Day 34: Gryon - Les Diablerets - Gstaad - Montreux - Gryon

 Sunday 14th July

A stunning morning!


We have a couple of interrail travel days we’ve not used and so today we did a round trip from Gryon over the mountain to Les Diablerets, then on Gstaad and Montreux before returning to Gryon.

First we caught the train up the hill for 5 minutes to La Barbaleuse before taking the bus up to Col de La Croix.





From Col de La Croix we walked down to Les Diablerets, first through high alpine scenery ….


…then down through the woods..





…and into pastures.



Then things started to go a bit amiss. After yesterday I should have known better than to trust the Outdooractive app! First came the cows


…then the muck from the cows, then the boggy fields, followed by the electrified fence, thistles, horseflies and ticks. Jill was not amused (again)!


Eventually we emerged into the sleepy calm of Les Diablarets, no doubt a bustling ski resort in winter, but very quiet on a Sunday in July. 

After a short break and small refreshment the bus to Gstaad arrived.


No problems with rural Sunday services here. The journey took us past the cable car station to Glacier 3000.


How long before it needs to be renamed? The scenery, as elsewhere in Switzerland, was wonderful.


Gstaad was very different to Les Diablarets.


An affluent place with lots of folk about.


The Golden Pass Express runs through Gstaad and is free (first class panoramic car) with our interrail pass.








From Montreux to Bex we had a first class compartment to ourselves, 


…before travelling up the hill in the two coach train to Gryon. Apparently, it is cog wheel for the steeper bits and a cog descends from the train to catch the pinion on the tracks. It’s a lovely trip.






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