoors. For the second
instalment, young artists from London have
been invited to explore the uniqueness of
this landscape in an experimental manner,
in order to transform Gstaad into a universal
artwork.
THE IDEA
The LUMA Foundation of art patron Maja Hoffmann has again commissioned curators Olympia
Scarry and Neville Wakefield from New York with the organisation of this year’s exhibition.
In her artwork, Scarry depicts human reactions to extreme and difficult situations, which she records
with a lie detector, using the resulting material to create mental and psychological landscapes. Her
grandparents lived in Gstaad from the 70’s onwards; her grandfather was the well-known children’s
book illustrator Richard Scarry. Her partner Neville Wakefield is an author and is known as a
commentator on modern art, culture and photography. He regularly writes for the ‘New York Sunday
Times’ and has published several books. In addition, this second instalment of Elevation 1049 is
co-curated by Raphael Hefti, a Swiss artist living in London. (eh)
WHO IS WHO
2626
LACQUER & LEATHERAT THE SHIPYARD
LAC LEMAN
2727
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In slow motion, the 50-year old Ariston Riva is lifted into the water by crane. One by one, Denis Tauxe cros-
boat mechanic Fabrice Peter gets behind the beauti- fully designed steering wheel that brings to mind a chic 1950’s vintage car. Majestically, the 22 foot motor-boat made of dark red mahogany glides past a private island with its cubic art nouveau villa, out into the rough waters of Lake Geneva. Tauxe opens the engine cover at the stern and Fabrice puts his foot on the acce-lerator. A penetrating, deep sound echoes across the water, they’ve reached 60 km/h. Check, the engine and navigation system are performing well, even at maxi-mum speed. After about 15 minutes, the little jaunt between Montreux and Vevey is brought to a close.
The list of Riva testimonials reads like a who’s who of the international jet set of the 1950’s to 1970’s: Gstaad regulars such as Brigitte Bardot, Richard Burton and Gunter Sachs counted among the happy owners of a Riva, this Rolls-Royce of the water. Only around 2000 models still exist today, making them a rare collector’s item worthy of much tender loving care.
Denis Tauxe has been looking after these classic beau--
cal police at Port du Basset in Clarens twenty years -
chanic and electrician, when he set up his business Onyx Nautic SA at the foot of the Montreux Riviera. With the help of his wife and a small team of boat buil-
28
Gstaad regulars such as Brigitte Bardot, Richard Burton and Gunter Sachs
have counted among the happy owners of a Riva, this Rolls-Royce
of the water. Only around 2000 models still exist today, making them
a rare collector’s item worthy of much tender loving care.
2929
ders and boat mechanics, he looks after all matters re-lating to his customers’ expensive power boats and motor yachts. His fascination with boats started early, as his father Georges himself was the proud owner of a motorboat made by Boesch of Zurich. It’s this that gets him through the cold, wintry days, when the lake reveals its less pleasant side. For Onyx Nautic, the boat- ing season extends across the whole year. For their customers, who are mainly based around Lake Gene-
est of the motorboat owners take to the water. Mis- fortunes, malfunctions and mishaps keep the team busy over summer, and from September onwards the boats are made ready for overwintering. In between, rare collector’s items are rebuilt and repaired: “The restoration of an old Riva takes around 3000 to 4000 hours,” the shipyard owner explains. That’s just under half a year, so it’s hardly surprising that these classic models are a costly investment even today. Returning such a vintage boat to its former glory requires a lot of patience and attention to detail. The countless tools on the wall, neatly arranged as if in some kind of a nauti-
cal operating room, bear testimony to that. “Before ta-king on a job, we always give our customers detailed information on what will be involved. Each potential job starts with a test drive, during which we establish
anamnesis, so to speak.
Around Lake Geneva, Tauxe has always been known for his emphasis on quality, and quickly made a name for himself regarding the restoration and maintenance of classy motorboats. In his garage in Le Bouveret al-most 50 of these gems are stored over winter, after they have spent two days in Clarens being prepared for their idle period. “Some even stay there in sum-mer, in fact some are only on the water for about two hours a year.” That certainly isn’t the case with Tau-xe’s Riva. Majestically, the 22 foot motorboat made of dark red mahogany glides past a private island with its cubic art nouveau villa, out into the now calm wa-
have brought their wakeboards, Tauxe’s profession is also his hobby. (sk)
— WWW.ONYXNAUTIC.CH
DGro
sman
gin/
MM
oraz
zani
GENÈVE . GSTAAD . LONDON . DOHA . BAKU . HONG KONG
www.adler.ch
31
SOMMELIER
PORT FLIP
There they stand: A 20-year aged Tawny, next to it a Late Bottled Vintage, a Ruby and, last but not least, a White. They are all part of the family of port wine. “Strictly speaking, they aren’t wines at all, they are
content: 6 to 8 percent from natural fermentation, plus a further 20 percent ‘aguardiente’ as the Portuguese say,”
sommelier and Palace employee since 1994, has a secret
are actually a by-product of the Hundred Years’ War,” he comments. Centuries later, due to an import em-bargo on French wine, Port also became very popular in the UK following its discovery by English wine merchants in 1678. Today, the British are still the lea-ding consumers of Port, for example as an aperitif,
with fresh mint. Another favourite is the after dinner drink Port Flip, a classic recipe containing port frothed
dating back to 1862. (rw)
A LUCKY FIND: THE PORT FLIP. Pour 4cl Port with 1.5cl Brandy or Cognac and an egg yolk into a shaker with ice.
Shake briefl y and serve in a cocktail glass topped with grated nutmeg.
3232
Fritz Frautschi’s alphorn fans have travelled from all corners of
Switzerland and beyond to gather for the weekend. As they
play at the foot of the Hornberg, it’s not just the summery heat that
gets them sweating. We watched some of them taking
their first steps — and witnessed a declaration of love for the alphorn.
3333
DECLARATION OF LOVE in natural
HARMONICS
3434
35
C,the triad. He hums and holds the note, then places the tube on his lips. Pure and clear, the sound of the alp-horn rings out into the mountainous landscape. “The important thing is to maintain good breath control, to breathe in and out naturally. Then you push your tongue against the back of your teeth if possible. Also, it’s often easier if you close your eyes when practi-sing,” Frautschi tells us. As a trained cornet player and longstanding member of the Brass Band Berner Ober-land he knows what he is talking about. It took him a long time too, until he got a clean sound out of the wayward spruce horn. The four new recruits that sur-
but at least they are managing to hit that low C. “Just don’t force it, don’t push too hard, and don’t despair,” comes the advice. “The aim is to teach the participants the basics, so they can practice at home without de-veloping bad habits.” Frautschi turns back to his stu-dents and consoles them: “After a while, hitting the notes will come naturally.”
