By Kathryn Adams
Astounding technological advances in adaptive ski kit mean that nowadays, anyone of limited mobility can attack the slopes alongside able-bodied or elite para-athlete skiers. Many ski schools and rental companies offer adaptive skiing lessons and sit-ski rental but, when you add the cost of your ski pass to the package, it can make for a very expensive outing.
Our region has a growing number of charitable associations helping to make adaptive skiing more equitable.
One such organization is Verbier4All. Formed in 2019, Verbier4All wants to make the mountains of Verbier truly accessible to adaptive skiers on all levels whatever their ability, whatever their age. The association is actively building a library of equipment befitting one of the most prestigious ski resorts in the world.
Verbier4’All’s sit-skis (rigs) can be borrowed for free for use in the resort whose lift operator, Téléverbier, is backing the effort and working away behind the scenes to make its lifts and facilities more accessible.
They’re a friendly team at Verbier4All and a mix of French and English speakers. To join in the fun, you don’t need to be a member of the association – all you need to do is contact them to see if they have a rig to suit your needs, answer some questions and sign a disclaimer. Many adaptive skiers have family members or friends who can pilot and accompany them but, in the event that this is not the case, Verbier4All will try and match you up with a volunteer pilot and buddy to take you out.
A few years ago we wrote an article about Chantal & Max at this link. As they have now evolved to have an amazing repertoire of bespoke tours, local contacts, hidden gems, and off-the-beaten-track itineraries on their list, we thought it might be a good idea to catch up with them again. With staycations high on the list this year, why not see the other side of Switzerland?
Why did you start? What has been the inspiration?
Well, ever since the day we met, 10 years ago, at the École Hôtelière de Lausanne, we've always loved travelling around Switzerland. On the weekends, while our friends would be roaming off to other countries, we would just take the car, go for a drive, and see where we'd end up. Our aim was always to find the small, charming boutique hotels with great service in the lesser-known places. That's how we've always loved to travel.
We were both working in the luxury hospitality industry in the Lake Geneva region, before we got the opportunity to move to London to pursue our careers in the same sector. Even though we loved the UK, we started to miss our homeland after about two years and decided to come back.
Around the same time, we came to realize that the “true” Switzerland was rarely put forward to incoming travelers. When we looked at the tours and “packages” that were available, it was almost always to do the same things in the same destinations… many of which have unfortunately lost their authenticity throughout the years due to a little too much tourism.
So we decided to start our own venture, with the aim of showing curious travelers the Switzerland we know and love, the one we're so proud of, full of incredible experiences, amazing properties and heart-warming encounters… all whilst keeping with the top-notch service that is very much engraved in our hearts.
And so, we travelled the country from east to west, north to south, to personally test every property, try every hike, knock on local artisans' doors, taste the food, meet our fantastic guides and really inspire ourselves from each regions' distinct character and particularities.
Today, three years after our “launch”, we're proud to continuously inspire our amazing travelers from around the world with a side of Switzerland very few get to see. For us, luxury was always less about the marble floors, and more about giving our clients access to the things that the typical traveler does not have access to. And with a very simple philosophy in mind… we are not just a company and you are not just a number. We are people taking care of other people’s dreams.
Read to the bottom to enter our competition and enter to win a copy of Wild Swim!
Bergli Books have come out with another amazing book with local interest. This time they partnered with Steffan Daniel for his expertise. Wild Swim guides you to nearly 100 alpine plunges, urban floats, and forest dips across Switzerland. With swim descriptions in English, German, and French, as well as convenient maps and practical insights into transport, safety and access, Wild Swim makes a new kind of summer adventure possible, from glacial dives to safe, family fun. We asked Steffan a few questions to get to know how this book came about:
What prompted you to do this book?
I've been living in Switzerland since 2013. When I first moved here I kept stumbling across amazing places to swim, usually during mountain bike trips in the Alps. With limited Swiss swimming guidebooks available and feeling inspired by its stunning landscape and swimming culture, I decided to write about the outdoor swimming spots here. Around 10 years ago, I was given the book 'Wild Swim' (UK) by Kate Rew as a gift, and I still enjoy flicking through it today. I guess that planted a seed.
I grew up in Wales about half an hour from the coast, which meant I spent a lot of time in and around the sea with family and friends. We'd sometimes drive to Mid-Wales to find waterfalls in the forest to jump from. It was always much more about the fun-factor than fitness. Today I also like to swim to clear the mind after work or cool down after a day in the mountains.
What is Wild Swimming? What's the outdoor swimming culture like in Switzerland?
Wild swimming has become quite a common term to describe swimming outdoors, away from chlorine-diluted, man-made swimming pools. You connect with nature and discover new places - I find the most remote places give you the best swimming experiences. That said, there are some amazing urban outdoor swim spots in Switzerland, a must-do if you're here in Summer. And it’s not all about distance or endurance - wild swimming can be fun, therapeutic, sociable, and thrilling.
Galleries are open again! Many of us have been itching to get our creative juices flowing after so long in confinement. Well, you now have an opportunity to get your photos seen by the crowds… crowds of under 300 at a time, of course.
Returning to Geneva again on 30 July 2020, the Swiss Photo Club (SPC) Photo Awards are a unique opportunity for every photographer – whether amateur or professional – to have their best work exhibited in a real gallery. Submit your best photos to the competition. They’ll be exhibited for nine days at Galerie La Cave in old town Geneva.
How it works
- A jury of Swiss Photo Club’s photography instructors will select 50 photos from among the submissions to be printed in a large size (offered for sale or yours to keep).
- All other photos will be printed in a smaller size and exhibited as well.
- The jury will select one grand prize winner, and public votes from the exhibition visitors will determine the other four winners (including one prize reserved for the most-voted small photo).
The exhibition is free and open to the public. During the exhibition, Swiss Photo Club also provides free photography workshops, as well as a festive opening and closing celebration that are also free to attend. Come and check out the photos of your talented neighbors — and try your own luck at the competition!
In recent months, our habits have been shaken up. It's time to indulge and Signal de Bougy that recently reopened on Saturday 6 June 2020 to the delight of families who have been holed up at home. Located between Lausanne and Geneva, Signal de Bougy is the ideal place for a family outing. The panorama is exceptional and several activities such as playgrounds, an animal park, and sand games are available free of charge.
Part of the park was under construction during the winter to offer three new attractions in a space called Kid'zland.
- A small train for the whole family
- A circuit with skidding cars (see photo below) for older children: they give the impression of skidding but in fact the vehicle turns on itself
- A sand play area - sand toys are available for purchase at the little shop near the restaurant if you didn't bring any
- Tokens can be bought there and will keep the kids happy and safe while parents can enjoy a beverage on the adjacent terrace
Parents can accompany children on some rides. Children from age 4 can go alone on the train or in a small cars. Under 4 years old the accompanying person does not pay. As soon as the child is 4 years old and if the parent wants to accompany him or her, he or she pays for the seat. The minimum age to drive the car, motorcycle, or boat alone is 4 years old, and from age 8 to drive a drift car alone.
