Take a grand tour of Switzerland
Promotion offers easy access to beautiful country
The tribute band Simply Queen, featuring Rick Rock as the late Freddie Mercury, performed in Burlington at Canada’s Largest Ribfest in August of 2014.
A few years ago, Chaplin: About Face, a one-person show with Jason Allin starring as silent screen legend Charlie Chaplin, played at Hamilton’s Theatre Aquarius.
These thoughts were with me recently when I strolled the waterfront near Montreux, Switzerland — the city both entertainers called home late in their careers. So popular were these two stars in their adopted land that life-size statues to their memory stand several kilometres apart on this stretch of Lake Geneva shoreline known as the Swiss Riviera.
But the adulation for these two disparate performers — one a rock megastar, the other a brilliant pantomime and slapstick comic — goes far beyond bronze effigies to their memory. Their worldwide legion of fans will soon be able to get up close and personal with a smorgasbord of memorabilia at museums housing costumes, videos, songsheets, iconic photos and costumes worn during their stage and screen appearances.
Such a permanent display of Mercury artifacts already exists at the Casino Barrière de Montreux, which incorporates the original Mountain Studio where Queen recorded many of its greatest hits. Entrance to the museum is free, but you can drop a bundle wending your way through the slot machines and roulette tables to get there. Don’t ask me how I know!
As for the other entertainer who spent his final years in the area, silent film fans are awaiting an event several months from now when eight offspring of “The Little Tramp” are expected to be on hand to cut the ribbon for a state-of-theart world-class exhibit. It’s called Chaplin’s World: The Modern Times Museum, currently under construction at Charlie’s former mansion near the town of Vevey in the hills just a few kilometres above Montreux.
The Chaplin siblings have turned over the rights to all the scripts, films, original songs, set designs and other mementoes to a consortium that is turning the estate — Manoir de Ban — into a vast 14-hectare theme park dedicated to Charlie’s memory.
Canadians can be proud of the fact that responsibility for overseeing the construction of the complex has been given to Yves Durand, a native of Quebec City and a man with a great deal of experience in developing worldwide projects of this nature.
The Montreux area, of course, represents only one precious gem in the Swiss crown that nestles in the virtual centre of Western Europe, surrounded by France, Germany, Italy, Austria and Liechtenstein. So cosmopolitan is this tourist haven that, depending on which part of the country you visit, you might on the rare occasion have to haul out your multilingual dictionary to converse in French, German, Italian or Romansh with the few locals not fluent in English.
And there truly is something to suit all tastes in this land known for its alpine peaks, sparkling lakes, world-famous cheese and delectable chocolate products. There’s the boat ride on Lake Lucerne that takes you to Mount Rigi and a funicular rail journey to the top of the world. Or the spectacular and panoramic view of three mountain peaks in the Interlaken region — the Eiger, Jungfrau and Monch. In summer, float down Bern’s Aare River on an inflated tube before taking a stroll along the ancient Kramgrasse, or Grocers Alley, where tourists flock to see the city’s centuries-old Zytglogge — a clock tower with moving puppets that sound out the hour.
If the Olympics is of interest, you can tour Lausanne’s museum dedicated to the accomplishments of the champions of amateur sports. Or you can climb a high hill to visit the 13th-Century Cathedral of Notre Dame, considered the most beautiful Gothic church in all of Switzerland.
Geneva is known as the city of parks, with 20 per cent of its land devoted to green space. You can tour this lush area by bicycle — or, for the less energetic, there are electronically-assisted twowheelers with motors that take over when the going gets a little tough.
Zurich, the country’s largest city, is of particular interest to those of a cultural bent — with more than 50 museums and over 100 art galleries. Lugano, dubbed the Monte Carlo of Switzerland because of its popularity among world celebrities, dates back to the 9th Century and boasts a number of heritage sites including three cathedrals, two ancient libraries and several museums. A world-famous classical music festival is held here each summer.
The list of cities, towns and villages worth a visit is almost endless. And thanks to a new initiative by the Swiss tourism promotion folks, there is no easier country to explore. The promotion is called the Grand Tour of Switzerland and offers a comprehensive travel pass that, with very few exceptions, allows the visitor to hop on and off trains, trams, buses and ferries anywhere within the country’s borders.
The promotion bureau’s website, at www.myswitzerland.com, explains the initiative this way: On the Grand Tour of Switzerland, the journey is the goal. This route will lead you 1000 miles through four language regions, over five Alpine passes, to eleven UNESCO World Heritage Sites as well as two biospheres and along 22 lakes. This tour provides a concentrated insight into Switzerland, with exquisite scenic views and cultural jewels.
The mere thought of all this splendour is enough to make an inveterate traveller break out in a lusty yodel!