The youngest in the group, occupational therapist Simone Hubner from Regensburg in Bavaria, laughs
at herself and the mishmash of notes she has just pro-duced. “It’s not all that easy. It will take a while, but I am staying optimistic, just like he told us to.” The oc-cupational therapist has come here to the Hornberg because she has a very particular aim. It is her dream to be able to play the alphorn before she turns 40. Kno-wing this, her husband-to-be booked her onto this course, which he’d found on the internet. He even bought her the instrument as an Easter present. As an
for the past 15 years, he also travelled to the Saanen-land himself to collect it. Such a gem costs between 2500 and 4000 Swiss francs. Nearby, Wolfgang Seidel, who learnt to play the alphorn in his youth, is busy exercising his lungs in the group with the more estab-lished players. They are being guided by alphorn tea-cher and composer Hans Stettler from the Emmental.
The twelve advanced students are competing against each other in the hunt for clean notes. They go on to practice a popular Swiss tune by Johann Aregger. The teacher wants to hear the song in three-part harmony
needs to sing out more, that was a bit too staccato. You played the notes, but forgot about the melody.” And
SOUNDSCAPES
The alphorn aficionados of Fritz Frautschi are a mix of complete beginners
and more advanced students. Their attempts to wring the right notes
from the two-and-a-half meter instrument result in some very red heads.
But the earthy sounds go straight to the heart.
3636
so they begin again. Among them in the laymen’s or-
love for the alphorn six months ago. He practices for half an hour twice a day, usually at lunchtime and after dinner — and generally with a sound suppressor, so he doesn’t disturb the neighbours. “It’s much nicer outside though, playing in the fresh air by the edge of the woods,” he observes. Practising alongside him is Sybille. In her mid-forties, she is originally from southern Germany, but now lives near Zurich. She likes to practice with the help of soul music, which she tries to follow by improvising freely. Tomorrow her family will come to watch, to see how much mum has learnt. “At the beginning they just laughed at me because they thought I was doing it as a joke,” she tells us. How- ever, her neighbour, who is from Lucerne, encouraged her and advised her not to give up. He told her how he used to practise on his daily commute from Lake Lucerne over the Brünig pass to his place of work in Thun. He always had the mouthpiece with him in the car, in order to work at getting his lips in the right position while humming the notes to himself.
The group that has come together here is a colourful
ago. Over the years he has had all kinds of students, even a couple of professional musicians from the US. He organises several of these weekends a year, as well as a week-long course. The interest enjoyed by the alp-horn remains unabated. “People often think the alphorn is a Swiss invention, but there is no evidence to sup-port this. There are, in fact, comparable instruments in places like Norway and the Tibet. A similar technique is also employed by the Australian didgeridoo.” One of the very best alphorn players of today is the Rus- sian Arkady Shilkloper, who now lives in Germany and has performed at the Gstaad Menuhin Festival. Popu-lar interest in the alphorn received a boost during the 1920’s, when music groups that included alphorns
costume and yodelling festivals. Much has happened -
sic, as demonstrated by Eliane Burki and Lisa Stoll. It is musicians like them, that greenhorn Simone Hubner is inspired by. Her aim is clear: In two or three years’
play a duet with him at their wedding. Well if that isn’t a declaration of love to the alphorn... (rw)
Schönried Alphorn Days — www.alphornatelier.ch
The mouthpiece is the soul of the instrument. Using a computer-controlled
precision lathe, Frautschi makes them himself, usually from mulberry wood.
On request they are also available in rosewood, olive wood or ebony.
37
3838
PALACE SERVICE for LIFE
3939
On some days, she covers up to ten kilometres. There are just four doors, but many more metres between the two large chalets which Sophie Weibull has been in charge of for the past 15 years. She wears out three pairs of shoes each season on her many trips between La Résidence du Palace and Les Chalets du Palace. Built in the 80’s and 90’s for loyal custo-mers of the Palace Hotel, the two buildings together house around 50 individual apartments. It took ten years of planning and several attempts — due in part to urgent Federal Government resolutions in 1972 regarding economic slowdown — to get construction underway. Ernst
Service is indeed Sophie’s mantra in her role as Residence Manager. A head housekeeper, so to speak? Far from it! Madame Sophie’s catalogue of tasks extends well beyond those of a housekeeper. In any case, she is well equipped for her “unusual job in an unusual place”, as
has worked in notable hotels in Germany, the US and Denmark. Following her maternity leave she was in charge of the Gstaad household of a billionaire, before joining the Palace
Italy and Portugal, while also meeting the wide variety of special requests from her 50 em-ployers. They however, unlike the hotel guests, often arrive unannounced. “That is why we check the apartments at least twice a week, even if they are empty.”
PALACE FAMILY
4040
Your own four walls, combined with the infrastructure and the service of a luxury hotel: It is
have since enjoyed a level of comfort and convenience that will soften most adversities of everyday life. Each detail, every single requirement is noted down in Sophie’s bulky ring bin-
-lutely cannot bear it if her ornaments are not in precisely the same place following the daily dusting. Her neighbour requires everything to be washed-up by hand, despite there being a
water, plus three bottles each of Coca Cola and Coca Cola light in the fridge every time they
magnolias from Saanen. Pas de problème — it’s all part of the service. As a rule, Sophie is on
have to be booked to lay the new carpet, a car needs to be prepared for its MOT — such spon-taneous requests are made in passing, but are always given the same high priority.
loved dog Coco, or to check that all is in order at the local council in Rougemont. Without doubt, the considerable appreciation of the happy apartment owners is also a great motiva- tion to keep providing such a high standard of service. After all, some of her clients have even threatened to sell their holiday home if Sophie was ever to move on. (sk)
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42
World of Fine Food
Pernet Comestibles • Promenade 75 • 3780 Gstaad
Telefon +41 33 748 70 66 • Fax +41 33 748 70 60 • www.pernet.com • [email protected]
Partners
43
EVERGREEN INGREEN
DELHI STIRS UP GSTAAD Originally from Delhi, Ravi Bajaj has lived in Manchester since 1997. He used to cook for the guests of the world-famous Taj Hotel in Mumbai, now he is head chef in his own enterprise: With his innovative DILLI concept he caused quite a stir in the Indian restaurant scene of
travelled around India in the 70’s and later in 1986 even opened an Italian restaurant named Casa Medici at the Taj Mahal Hotel in New Delhi. For the past four years, Ravi Bajaj has been
or four of his classic dishes, such as the tandoori chicken with its vibrant red colour that stems
contains numerous spices, including ginger, cumin, fennel seed and fresh coriander, as well as lime juice, yoghurt and a hint of honey. The chicken pieces rest in the marinade for around
(rw)
TANDOORI CHICKEN RECIPE – INGREDIENTS: 2 whole chicken (skinned), juice of 1 lemon, salt to taste.
