|
Off the Beaten Track
An
exciting visit to the less known routes of Piedmont, Savoie and Ticino
during July 2002.
We
flew out to Milan on SAA’s new direct flight, serving northern Italy.
After custom clearance we left Malpensa airport for a 10 day self drive tour
that was to be so different and diverse. It is always the back road, not
often visited by tourists, that expose the gems of the countryside and where
you really meet the country through its people.
After
enjoying the vineyards and what it offers of the Piedmont area, we stayed
the night on an equestrian farm pensione, near Mottalciata. No English was
spoken and communication through a handy electronic interpreter made us
understood in broken Italian when ordering food and wine for our supper : a
choice of traditional antipasta and agnolitti and pastas, rounded off by
panettone.
|
After
the heavy thunderstorm of the previous evening, the next day was clear and
the pristine profile of the Monte Rosa in a distance welcomed us to Valle
D’Oaste and the pilgrimage of Oropa – a sanctuary high up in the
mountains en route to Mont Blanc, we turned off the main road and after a
long winding road through the most beautiful scenery reached Breuil-Cervinia
to see the Matterhorn from a different perspective (one normally visits
Zermatt in Switzerland to experience the Matterhorn peak, but this time in
Italy we were totally on the opposite side).
Our
day’s destination was Courmayear on Italy’s side of the 20km long
Montblanc Tunnel, where the Biondi family were our hosts in a wooden
chalet, serving fondue with traditional style and pizzazz. |
At the viewpoint of Mont Blanc
summit, mountaineers have erected this moving symbol, illustrating Gods'
universal love |
|
|
|
|
Wooden
carved art work in the town of Le Grand-Boranadi |
To
view Mont Blanc, highest peak in Europe, one can reach the summit from
both Entreves (Italy) or Chamonix (France) via cable car to Aiguille
du Midi across the glacier du Géant. The 12km long Mont blanc tunnel,
which links Italy and France, was completed in 1965.
To
reach Lac Leman (better known as the lake of Genéve) we travelled
through the most enchanting mountain road, the Col de la Colombiere,
passing through numerous French towns and far off the well known
tourist’s routes. As it was Bastille day in France we had the
privilege to join in a traditional French countryside festival in Le
Grand-Bornandi : timber hacking, home made reblochon cheese, nougat
and honey beer served with Jambon de Bayonne (cured ham and cheese) as
well as gratin savoyard (a mixture of sliced potatoes, eggs and broth)
all on an outside verandah overlooking the activities. |
|
|
|
|
On
the roadside, at Thônes, we spent a short moment visiting the
memorial of Cimetiere des Guéres, honouring those who died during the
French Resistance. Unpretentious and simple, though almost dignified
and with respect the rows of red geraniums accentuate the lonely rows
of plain black crosses.
Yvoire
is one of the loveliest villages in historical Savoy. Situated on the shores
of Lake Leman (Geneva) Yvoire occupies a splendid position. At the tip of
the promontory which separates the “Petit Lac” and the “Grand Lac”,
flowers abound in this picturesque village which has retained its medieval
character : boutiques, craft shops, galleries, petit squares and gardens
liven up this pedestrian village.
|
The
Memorial of Cimetiere Des Guéres |
We
stayed at the Hotel du Port, where steamers depart for numerous excursions
on the lake. The gracious owners, Jeannine and Jean-Francois are ever
present, keeping an eye, thus ensuring the 4 bedroomed Boutique Hotel is
impeccable in every way.
South
of Lac Leman lies the Savoie wine region of France : small towns set against
vineyards in a country landscape and an enjoyment of Jacquèrs (white) and
Mondeuse (red) variety wines on the estates of Michel Grisard and Pascal
Quenard, the guitar playing winemaker of Chignin.
On
the north eastern shore of the lake lies Montreaux of Freddie Mercury fame
and the Chateau Chillon as well as Clarens with the home of Paul Kruger in
exile at the turn of the 20th century. Today Kruger House has
been converted into Boutique Hotel run by two South Africans.
|
The
Lauterbrunnen Valley with the Staubbach Falls |
En
route to Switzerland we visited the famous wine museum at Aigle and
then travelled on a beautiful mountain route past Villars-ollon, Les
Beablereis, Château-d’Oex and onto Gruyères, renowned for its cheese,
used in fondues.
A
day trip to the summit of the Jungfraujoch via the Kleine Scheidegg, Eiger
and Mönch is rewarded by a breathtaking clear sky panoramic view from the
observatory platform of the glaciers and lower adjacent peaks. Other
nearby attractions are the cableways of Firstbahn and Schilthorn as well as
the Trümmelbachfälle, the cave like pothole shaped funnel of waterfalls
fed by the melting glaciers of the Jungfrau. |
Switzerland
is abound by passes, bridges and tunnels. A winding scenic road takes you up
the Grimselpass with astonishing views over Grimselsee and the Jungfrau from
a distance.
Nestled
in the valley between the Grimsel and Furka passes lies Gletsch, where the
Gletschergrotter is found in the Rhonegletscher, the only glacier accessible
by foot without being a mountaineer.
The
final pass, before descending down the Leventina Valley, is the St
Gothard Pass, between Andermatt and Airolo.
Our
last destination was Ronco on the Lago Maggiore in the Ticino Canton
of Switzerland. The northern region of the lake borders both
Switzerland and Italy, the official language is Italian and the food
is also predominantly Italian dishes. |
On
the shore of Maggiore Lake at Ascona |
|
|
|
|
Chapel
of San Giovanni Battista in the upper Maggion Valley |
Once
a tiny fishing port, Ascona has swiftly developed into a resort to
rival nearby Locarno. It has long been a popular rendezvous for
painters, writers and architects (Isadora Duncan, Carl Jung, Rudolf
Steiner, Herman Hess, Paul Klee and Mario Botta, to name a few). The
Centro offers interesting cobbled pedestrian streets with boutique
shops to be rounded off with an espresso on the water promenade facing
the lake.
Good
examples of the architecture of the 20th century Swiss
Master, Mario Botta, can be found in the Ticino region and his gem,
the chapel of San Giovanni Battista, is located at the end of a little
village Mogne in the upper Valle Maggio region nearby. This in itself
deserves a pilgrimage up the winding mountain road. |
Before
returning back, our last night was spent on the tiny island of Pescatori
(one of the three islands forming the Borromee). Reached only by the
motoscafta, this quaint and picturesque fishing village has become one of
our favourite destinations in the lake region of Italy. On the verandah of
the Albergo Ristorante Verbano, the Zaccheza family once again offered their
genuine hospitality and we could meditate and re-travel our past 10 days of
the Piedmont, Savoie and Ticino regions.
Johann & Monique Beukes
|
