Switzerland’s latest offerings, from e-car road trips to free skiing for kids

Lake Geneva, the Matterhorn Region, and Switzerland Tourism hosted about 30 travel journalists last night (Dec. 6) at the hipster haven, the Gladstone Hotel, in Toronto’s west end. The event is held every two years in the city.

The organizers made good on Switzerland’s reputation for chocolate and cheese. Each guest had a bar of Swiss chocolate with his or her name on it, and the timing was perfect, because in Switzerland they celebrate Saint Nicholas Day every Dec. 6.

The other gustatory highlight was the raclette cheese, which was part of the dinner buffet. Raclette means scraping, and indeed it was, served by the delegation’s own Francois Michel. He was there to talk about the Lake Geneva region, but the raclette (from the Mattahorn area) was so delicious that people were lining up for seconds. His sure hands would take a half-wheel of cheese that had been partly melted under a heat lamp, then he’d scrape the top layer onto the traditional potato, caramelized onions, and baby pickles.

It paired wonderfully with a Swiss pinot noir, which apparently was “a real pain” to get into Canada. “It only finally arrived in Toronto at 5 p.m.,” organizers told us. The wine was an unexpected delight, and they said the “wines of Switzerland are probably our best-kept secret.” Wine enthusiasts will certainly want to take advantage of Open Cellars Days in early May, when Swiss wine producers open their doors to the public.

There was plenty of news to share about new hotels, activities, infrastructure investment, and deals. As part of their “Grand Tour,” a driving route they say “will one day be as famous as Route 66,” they’ve installed more than 20 “photo spots” for selfies, with additional ones to come. They’re also launching the world’s first route for an electric car road trip. That will be ready by the beginning of the 2017 summer season, with charging stations available along the 1,600-km “E-Grand Tour.”

Geneva is also celebrating the “year without summer,” with a special exhibit at the Musée Rath, running until Mar. 19, 2017. An unseasonably cold summer on the shores of Lake Geneva in 1816 led to three great literary pieces, including Frankenstein. The exhibit uses this (and other works) to revisit “the historical context and social fictions of the last centuries.”

For those looking for luxury, the Royal Spa five-star hotel in Lausanne has reopened its doors after “a total facelift.” It’s chateau atmosphere now has a 1,500-square-metre spa area. A unique offering in the northern part of Lausanne is AQUATIS, which features an aquarium, a three-star hotel, and a conference centre. They also announced that Swizterland now has its first Ritz-Carlton, located in Geneva.

And of course, organizers highlighted Switzerland’s winter offerings. It’s now Christmas market season, and skiing is a huge draw for tourists. In Valais, cable car and ski lift operators are investing more than 100 million Swiss Francs to expand their infrastructure for the coming winter season. Organizers also recognized that for North Americans, Switzerland can be expensive. To help with that, in Villars-Les Diablerets, from Jan. 9 to Feb. 3, and Mar. 6 to Apr. 17, if you book an overnight stay at one of 20 partner hotels, the adult daily ski package is only 20 Swiss Francs, and children up to nine years old ski for free. “We’re trying to make it more affordable.”

For more information, visit myswitzerland.com.