FOR THE MARINADE: 1 tbsp mild chilli powder, 1.5 tsp ground coriander, 2 tsp garam masala, 0.5 tsp ground
turmeric, 0.5 tsp ground white pepper, 1 tbsp tandoori tikka spices (optional), 450g Greek yogurt, 2 tbsp
vegetable oil or mustard oil, 2 tbsp ginger and garlic paste. FOR THE GINGER AND GARLIC PASTE: 100g
ginger (peeled), 100g garlic (peeled), 30ml water to blend. Place everything in a blender along with the
water and blend to a fi ne paste. HOW TO COOK: Place the yogurt in a bowl and whisk in all the marinade
ingredients. Add the oil. Rub the marinade into the chicken. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours. When ready to
cook, preheat the oven to 200°C, line a baking tray and rack with silver foil. Place the chicken on the rack
above the lined tray and bake for 20 minutes at 200°C and 20 minutes at 180°C.
Ravi’s culinary art is based on Ayurvedic philosophy: “You are what you eat. A balance of spices and vegetables is required, plus healthy oils.”
RECIPE
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READING THE ICE
CURLING
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Curling is chess on ice.
Nobody knows this better than skip Stefan Karnusian from Saanenmöser,
who once led the Swiss national team all the way to the men’s world
championships 2010 in Cortina.
T he atmosphere in the Gstaad curling hall is cool, almost super-cooled, on this Wednesday afternoon in January. With intense concentration, the granite
ment is just for fun — the winning team will walk away with the Saanegeiss Cup, a wooden trophy in the form of the local heraldic animal. That much I found out before my visit. What really counts at the event is the enjoyment of this worthy sport that the Brits once introduced to the Bernese Oberland. Cur-
part of the winter entertainments at the Gstaad Palace.
slippery game and had rinks created on the hotel’s na-tural ice rink. There, he and his men gave their best
Back to the present: The soft sweeping speeds up the heavy stones as they travel on a bed of minute water droplets. Otherwise the smooth granite rocks — all sourced in Scotland even today — would come to rest after just a short distance. Shouts of “hard, hard!” sud-denly echo through the hall. Skip Stefan Karnusian gives instructions to his two sweeping team members. The two ladies give their all and extend the run of the stone. Their team mate executed a precise delivery and the stone neatly comes to rest behind the oppo-sing team’s stone. Team “Kerosin” now has two stones in the centre of the house, lying “shot rock”. The teams are mixed, ladies and men playing together, which isn’t usually the case.
Karnusian can count on the expertise of his daughter Iljana, though he is without doubt the most experienced in his team. A former resident of Gstaad, Karnusian
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CURLING
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was captain of the Swiss national team at the world championships 2010 in Cortina. His team didn’t win, but nevertheless achieved a respectable sixth place.
and paid all the expenses out of our own pocket (to the tune of 50,000 Swiss francs), so we could take part in
-fessional teams, which have a budget of up to 250,000 Swiss francs.” The best curlers come from Canada — no wonder, it is a national sport there and just about every farmer heads onto the ice during winter. Canadi-an curling has more than two million licensed players — outnumbering even the hockey players. “The most
important thing is to have a steady, sensitive hand. You also need a cool head, as well as good concentration and mental strength. And you have to be a smart tactician with an ability to read the ice,” Karnusian explains.
In his free time, he also trains the junior team. There is plenty of young blood coming into the sport and it is equally popular in the lowlands as in the mountains.
sponsors is hard. Alongside your wits, good physical
sweeping activity. Karnusian used to go to the gym two or three times a week. And as in any game, a bit of
«Die Leute freuten sich, wenn ich kam. Besonders, wenn ich den
Betagten ihre Rente ausbezahlen durfte. Für etliche war ich
eine Art Nachrichtensprecher, was gerade so passiert unten im Tal.»
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before each delivery. “And I tickle the stone with my brush, that helps.” Professional teams all employ a mental coach of course.
As the game draws to a close, the two teams “Kerosin” and “Schäru” are head to head. The score is 5:5 — stale-
skip, the last stone will decide. It is carefully prepared,
hair’s width. Once again, the outcome is decided right at the end: Team Karnusian & Co has won, at least in
-mined by the computer programme specially developed
-nal results are entered. The computer churns the num-bers and pronounces the tournament winners. Who’d have thought it: Not father and daughter Karnusian and their team, but wife Corina & Co take home the trophy. Mind you, she has been playing the game for 30 years. “At least the victory has stayed in the family,” they laugh as they exchange kisses and handshakes. It won’t be long before the next rematch. (rw)
The Gstaad sports centre offers curling taster courses — www.curling-gstaad.ch
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BEDDING DOWN
BESPOKE SERVICE
It is just days before the start of the season and Gstaad’s fairytale castle is waking from its
where you look there’s hustle and bustle and a sense of anticipation. In the freshly renovated rooms workmen are packing up their tools. “The only thing missing are the mattresses,” obser-ves interior designer Marina Nickels to chief technician Hansruedi Oehrli.
hand in the space of a weekend is a mammoth task — especially as the quilting and sewing machines are the only automated accessories in the workshop of Palace supplier Elite at Aubonne in Vaud. Despite continuing modernisation throughout its 120-year history, the ma-
using natural and healthy materials. This benefits anyone who beds down on one of the
travel into the bloodstream via the airways,” comments François Pugliese, who has been at
The seemingly endless choices require expert advice. Sometimes however, the most suitable mattress is found faster than expected, for example after a few trial nights in the Gstaad Palace: The hotel’s short-notice order has of course arrived in time. (sk) — WWW.ELITEBEDS.CH
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WELCOME to theSCHOOL FOR LIFE
LE ROSEY
Tcentury, the pupils of Le Rosey have come here every winter, to the Chalet Rex and its four surrounding houses. Situated up on the Ried, the campus enjoys an incomparable view of the Gstaad Palace and the glacier. That is how Le Rosey escapes from the winter fog at its main campus in Rolle on the shores of Lake Geneva. Pupils, teachers, the entire boarding school with around 600 people: Everyone relocates, just as founding father Henri Carnal intended.
the years. It was a revolutionary idea at the time, and remains a distinguishing feature among Europe’s high-end boarding schools — tradition commits.
