It’s peak excitement for Jodie Kidd and her father John as they set off on a memorable trip to the slopes of Gstaad
It’s 5.30am, pitch black and we’re on the M25 bound for Heathrow, giggling excitedly in the back of the cab. I’m with my dad, John, and we’re heading to the slopes. It’s been about 20 years since we last skied together. Skiing was a big part of our childhood – we’d go every year and pretty much always to Switzerland, my parents’ favourite.
Dad still has vivid memories of my sister Gemma, brother Jack and I crammed into the back seats squabbling, intermixed with cries of “are we there yet?”. “It was only another 15 hours to go,” he says, “and we had no iPads back then!”.
This time though, no one’s whinging and we are soon sitting comfortably on our Swiss International Air Lines flight to Zurich and – after the repeat checks that we have filled in our forms, downloaded our Covid passes and have our masks on – we are good to go.
“Travel has become an adventure again,” my 77-year-old Dad announces, and he’s right.
It really does feel like that – something so many of us took for granted has become a complete luxury. Spending time together as a family is even more precious. As I get older, having quality time with my parents is so important to me and I really hope that I’ll have that with my son.
Dad and I have a wonderful relationship – we laugh a lot, bicker a bit and make fun of each other constantly. He’s full of stories, has travelled so much and gets chatting to everyone. That sense of discovering the world and meeting interesting people was part of my childhood. I’d say it was modelling though that ignited a real passion inside me for exploring our beautiful planet.
After arriving in Zurich airport, we head to the train – we’re in the city centre in minutes then hop on another to head southwest via Bern towards Gstaad. Dad has been skiing there several times while I have vivid memories of summer camp there when I was about 12. It was gloriously green with the tinkling of cow bells and scent of grass and wildflowers. I’ve always wanted to go back.
As we munch on delicious Swiss chocolate biscuits, we whizz past pretty lakeside Thun and the snowy peaks edge ever closer. When the train starts to climb up the forested slopes, and the snow thickens, I get a jolt of excitement.
I just adore being in the mountains – all that clean crisp air, snow, and soul-stirring views. I love living in West Sussex, but we don’t get that drama and elemental beauty. I get reset by the mountains and come back invigorated, recharged and ready for the year.
As the train rounds a corner, we look down and see the village of Gstaad. It’s a picture of Alpine gorgeousness: all twinkling lights, snow-topped wooden chalets and paved streets. Just above us, we spot the grand chalet-style Alpina Gstaad overseeing it all. This beautiful hotel is going to be our base for the next three nights.
And what a base it is. Its covert cavernous driveway through the hillside is a suitably dramatic entrance to this exclusive “home from home” in the mountains. It’s a welcoming scene inside: exquisite wood-panelling, stone fireplaces with roaring fires, and a sweeping staircase (flanked by intricate fresh flower displays). The contemporary and thought-provoking art pieces that are scattered throughout create a wonderful juxtaposition between traditional and new.
Our rooms are delightful (I’m very taken with the hand-painted cabinets and oversized cow bells doubling as bedside lamps). After a warm bath, a glass of wine and relax by the fire (and steam room for dad), we are refreshed and ready to explore. We’re meeting Céline Reuteler of Gstaad Tourism for an aperitif and to plan our visit.
She recommends we take a stroll through the village and eat in the Hotel Olden that night. It began life as an inn in 1690 and now plays host to Gstaad’s starry clientele. As we say goodbye she tells us: “It’s the kind of place where you never know who you might meet”. Inside it’s a picture of traditional Swiss elegance – we can well imagine the likes of Grace Kelly, David Niven, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton enjoying apres-ski here.
Dad spots Clavien on the wine menu, which is made by one of his old friends. Before I’ve glanced up from the menu he’s on the phone to reconnect with him – but he can’t get through!
As we toast to our upcoming adventure, over a delicious bowl of penne à la Vodka with a glass of the Valais-made wine, the waiter tells us Mr Clavien is dining in the restaurant that evening. Sure enough, Gerald is sitting at the table opposite. Céline was right, this is a place where anyone could stroll in. He joins for a few more glasses of his excellent wine as he and Dad reminisce.
Thankfully, the thrill of the piste means any lethargy from a late night immediately fades away. After a breakfast of champions – egg benedict for me while Dad enjoys his obligatory porridge – we are kitted up and meet our ski guide Alex Raaflaub. As our gondola glides up from Saanenmöser over the most gorgeous groomed wide runs he tells us he has lived here all his life. He points out the valley where his parents have a farm and the mountain where they drive their cows up to high pasture in summer.
We’re going to spend the day in Rinderberg-Saanersloch-Horneggli, the largest interconnected ski area in the Gstaad area. Up top, we soon get our confidence and ski legs back after some reassuring words from Alex. He encourages us to switch off our minds, not to think about what our legs or poles are doing and to simply feel the terrain.
And we’re off. Dad loves it – for all his claims he would stick to the nursery slopes he’s doing brilliantly. We’re far from elegant skiers but we love tearing down the slopes together with huge grins on our faces. Dad declares it’s been the most fun he’s had in ages.
We stop for lunch and more laughs at the Alpina Food Truck – a ginger pumpkin soup for dad, beef brisket burrito for me and pastrami sandwich for Alex – then it’s back to the slopes. With thighs burning, hearts pumping and cheeks glowing, we head back to the Alpina as the sun dips behind the mountains. The signature massage in the hotel’s dreamy Six Senses Spa is just what I need. It’s blissful, as is the salt grotto, lined with pink Himalayan salt with salt mist in the air.
While we were expecting to feast on hearty Swiss food, we’re wowed by the spectacular Japanese feast that appears on our table in Alpina’s MEGU restaurant. Highlights are crispy rice-cracker crumbed asparagus, yellow-tail sashimi with flecks of jalapeno, and the most incredible marbled wagyu carpaccio with sake. The waitress grates fresh wasabi (less aggressive and a subtle green) in front of us as platters of pretty sushi stream to our table. It’s a feast for all the senses and the perfect way to end our first day on the slopes.
As I sink into my bed, my body and mind wonderfully exhausted from exercise and cold mountain air, I remember Alex has promised to “blow our minds” tomorrow on a trip to Glacier 3000. Could it be possible?
Well, yes – the glacier is magical. Perched between the snow and the sun with the jaggedly beautiful peaks of the Alps all around, I feel on top of the world. It’s wonderfully quiet too with hardly any skiers on its wide blue runs.
Alex takes us to a little hut for lunch – the aptly named Refuge L’Espace sits at 2,860m on the edge of the glacier by Quille du Diable. We tuck into cold beers, hot Rougemont Fleurette tomme with truffle oil and Schüblig sausage with Bénichon mustard and fried potatoes on its sunny terrace, which has soaring views down into the forested slopes of Derborence Valley and Valais. As we keep watch for the bearded vultures who nest up here, I’m reminded of what Dad said about Gstaad on our way here.
“It’s a very special place – you have the wonderfully civilised village, fantastic food, rural traditions, and soul-stirring mountains. It’s really the dream combination.”
Read about the rest of Jodie and John’s trip where they discover Gstaad’s appeal away from the ski slopes and get a taste of the region’s enduring rural traditions.
Switzerland is easily reachable via train from London or by Swiss International Air Lines. And once you land, the famously efficient public transport will take you the regions you want to visit by train, bus or boat using the Swiss Travel Pass, available from the Switzerland Travel Centre.
Discover Switzerland for yourself at myswitzerland.com
For more on Gstaad go to gstaad.ch
Jodie and John Kidd stayed at The Alpina Gstaad
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