1936 On the Continent

enthusiast might debate whether it is not more lovely now than in summer. A winter sports holiday at Les Avants offers the advantage of being able to run down to Montreux whenever one wants a change, to visit a cinema or do some shopping; conversely, one can stay in Montreux and ascend to Les Avants for the sports, or else to any of the other sports stations near the town, such as Glion and Caux. The latter particularly is lovely, and is worth a visit in summer as well. Caux is the starting-point for the Rochers de Naye, the highest point in the district, whence there is a fine view. From Caux itself one can see practically the whole of Lake Geneva. In all these centres there is every variety of winter sport, ice hockey is played, and there are evening entertainments in the larger hotels.
Leysin
    Before we leave the Lake of Geneva there is one other place in the district which should be mentioned, and that is Leysin, which is reached by railway from Aigle. Here in the sanatoria are carried out the most miraculous cures of tuberculosis. Leysin itself has a very high average of sunshine and, even in January, attains nine hours a day. The air is wonderfully pure and smoking is prohibited in order that it shall not be polluted. By its position the village is sheltered from north winds, and the sun is utilised to effect a cure even of advanced cases. As the patients gradually recover they take up sports, and many stay for some time after they have shaken off the dread disease in order to regain full strength. There are schools for the children who have to stay for some time, and it is amazing to the visitor to see them sitting in the sun with barely the minimum of clothing. Leysin itself is privately owned, and the only people there besides the natives and the invalids are relatives or friends of the latter.
    Of more interest to us is the line which runs from Aigle via Le Sépey to Diablerets in the Les Ormonts valley. Diablerets offers fine opportunities for ski-ing, and a bobrunis constructed on the Col du Pillon road along which, in summer, we can drive to Gstaad. There are many fine walks in the valley and there is also the ascent of Les Diablerets to tempt the climber in summer.
The Bernese Oberland
    We must now bid farewell to the lake and go on our way to the Bernese Oberland. Our route is one of the most beautiful in the whole country. We take a train of the Montreux-Oberland-Bernois line and first of all pass through Les Avants, then through a tunnel under the Col de Jaman into the Upper Valley of the Sarine, which leads us to Montbovon, the junction for Gruyères, an exceedingly picturesque village. If we have time we can continue on the same line to Bulle and Romont, a really remarkable medieval town. However, the Oberland calls so we will continue in the main-line train to Rossinière, a small winter sports centre. Here starts the Pays d’Enhaut, a picturesque, unspoiled valley of rather less rugged character than most Swiss valleys, with mountains rising on either side. Château d’Oex, our next stop, is the most popular holiday centre in the district and is a charming spot in summer.
    The surrounding meadows are very luscious and rich in flowers and a considerable number of red and white cattle will be seen browsing. These cattle are unique to this district and to the Simmenthal, which adjoins the Pays d’Enhaut, as in the remainder of Switzerland the cattle are mostly dun coloured. In winter Château d’Oex becomes filled with visitors, mostly continental, particularly for the Fête de Nuit, a carnival which is held each season.
    After Château d’Oex we reach Saanen and then, at Gstaad, we have arrived in the Bernese Oberland, the mecca of sports enthusiasts and mountaineers. The Oberland stretches from Gstaad to the Haslital and contains such world-famous mountains as the Jungfrau and her two eternal attendants, the Mönch and Eiger. Here are to be found great glaciers whose movement is so slow that it has to be calculated at the rate of inches per year; here are some of the quaintest and oldest towns in Switzerland, conjuring up visions of the romantic Middle Ages which, alas, were mostly times of strife forthe Swiss as the great lords and feudal barons were bitterly opposed to the freedom of the cantons, and the German, Austrian and Burgundian overlords were eager to retain possession of Switzerland. Here too are the two lovely lakes of Thun and Interlaken, which are unique for their background of