It is a hot day in July, a picture-book summer day. A pleasant smell wafts from one of the see-mingly countless classrooms of Chalet Ried. Shouldn’t there be a French lesson in progress here? For the past forty years, Le Rosey has also made use of its Gstaad campus during sum-mer: The school’s “My Family Camps” programme takes place both here and in Rolle, and
two or three weeks.
The two French teachers Claire and Jeanelle are standing at the mobile kitchen, serving the pupils a culinary highlight from their home country: “Il faut gouter les crêpes avec ce miel de
here. “After all, the kids are here during their holidays, and are often away from home for
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although the values of Le Rosey are imparted to no lesser extent.” Camp director Véronique Andrin has been a part of Le Rosey for more than ten years and is further evidence that this really is a ‘School for Life’: “Both my parents are teachers at Le Rosey, so I was lucky enough to
— together with her team and her summer pupils, numbering 45 children between eight and
working on the programme for these two and three week adventures in the Saanenland. After the morning’s à la carte French or English lessons, the afternoons and weekends promise
-ganing, wakeboarding and more. For many of the young campers these summer weeks in
Zana from Mumbai, best friends since the beginning of the camp, certainly seem to have ac-quired a taste for life at Le Rosey: “My parents suggested I come here, it is such a good school and even well-known in India. I love the way we learn things here, instead of studying and studying we sing songs and write postcards in French.” Julia agrees: “During the afternoon
when climbing in the mountains! I will never forget what our teacher Marco said when I was up there: No mind, no problem. That has become my new mantra!» Camp director Véronique
time: They won’t be the same when they leave the camp.” It’s true, they are starting to become Roséens. (sk) — WWW.ROSEYSUMMERCAMPS.CH
The Gstaad Palace, a long-standing partner of the ‘Institut Le Rosey’, offers special packages for parents to
coincide with the Rosey summer camps. For further information, contact [email protected].
Their predecessors are Prince Rainier of Monaco, the Rothschilds,
the Rockefellers, Elizabeth Taylor, Roger Moore and the children
of John Lennon: They all attended Le Rosey, Switzerland’s oldest and
most exclusive boarding school.
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TIME LORD
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Jean-Claude Biver should rightly be retired, but he doesn’t have time
for that. Born in Luxembourg, Swiss at heart, he is the saviour of
Hublot and a champion seller of beautiful watches. We visited Biver in his
home on Lake Geneva, where he lives with his family.
IN CONVERSATION
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Jean-Claude Biver, no less than three brands currently run to your rhythm: Hublot, TAG Heuer and Zenith. All are owned by the French luxury goods group LVMH, whose watch business you’ve been in charge of since March 2014. You have a passion for mechanical watches and restlessly travel around the world on this mission. Your entire life revolves around time — don’t you sometimes wish that you could just stop time in its tracks? I’ve never thought of it for a single second. And why would I? Life has been good to me, I wouldn’t want to miss any of it, not a single moment. Relatively little has gone wrong, and I’ve learnt from my mistakes. I hope! (Laughs)
What would you say was the biggest failure in your career? Nothing to do with business, it was a private matter. It is the fact that I married twice that bothers me. Not because it was the wrong decision. On the contrary, it was right to make the commitment. But one should try to marry only once, as the consequences may be felt for a very long time.
You often speak about failure and the art of su ering — are they prere uisites for success? Ab-
he was young and lacked control, many a racket bit the dust. Today he is a top player, toughened up by his mistakes. Perfection can only be achieved by practising and by making mistakes that show you which path to take — in sport as in business.
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PRIVATE BANKING
And what was the best time in your life? Now. I am a happy person — and I am loved by my wife and children more than ever before. I have — and I don’t mean this to sound arrogant —
Then I could run a marathon in just over 3 hours.
Talking of going full throttle: How might we picture the wildest moments of Jean-Claude Biver? (Smiles) in the 1968 protest movement. We lived in communes, took part in protests at university and lived entirely in the spirit of the Beatles: “All you need is love — there is nothing you can do that can’t be done”.
A theme that is close to your heart still today? Yes that’s right. Love is the greatest thing that you can pass on. Love in the form of respect, courtesy, punctuality. Love as the gift of forgiveness and sharing with others. That is my credo — more than ever.
How do you express this in your everyday life? would be ill advised to keep everything to himself, out of fear that others might learn from him and even surpass him.
And what do you do with your time when you are not working? at Lake Geneva and the Dents du Midi, without giving a single thought to my 300 emails a day. That’s true luxury: One day at home equates to a whole week on holiday.
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Quite often though, you are up in the sky, rather than here? That’s right. I am away on business about 120 days a year — Peking, New York, Paris. When I am travelling, I don’t want to sleep, I see it as work time. By this I mean that I want to make the most of the time that I have on loca-
appointments all day long, and a dinner in the evening. Then I drive straight to the airport, so that I can be back in the factory in Nyon the next morning.
And when do you sleep? Not at all, that is to say: In the aeroplane. That’s enough. After 30 days at this pace, I need some time out to recharge my batteries.
cially you should be retired by now. How long do you think you will keep going like this? As long as I am needed — and as long as I enjoy my work and feel passionate about it.
Does it worry you that one day, you will no longer be here? time. This is something I have always thought about a lot, and I have always tried to pass on as much as possible. In a sense, we should aim to die naked, by passing everything on before we die. Then you die rich! Still, I would like to remain here for a long time yet. That is why there isn’t a single morning on which I am not thankful that I am alive. Humility is a virtue that serves us all well.
n a nal note, if you were to ha ard a prediction of the future: What do you think will be in 50 years time — in the world, and in the watch industry that is so important to you? Most im-portantly: We must on no account stand still. Young people need to have vision, courage, opti-
best, take risks again, launch big projects, make the best watches and come up with the best designs. (rw) — WWW.HUBLOT.COM
Jean-Claude Biver has little in the way of free time. Yet he still makes
room for certain freedoms — such as contemplation and concentration
on the essential. Age and experience has also enabled
him to take a different view on time — the medium of his life.
