Romont, Switzerland

Getting to the hilltop medieval town of Romont (population 5,400) involves cycling up a steep road.   
 

Castle dates back to 1260.

Another view of castle's exterior.

Inside the castle grounds with one of the two remaining towers. 

View of church from castle ramparts (defensive wall).

This huge wheel helps bring water up from castle's well to the right

View of countryside

The other remaining lookout tower (built 1260).

One of two streets running through old town Romont.

Other street running through town. Not a single patisserie shop worth mentioning. 

Around the outskirts of Fribourg, Switzerland

 

I've been to Fribourg (population 43,000) many times and posted photos back in 2003 of its impressive medieval old town. Cycling around an industrial business park on the outskirts of Fribourg I unexpectedly come upon a large Richemont multi-building complex. Richemont is a luxury goods giant with over $23 billion in revenues. A dozen high-end watch names such Cartier, IWC, Piaget and Jaeger-Le Coultre belong to Richemont. 

Back in 2003 and 2004 I cycled around Switzerland visiting the head offices of more than 100 Swiss watch companies. The majority of watch companies have their manufacturing operations around Geneva, Bienne or the Jura mountains and Fribourg isn't in that sphere. Intrigued I tried walking into the reception building but a security guard came outside and gave me very little info as to what goes on here.

I cycled around the Richemont complex and it's huge. I talked to an employee walking between buildings and was told it's a distribution center with more than 1,500 employees. Jeez, what do they distribute finished watches? watch parts? which watch brands?  

Not far from Richemont I come across a factory for Villars Chocolates. Built in 2013, the factory is shut down for summer vacation and a worker says they have a factory chocolate store just down the road.

Villars chocolates dates back to 1901. This huge brick complex was where chocolate was manufactured and in the early 1900's more than 1,200 employees worked here.  

The company sold the massive brick factory but still operates a store called the Chocolate Cafe. 

Inside the store. 

More chocolate.

and more chocolate.

Many Swiss chocolate makers sell their chocolate in these collectable tins.

A photo from the backside of the former Villars chocolate factory. The complex is a designated historical structure which I think means it's protected and can't be torn down.

Passed this floral squirrel(?) or chipmunk (?) entering a village.

I love cycling in the farmland.

This village has about 100 inhabitants but, like most farming villages in the area there's a church and many are beauts like this one. 

Inside of the church which was built in 1912. 

Seward Johnson sculptures (near Vevey, Switzerland)

 

I'm high above Lake Geneva at the 5-star Le Mirador Resort & Spa on a warm but overcast day.

As mentioned before, many years ago I spent six years cycling around the United States visiting the headquarters of  over 1000 of the world's biggest corporations and writing stories about it. This was followed by a four year trek around the world and a dozen years cycling around Europe doing the same.

It was during these travels that I became a big, big fan of artist Seward Johnson (1930-2020).  Johnson was the grandson of Robert Wood Johnson, co-founder of Johnson & Johnson, the healthcare giant. 

Amongst his many works Johnson designed over 350 life-size painted bronze statues--using castings of living people. During my travels I would come across his sculptures and they were simply amazing--so life-like. 

I was so impressed I ended up writing a fan letter to him in New Jersey. Several weeks later I received a coffee table book containing pictures of his works. 

Many of his works are displayed in public spaces or on the grounds of corporate headquarters. Prices range from $10,000 to over one million dollars. At one point I thought it would be fun to see how many of his works I could visit. However, many are in private hands and that idea was squashed.

The Le Mirador Resort has five of Johnson's sculptures placed around the property. 

Relaxing.

Looks like a serious conversation.

A couple checking out the view.

This one located in a hallway is titled "Thataway" with a businessman giving directions. 

He's outside the entrance to the hotel.  A gardener racking leaves.

Villars-sur-Ollon, Switzerland (ski resort)

 

My last visit to Villars (population 1,500) was four years ago. We're having a hot spell and figure it would be cooler in this mountain ski resort. It is!  

I've also been corrected in that Switzerland has three other towns called Villars so, Villars-sur-Ollon is the correct name. Actually, at one time there were EIGHT villages/towns in Switzerland with the Villars name. Switzerland is a small country so how is it that the people didn't know about other towns having the same name when naming their town Villars? All eight towns were within 100 miles of each other. There's a similar problem in Germany with multiple towns having the same name. 

It's not even 9AM which explains the absence of activity on Villars main shopping street. As mentioned in my blog posted four years ago, Villars is home to four international boarding schools. One school, Beau Soleil is one of the most expensive schools in the world--sending your child there will set you back $150,000 a year. 

That overhead wiring you see and the tracks in the street are for the train that comes up from the valley below. About 99% of Switzerland's trains are electrified. Trains have been making their way up the mountain since 1901. My first visit to Villars was back in 2007 and I cycled up. Now, my bike and I hop on the train and enjoy a non-sweaty one hour ride up the mountain.

That big building in the back is the 5-star Villars Palace Hotel--more on that later.

You can see the valley floor below. 

This is the front of the 5-star Villars Palace Hotel. It dates back more than 100 years. The hotel recently reopened after being closed for many years and then undergoing years of renovations. Gotta go check it out.

The Villars Palace Hotel is a real beauty. There's an indoor/outdoor pool. This is the outdoor part. 

Whoa, after leaving the Palace Hotel I come across a huge crowd of people getting ready for some kind of event. 

Turns out it's a trail running race. There's a 30 mile run, 20 mile run and 10 mile run. See those mountains in the background? If you look really close you can see an antenna sticking out on the very top to the right. The run involves going up to the antenna via dirt trails, then coming down and going up and down two more mountain peaks. Wow! 

Cycling down the mountain I pass through several mountain villages. This village has a slew of very old chalets. This beauty dates back to 1751.

This chalet dates back to 1662 and sits right next door to the one in the previous photo.

So, a half-block down from chalets in the two previous photos stands this almost finished apartment complex. Boy, I bet it took years to get approved--it really changes the character of the village. 

A few miles from Bex (population 7,700) I pass this salt mine complex. Back in 1554 salt was discovered and put Bex on the map. Back in medieval times salt was as valuable as gold. Up the road a mile or so is a visitor center where they'll take you into the mines. 

Here's a train returning to Bex after its Villars run. 

The train weaves its way right through Bex's main street--coming within inches of buildings. 

Came across this new apartment building in Bex and can't figure out why this pole full of signage was put up. Were all those signs stolen or just copies? 

Chur, Switzerland

 

Chur (population 35,000) is the largest city in the region. Its valley location makes Chur the gateway to quite a few ski resorts up in the Alps. I'm on the city's pedestrian-only shopping street and kids are giving shoppers some entertainment with their dancing. 

This serious-looking structure on the main shopping street is a government building. 

Lots going on in this photo. 

Here's a closer looking at the man on stilts (he's not real). 

Old fire trucks from the region. Talking to a fire truck aficionado I learn they fix 'em up and drive them to various towns for display. 

Fountain.

More of Chur's main shopping street. 

It's a hot day and the city has set up this mist sprayer to cool off shoppers when they pass through. 

Church in the old town.