b1513

I'll have to keep this in mind and refer back to this thread next time I'm there. BTW, IceTrojan, you should be able to pet that cow you're hoping for because there have always been cows very close to the upper parking lot right outside the entrance to the town.

Bobette

Artemio

By the way, if you're in Gruyere at this time of the year, you have to try the "moutarde de bénichon". It's something made only in the region of Fribourg/Gruyère and only sold/eaten in september and october.

None of the americans I know did like it on the first try. It's actually quite an uncommun taste. But be aware, once you tried a few times, you'll spread it on your bread like nutella .

Concerto

Nice suggestions, Artemio, I have to try some of them! Le Vuipay looks good... I haven't quite worked out where it is exactly yet, but I have a feeling I walked past it on one of my hikes a couple of years back maybe stopping there for a coffee. Les Paccots is a lovely area, unknown to tourists, a real secret gem.

Today I was up in Langenthal sweating away accompanying a competition there (surprisingly pleasant town with a theater which has a plaque outside saying that Mozart had passed by in 17 something) and I fancied stopping in Chatel St. Denis for a fondue on the way back ( there's a great fondue place there, can't remember the name) but I was too tired after getting up at 5 this morning.

iahphx

While I've enjoyed my time in Gruyere, it's hard to imagine vacationing in the Swiss Alps these days: the exchange rate is crushing compared to, say, the French Alps. Indeed, I'm guessing the Swiss tourism industry is suffering mightily. It used to be that only Americans couldn't afford their country; now it's their fellow Europeans, too.

Concerto

Yes, and the odd thing is they haven't dropped their prices yet. Some items in the COOP or Migros are a few centimes cheaper, but this is just lip service. Tonight, after a concert, we were 5 to eat in the Spaghetti Factory in the old town in Geneva, and the bill came to CHF200 including wine. Needless to say, I could have knocked together the salad that I had for less than 2 francs at home. Even up in a Gasthaus at the bottom of a cliff in Goppenstein, where the upper Lötschberg Tunnel comes out, the prices were stratospheric.

b1513

Such great information, Artemio and Concerto. You lucky dogs living in such a terrific area.

Bobette

iahphx

As a world traveler and int'l finance guy for the past 30 years, I've noticed one constant: whenever an exchange rate becomes ridiculous, it will eventually correct. The problem is that it can take awhile. Sometimes even a decade. Since it's hard to have an enjoyable vacation when everything seems mega-expensive, it's best to avoid (or at least limit one's time in) the countries that are too expensive.

Switzerland is a special case because it's USUALLY too expensive to visit. This has gone on for decades. For this reason, I've generally "nipped in" to Switzerland and then left for the Euro zone. But that was when the Euro was overvalued, too. Now the disparity is so great that I don't think I'd "nip."

BTW, the Swiss themselves don't seem to be hurting too much according to this data. While the prices of everything a tourist would likely buy are stratospheric, it would seem that high wages give the Swiss themselves decent buying power. Beats me. It sure must be nice to vacation abroad if you're Swiss right now.

http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living...ry=Switzerland

Concerto

Really interesting link, that. My Euro zone friends are always shocked how much a bag of groceries costs. An average shopping for a couple of days, for me, usually sets me back about CHF50-60. Most pay a lot more. In Germany I wouldn't pay more than EUR25-35 for the same. I sometimes quite a bit annoyed with restaurant and café owners about the stupid prices they are charging.

Frankly, I think the place deserves boycotting until things stabilise a bit. But you'll never get that East European nouveau riche crowd that is now swarming about everywhere boycotting the place, they simply do not care one jot about it.

Oddly, I think things are finally correcting themselves, with the Euro getting a bit stronger these past days. It will be better for everybody if it continues.

iahphx

Well, something will have to give eventually. I'm curious what happens in Geneva, which is pretty much surrounded by France. Like who would buy anything in Switzerland? If I could travel 3 miles and buy things for half-price, I'd be travelling those 3 miles quite often.

I also wonder about the Swiss themselves boycotting their country. Like the Australians frequently travel thousands of miles to places like Bali to vacation because Australia tourist activities are overpriced. The Swiss would only have to travel like 50 miles, and could even speak their native language(s). Why would a Swiss vacation in Switzerland at current prices?