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Do you know where the world-renowned Gstaad Tennis Open began? Exactly 100 years ago, the Palace organised the “Gent’s Singles Championships presented by Mappin and Webb Ltd.” on its four sand courts. In 1937, Gstaad’s tournament was awarded the status “International Tennis Championships of Switzerland”. A real turning point was Ernst Scherz senior’s involvement. Together with Lorenz Cadonau, who later took on the role of tournament director, Scherz signi cantly raised the sporting event’s pro le. From 1945 the tournament was held under the heading “International Swiss Champion- ships”. The commercial breakthrough nally occurred in 19 : The newly entitled “Swiss Tennis Open” announced a prize fund of 25,000 dollars. Palace director
ansruedi Schaerer took the helm as president from 19 2 to 2001, leading the event from strength to strength. And it’s still in top form today!
FOREVERYOUNG
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INSIGHTS
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ENTHRALLING GSTAAD
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According to legend, the Saanenland was created by God as he leant down to rest during creation, thereby forming the valley with his hand. Mere mortals also like to enjoy a rest up here. Today, every second chalet is used as a holiday home. Some Palace guests have permitted us an exclusive insight into their Saanenland home.
This rustic bijou was moved in the 1950’s, plank by plank, from Lenk into the vicinity of the Palace.
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From Saanen via Gstaad to Gsteig: This listed house dates right back to 1 04. Around ten years ago, the Basle family that now owns it decided to escape the winter humdrum on the Oberbort. Their closest neighbours are now foxes, rabbits, deer and badgers. The chalet was previously derelict, complete with a tree growing out of its dilapidated roof. The renovation process consequently stretched across nine months. Today the interior consists of a winning mix of old and new, which is mainly down to the lady of the house and her keen sense for functionality.
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While in 192 the Palace’s outside basin was the only swimming pool on the Oberbort,
there are now around 0 of them, mainly indoors. When the lady of the house Carol
Asscher isn’t doing her lengths, the pool and the rest of the seven bedroom house
near the Wasserngrat is available for hire via the Gstaad real estate agency Gerax.
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To bed down like Madonna? For Monique and Thomas Hollinger it was a dream come true: None other than the Queen of Pop hired their chalet Baumerli for New Year 2012. Shortly after her departure, they received a purchase o er they couldn’t resist. Thus they built a new chalet, Amorica, 100 metres further to the south. Since they prefer to stay in the neighborhood of the Palace though, this 400 m2 property is now also for sale.
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Kandinsky’s widow spent her twilight years in Gstaad, art patron Maja Hofmann initiated the Alpine biennial Elevation 1049 here, and around a dozen galleries inspire the chalet owners to expand their art collection. Among them is Carol Asscher.
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The Hollingers tend to eat out. Hence the oven and stove in this kitchen made of antique
Austrian wood generally remain cold. The layout and design are modelled after the kitchen in
the Chalet Baumerli, where Madonna’s entourage once stirred things up.
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Good girls go to heaven, bad girls go to the edge of heaven when socialite Carol Asscher holds one of her legendary parties. Life is good here — close
to heavenly in fact. (sk)
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JOURNEY ofINSPIRATION
“Those who put their heart and soul into something, do it as much for themselves as for
themselves as well as their customers. Their inspiration-seeking trips around the world are guided in spirit by Robert Walser, the often misjudged Swiss genius, whose creativity Clara draws upon. They follow the call of magical places, which inspire them to discover new scents. Together with the highly talented perfumer Alienor Massenet, they then develop them into MEMO perfumes. Full of character, playful and bold in their expression, there are now no less
Gstaad is at least partly responsible for the bewitching enterprise. “We met here, on a chairlift.
to Wispile. Full of high spirits, she used to race down these slopes as a girl, skis in the plough position, drawing in the clean air and natural beauty of the Saanenland. Today the couple re-turn as often as they can, be it for a picnic at Lake Lauenen, a cappuccino at the Palace, a fon-due at the Bären Gsteig or meringue and cream on an alp. Clara — born in Paris to Spanish parents — now lives in Geneva with her husband John and their two children. With their mysterious scents, the creative, multi-cultural pair are conquering the world of connoisseurs, who want to wear something a little out of the ordinary on their skin. The fragrances are equally suitable for men and women. “A good perfume knows no gender. It takes you along, every morning — on an imaginary journey,” Clara reveals. For example to the magical Lake
rays of sunshine. “To achieve beauty, it must be real. A beautiful scent is like a true lie, which
fragrances. (rw) The fragrances are available as sample miniatures for hotel guests of the Gstaad Palace
and can also be bought in the MEMO store at the in-house fashion boutique of Lorenz Bach. — WWW.MEMOFRAGRANCES.COM
FRAGRANCES
Granada, Siwa, Jannat and Inle: The melodious names conjure
up images of faraway places, deep-seated memories and big dreams.
MEMO fragrances are more than just skin-deep.
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When Marc Zahnd trains in the gym of the Palace Spa, his 10-centimetre personal coach is always by his side. We are talking of his smartphone, which contains the ‘my well-
logged in, the app records the progress of Marc’s training and provides personalised feedback on his performance. The software also takes into account all relevant physiological data and simultaneously monitors his weekly targets. If Marc, a Palace Spa member, trains elsewhere, it’s simply wellness on the go: He can continue his workout on any other exercise machine made by the European market leader, wherever he is.
Rather aptly, Technogym’s success story started in a garage in the Italian city of Cesena. Since
integrated TV, and since 2009 all equipment is internet enabled. In this era of wearables,
during training. With the familiar swipe motion, the user can make video calls, play computer games or show previously-recorded favourite routes for a virtual running experience. We can only hope that with all these options, there is still a little time to enjoy the panoramic view of the Alps. (sk) — WWW.TECHNOGYM.COM
PALACE SPA
FITNESS 2.0 on track FOR SUCCESS
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DISCOVERIES of another DIMENSION
JEWELLERY
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Unbelievable composition and abun-dance: Ring in white gold, with a round-cut amethyst, embellished with 221 amethysts, 17 white diamonds, 1 emeralds, 20 peridots, 33 rubies and a phenomenal 54 pink sapphires.
