Winter in the Alps

The Swiss Alps, a short train ride from Paris, was a perfect setting for an excursion the week before Christmas. The Hotel Bellevue Palace offered a luxurious stay in a contemporary suite with tastefully holiday decorated common areas and restaurants. The hotel welcomed travelers as well as local families out for a special holiday high tea or dinner. From Bern, we traveled to “The Top of Europe” on the Jungfraubahn, the highest train in Europe, culminating in a stunning ride by gondola through the Bernese Alps. Our evenings in Bern were spent wandig the Christmas markets, with their artisan stalls and food and wine offerings, scattered about the town, giving us an opportunity to see the locals out at night with friends and family. We love traveling in the thick of winter. Although the days are short and the weather requires good boots, warm socks, and a heavy coat, we are rewarded with lack of crowds and stunning snow-covered scenery.