Summer in Switzerland

Anybody who knows me well, knows that Switzerland is probably my favourite country in the whole world, the one that I return to time after time. I guess it feels like a second home, having worked my first Winter season there when I was 18, and returning many times since, both to work, and to play. Its my absolute favourite destination for a Summer family holiday. So what's so great about Switzerland? Cable cars, chocolate, picnics in the mountain air, streams, lakes and mountain huts, ropeparks, swimming pools, amazing playgrounds ( I get the feeling Swiss councils are not as cash strapped as UK ones!) goats, grasshoppers, squirrel trails and marmots. There is so much for kids to enjoy, the whole country seems to be geared up to being Outdoors. Then there's the food - cheese and chocolate, Rosti, Fondue, raclette, very tasty wine - Switzerland does indeed have Europe's highest vineyard, and they produce very tasty wine, they just don't produce enough to export it. And scenery so stunning no photo can ever do it justice. Anyway, back to Verbier - I had never been before, so I was excited to see what was on offer in this famous Winter resort. The Summer season is much calmer than than the Winter season and has a much more relaxed atmosphere, but even I was surprised how peaceful Verbier was. Its a very traditional looking resort, with streets lined with wooden chalets, restaurants and bars a plenty, a few supermarkets and lots of outdoor and boutique shops. In the Summer months it is popular with walkers, mountain bikers and paragliders, aswell as families. We spent most of our days taking cable cars up the mountainside, having a picnic lunch with bread and cheese easily bought from the supermarket, followed by a leisurely walk to a mountain cafe for an afternoon drink, then a walk/cable car back down to Verbier. There are some lovely bisse walks (a bisse is an ancient irrigation channel, so just a manmade steam really) - the kids loved playing pooh sticks in them, and before they knew it they would have walked several miles without a single grumble. For the slightly more challenging walks, chocolate proved to be a great motivator, as did the promise of a fizzy drink or icecream at a mountain cafe. They also loved the outdoor swimming pool, refreshing as it was, the mini golf and the ropepark. It is also possible to take trips to Lake Mauvoisin and to the local alpine dairy to see how the local cheese is made. Switzerland has the reputation for being expensive, I would argue it offers amazing value for money, in terms of what you actually get. The best things are indeed free- the fresh mountain air, the spectacular scenery, amazing mountain walks and hikes. Getting there is easy- either by plane, train or automobile, the Swiss transport network is integrated and well organised. Eating out is probably the biggest cost, so we tend to limit this to once or twice per holiday and self cater the rest of the time. Swiss supermarkets are well stocked with all the staples and things that are easy to prepare. One way to keep costs down is to choose a resort that incentivises Summer travel by including things like cable car rides for free and giving discounted entry to local attractions. Contact your friendly travel agent for more details! Switzerland invented "wellness" before the term was ever conceived. Switzerland IS wellness. For over 100 years patients have been heading to Swiss clinics in the mountains to heal and recover (most notably from TB.) And today that is still the essence of a Summer escape to the mountains. Fresh air, good food, exercise, amazing scenery and time to unwind, together as a family. Time to breathe. And that, for me, makes it the best value destination in the whole world.