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“With ‘Melody of Colours’ I have created a jewellery collection that highlights the riches of our earth in an explosion of colour. To show o the unique hue of each gemstone I must rst get a feel for it.” Fawaz Gruosi, chief designer & founder of de GRISOGONO.
Wfull of venturous dreams. The fantastical jewellery of the ‘Melody of Colours’ series is characterised by a daring interplay of solidity and fragility. The unexpected blend of highly exclusive and rare gemstones with exuberant shapes and perfect proportions is
colour, shape and movement.
“The combination of modern patterns, oriental grandeur and a baroque love of detail makes up the thread that runs through my work,” Gruosi once said. Born in 1952 in Lebanon, he grew up in Italy and later moved to Geneva, where he founded de GRISOGONO.
creativity in great perfection. (eh)
de GRISOGONO boutique at the Gstaad Palace, +41 79 932 48 66, www.degrisogono.com
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EXPLOSIVES in the BUNKER
A winding road leads from Aigle past the vineyards of Pierre Latine, up to the tiny village of Corbeyrier. In between dense patches of forest we are rewarded with a wonderful
Champillon, which stretches more than a kilometre deep into the mountain. This subterrane-
metres. Much of the Swiss army’s inventory of around 20,000 top secret sites has been declas-
Bangs and cracks echo from the far end of the tunnel, the guided tour taking us from medieval to modern times can begin. Invented in China as early as the 7th century, the explosive pow-
gines of an Ariane rocket are started and that explosives have always served military as well
history it contains seemed to pass almost equally as fast. (sk) www.pyromin.ch
MUSEUM
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TAKI TALK
A CALL TO LONDON — JUST PEANUTS The punters were Jimmy Goldsmith, the billionaire tycoon who later became Sir James, John Zographos, whose uncle owned the bank at Monte Carlo and Deauville, John Heminway, an
had lost by one stroke to Arnold Palmer in the British Open, and yours truly, by far the poorest among the gambling swells. The stakes were 400 to 1000 Swiss Francs a point. Once in the box — the winner of the last game took the box against the rest — a loss of a double game could mount up to tens of thousands. The form was that the losers paid the winners when next they wished to participate. We played every afternoon from 6 to 8 pm and then went to dinner in the Grill. The game was open to others also, but we somehow kept it very private and among friends. But it almost came to an untimely end when a British minister in Harold Wilson’s government in 1966, Harold Lever, lost an unprecedented 55,000 pounds to yours truly, little
led that while British subjects were limited to exporting only twenty pounds, a minister had just dropped 55,000. The tabloid press descended en masse to Gstaad. Lever, however, out-smarted them by announcing he would pay me back in England. Which he did. The game en-
and it’s just as well. We were young and reckless back then. And I’m the only survivor.
Taki Theodoracopulos (born August 11, 1936), best known as TAKI, is a Greek-born journalist and writer
living in New York City, London and Gstaad. www.takimag.com
Shitstorm 1.0: Film star David Niven rang up a newspaper and revealed the secrets of the Palace “backgammon gang”. The tabloid press descended en masse to Gstaad.
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TOURING UPHIGH
RIDGE HIKE
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“For ski touring everything is the other way round: You insert your foot at the front, fasten the boot with the two nubs on the front binding and turn the stopper clockwise until it clicks into place. This allows the boot heel to rise and fall when you walk up the hill,” explains Simon. Easier said than done. First of all, before securing boot to ski and taking a test run, the climbing skins need to be attached to the skis. Now-adays these usually consist of man-made materials, but originally strips of seal fur were used. Attaching the skins in the wind is a tricky business. It seems they want to stick to everything except the black surface they are meant to cling to. Finally, the skins are in place, with some help from the guide. “You’ll be moving your right arm and left leg at the same time, and vice versa. And make sure you extend your telescopic ski sticks far enough. Then simply move from the hip with a gliding motion. Don’t think about it too hard,” re-commends Simon. They do a few test loops, which in-dicate that there’s room for improvement. Never mind, there’ll be plenty of opportunity to practice. So here
-bachtal. The hillside is a pristine white, seemingly un-disturbed by human tracks. Our foremost thought is:
And this is what we are supposed to climb? Across this impassable terrain, where not a single piste is vi-sible far and wide? Thank goodness for technology.
avalanche rescue beacon, to be carried underneath their clothing. In the event of an avalanche, it will send out a signal. Simon treats us to a demonstration: The closer he comes, the louder and more intensive our transceivers bleep. Each device has its own trans- mission frequency, which allows him to know who’s who if things get serious. Each person also carries a rucksack, spade and probe, although we are only going to attempt the easier route up. “Two or three hours, no longer than that,” our group leader assures us. As a reward, a mountain top picnic and the half-hour de-scent await us.
Not just yet, though. First we have to scale the hill. Simon leads and sets the pace, we follow. Silently, each absorbed in their own rhythm, panting hard, we gain height. Then a long, straight stretch lies ahead of us. Luckily, Simon avoids elaborate turns near steep drops — save one brief acrobatic intervention. In some places the wind has swept away the powder snow, exposing the icy layer beneath. This means we have to lean hard
A stiff Saanenland breeze is blowing across the ridge at Zwitzeregg.
For Chantal and Silvan it is the first time they’ve taken part in a
ski tour. He is a committed snowboarder, she normally enjoys the slopes on
a pair of carving skis. Today they are trying their hand at ski touring.
They are accompanied by Simon Bolton, mountain guide, ski instructor and
owner of the Alpinzentrum Gstaad.
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on the edges of our skis. The sun is strong, the wind even stronger. Still we never feel cold for even a se-cond. Climbing with skis on your feet is a thoroughly warming experience. Chantal beams, as does her hus-band-to-be, despite the beads of sweat on his forehead. “How’s it going? Is this pace OK for you?” Simon —
for summit. We’ve made it! Some hot tea from the Thermos, a bite of sandwich, a well deserved treat.
of what we’ve achieved. The panoramic view is bre-
of peaks, stretching from Jungfrau to Montblanc. Gusts of wind urge us to head homeward. Now the tables are turned: The climbing skins are carefully re-moved, folded up and stowed in the rucksacks. The binding is adjusted and the stopper block fastened — our boots are now securely attached to the skis. The boots themselves need adapting too. For the ascent they were kept loose, to allow for the movement of the shins and the rise and fall of the heels. Now they are
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converted to act as conventional ski boots, with the top buckle done up tight.
Time for the best bit: The journey down is like an exhi-larating dream in shades of white. We are surrounded by stretches of pristine snow smoothed across the windswept hillside and enchanting views. In loose, elegant curves our group makes its way back down.The only mishap occurs when Chantal’s skis cross
But no harm results from the unintended somersault.
The wonderful descent across the white wonderland ends much too soon. “We won’t be needing the snow-board and carving skis any more. We’ll be going ski touring from now,” Chantal eagerly exclaims. Silvan
not alone, says Simon Bolton. Almost every week, new beginners come to see him. Many of them are city dwellers who want to discover nature. For the early stage, Simon recommends hiring the relatively expen-sive equipment. Well then: Welcome to the club! (rw)
— WWW.ALPINZENTRUM.CH
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OBERBORT not DOWNING STREET
As the Iron Lady, Margaret Hilda Thatcher (1925 – 2013) wrote history. From 1979 to 1990 the arch
— and was known for putting the fear of God into many a statesman.
The tough British prime minister was a legend in her own time. Legends also surround her memoirs. It is rumoured that the honourable lady of 10 Downing Street was not in foggy London when she wrote about the events that shaped her as a politician and private individual, but instead was in the sunny Saanenland. High up and far away, in a place that lends itself to seeing the bigger picture. Well, it’s time to lift the little“state secret” once and for all: It is in fact true that Margaret Thatcher wrote her memoirs while staying
at the Gstaad Palace; in person, by the way, without a ghost writer. The former Tory leader rented a residence for several months, where she could concentrate on her writing. Still on the attack as always, she dished out parting comments on her friends and foes on both sides of the Atlantic. The entertainment for in-between and remedy for writer’s block was provided by the host
his services. Thus Margaret Thatcher and husband
Swiss Alps. They even took a turn around the Matter-
the summit exactly 150 years ago. After landing, the Cheers! (rw)
Further reading: “The Downing Street Years”
by Margaret Thatcher, 1993, ISBN 978-0-00-745663-5
STORIES
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LIKE VISITING HEIDI, PETER & the ALM-UNCLE
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Saanen — Chalberhöni — Vordereggli (possible by bus) — Eggli — Grund — Gstaad
3 hours, 16.5 kilometres, 500m altitude difference
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The scene could be straight from the well-known children’s book: Ruedi Wehren is churning the contents of a copper cauldron with a cheese harp. Outside, his wife Helen is preparing Hobelkäse, while their grandchildren romp about on the grass with the snowy white goats: Zottel, Zick and Zwerg. Alp Vorder Eggli is an idyll. The two town kids Larina and
the hotel bus, hiking guide Barbara told the Lehner-Mathieu family all about the Wehrens’ alp with its 19 cows, six goats and two horses. She did not promise too much. The young visitors had never seen how milk is made into cheese in a 300-year old wood hut that looks just like Alm-Uncle’s house in the Heidi stories. A couple of gulps of raw milk, fresh from the cow and
versa — from clover to dandelion.
It is a wonderful place to linger a while and the time to leave comes far too soon, especially for the kids. They cast a last look back from the crest of the hill, then the paradise vanishes. On they go, led by Palace Guest Relations Manager Barbara Branco-Schiess, past the lonely Eggli top station, where the cable cabins rest during summer. The hiking path continues its gentle descent into the valley. It’s clear to see that the Lehner family are practised hikers. They are frequently out and about in the Lower Engadine, where granddad Mathieu grew up. Rhymes are recited, guessing games invented, there is always something new. Thus time passes quick-ly for the two with the shortest legs. Besides, they already have their sights set on the next bit of fun: Throwing stones into the river Saane. (rw)
Alp Vordereggli, Ruedi and Helen Wehren, brunch available by arrangement, telephone +41(0)79 625 09 66
HIKING TIP
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IN-HOUSE
RENOVATIONS AT THE PALACE:
Last spring, all rooms ending in 28 and
0 were given a new, vibrant look —
connected together they are particular-
ly popular with families. In autumn, we
reached a small milestone by creating
four new one-bedroom deluxe suites.
Featuring two separate bathrooms and
fine antique woodwork, they offer
comfort, convenience and plenty of
space for two.
DOWN BY THE WATER: Another
kind of peaceful spot was enjoyed by
many during the summer months.
With its gently rippling waters, the
newly created Lac Ernest is a wonder-
ful place to linger in and enjoy a drink
from the Lobby Bar. Back in the 80’s,
it was Ernst Scherz’s idea to have a
pond on the Palace terrace; now the
pond has become a lake — and is still
named after him.
PALACE FAMILY: In recognition of
his long-standing and commendable
input as Vice Director, my right-hand
man Romuald Bour was promoted
to Director at the start of 2015. We will
continue to jointly manage the Palace,
as I will remain a faithful servant to
the Grande Dame in my role as General
Manager and co-owner.
At the end of summer, following a three-
year legal battle that took our solici-
tors all the way to the state secretariat
for migration, we had to say goodbye
to our dear Mr. Toms, aka “Mr. Out-
door Pool”. A quarter century of cordial
cooperation has thus fallen victim to
the increasingly stringent guidelines of
Swiss bureaucracy, which make it close
to impossible for non-EU citizens to
gain a work permit. For the hotel
industry, such restrictions present an
additional hurdle in these difficult
times. During the small farewell party
at the place of his work, some guests
presented him with gold pieces as a
leaving gift.
PALACE-CHALLENGE: Our first Gstaad
Palace-Challenge rally took place on
the last weekend of the summer sea-
son and was a great success. Sixteen
vehicles, made between 1956 and
1990, took part. The Challenge is
the new and technically demanding
counterpart to the Weekend des
Veterans, which we have held for over
45 years. Over the two days, just
under 400 kilometres and numerous
tests had to be tackled, although
there was still plenty of time for the
more indulgent aspects. For anyone
who’s appetite has been wet:
The second Gstaad Palace-
Challenge will take place from
26 to 28 August 2016.
PALACE SPA: The positive effect of
minerals and trace elements from pre-
cious stones is scientifically proven,
and is now also being recognised by
the wellness sector. Gemology, a young
cosmetics brand from Paris, makes
use of these effects in their products,
treatments and massages. New this
winter season, the Gemology range is
now available at our Palace Spa.
PALACE KIDS: As a family hotel par
excellence we have many guests who
spent their childhood holidays with us,
and who now continue the tradition
with their own children. It’s not sur-
prising then, that we seek to make our
younger guests feel like royalty too.
To help us live up to this aspiration our
Kids Club is staffed daily from 3 pm
to 9 pm during the high seasons — and
the programme of activities is conti-
nually being expanded.
Dear guests and friends There’s always something happening at the Palace and in the Saanenland — below the latest news and developments in our region.
LES NOUVELLES de GSTAAD
95
LOCAL NEWS
HAPPY BIRTHDAY I: The Menuhin
Festival Gstaad, established by Lord
Yehudi Menuhin in 1957, takes place
every summer and has long been a
significant feature in the annual line-up
of classical music festivals. In addition
to celebrating its 60th anniversary, the
2016 festival also marks the centenary
of its founder and is being held under
the heading “Musique & Famille”.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY II: Congratulations
to the 5-star Hotel Ermitage in Schön-
ried, which also celebrated its 60th
anniversary in autumn. Open all year
round, the hotel has been in the hands
of Heiner Lutz and Laurenz Schmid for
almost 40 years and was comprehen-
sively renovated and expanded in 2011.
WELCOME BACK: First launched in
2014, the Alpine biennial Elevation 1049
is going into its second round and will
take place in 2016 again, under the
guiding theme "Avalanche". Find out
more about this unique open air art
exhibition on page 24.
REAL CHARACTER: Originally from
Ruswil in Canton Lucerne, a sought-
after model on catwalks across the
world, disc jockey at the GreenGo, and
as photographer closely acquainted
with the Gstaad jet set: Armin Grässl
is without doubt a real character. He
recently returned to live in the Saanen-
land, where he “captures the true beauty
of Gstaad better than any painter”,
as Sir Roger Moore once said of him.
Silhouette papercut, handmade by Ueli Hauswirth
www.scherenschnitt-hauswirth.ch
STARTING OVER: Burdened with debt,
in urgent need of investment and
plagued by seemingly countless re-
structuring projects — for years, the
cable cars, ski and chair lifts of the
Saanenland have battled for their
continued existence. We are all the
more pleased at the local electorate’s
decision to support Gstaad Mountain
Rides with around 33 million Swiss
francs. The majority stake is now
no longer in the hands of the munici-
pality, but with private investors.
LIFT-OFF: The airport association
Gstaad-Saanenland is gaining headway
with its big undertaking: There were
no objections to the renovation of the
airport’s infrastructure. This means
that work on the 3-million-project will
most likely start in the coming year.
HEALTH: The Medical Centre Saanen-
Gstaad has again been providing a walk-
in clinic in the former hospital since
mid-December. The clinic is currently
open Monday to Friday from 8am to
8pm. Plans to extend the opening hours
to seven days a week are still under
discussion, in the meantime the
hospital in Zweisimmen provides
out-of-hours assistance.
SHOPPING
NEW ON THE PROMENADE I:
Last summer, the multi brand trader
ATTITUDE opened its first Gstaad
boutique in the former home of the
von Siebenthal Cookshop. With its
selection ranging from ready-to-wear
through to glamorous haute couture,
the boutique is popular with both men
and women.
NEW ON THE PROMENADE II:
Just a stone’s throw away, at No.2,
The Promenade, the Graff Diamonds
Boutique opened in December, to
sparkle alongside the two existing
in-house stores in the Grand Hotel
Park and the Alpina Gstaad.
SUGGESTIONS
FULL POWER AHEAD: Have you
ever explored the Saanenland by bike?
Our three new e-bikes will help you
along on your journey across the hills
and valleys as much as you want — ask
our concierge!
HEALTHY OPTION: A taster course
in cross-country skiing is a great
alternative for anyone who no longer
wants to go downhill skiing, or who
simply wants to try something new.
Though not quite as easy as it looks,
this Nordic sport exercises the whole
body and allows time to enjoy the
wonderful views across the Saanen-
land. Why not finish the day with a
wellearned fondue at an inn.
CULINARY DELIGHT: Talking of inns,
our latest insider tip is the cosy Italian
restaurant LA GRANGE in Les Diable-
rets, where “La Mamma” conjures up
amazing delicacies in her kitchen and
the master of the house, Giovanni
Quaquarelli, serves up the perfect wine
to accompany your dish.
100% ORGANIC: The teams of Nail
Stop and Glow Healthbar have joined
forces in the new Cafe @ No.1 at
Viktoriastrasse 1, where they offer
combined inner and outer beauty care.
In addition to the existing range of
manicures, pedicures and fresh smoo-
thies, the menu now includes salads,
cake, coffee, tea and specialist wines
— 100% organic of course!
It’s wonderful to have you with us again enjoy your stay in the Saanenland!Andrea Scher
9696
97
ROBINSON CRUSOE – the
DELUXE VERSION RAMBLE
97
600,000 square metres of scrub and pines, a one-hundred
year old abandoned lighthouse and a white villa built in
the Bauhaus style. Who’d have thought that such an oasis of
calm could still be found in the Mediterranean Sea, just a
stone’s throw from one of the most popular jet set islands?
Inhabited as early as 800 BC, later used by pirates to store
their loot, and for many years home to a small fi shing com-
munity, the island of Tagomago has now long been in private
hands. The tiny island has many stories to tell, but these
days it is a quiet place, despite being situated just 900 me-
tres to the north-east of vibrant Ibiza. Among the guests who
have stayed on Tagomago in recent years are Cristiano Ron-
aldo and Ronnie Wood. While the visitors take a dip in the
turquoise waters or test the horsepower of the island’s jet-
ski, a private cook, kitchen team and house staff, as well as a
personal butler make sure that every wish is catered for at
the 5 bedroom mansion. For sundowners, the guests might
retreat to the island’s formidable rocky outcrop. From this
peaceful refuge they can enjoy what is probably the best
view of the ‘big sister island’ Ibiza, and picture the goings-on
at the parties behind the white-washed façades of the ev-
er-restless Ibiza town. (sk)
— WWW.ISLAND-TAGOMAGO.COM
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ENDNOTE
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