Highest, longest or steepest: Discovering off-grid Switzerland

Sampling Switzerland’s secret strengths
2024-08-04
/
/ New Delhi
Highest, longest or steepest: Discovering off-grid Switzerland

Switzerland Tourism collates some interesting but lesser-known facts about the off-grid Switzerland

Be it the highest rail station, splendid subterranean lakes to avant-garde innovations, the small European nation of Switzerland packs a big punch for travellers with many marvels that remain to be discovered and rediscovered.
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With a wealth of nature’s bounty pairing up with technical innovation, Switzerland might be small in size but is big when it comes to having the highest, longest, or steepest of something. In a press statement, Switzerland Tourism collates some interesting but lesser-known facts about the off-grid Switzerland.

Swiss wine: Too good to export

Swiss wine

Saillon, the smallest vineyard in the world, comprises just three vines

Wine in Switzerland is so good that the Swiss prefer to drink it all by themselves. Only 1 pc is exported, and with the Lavaux, a UNESCO World Heritage, Switzerland has one of the most beautiful wine regions in the world. Ideally, a trip to Switzerland is almost essential if one wishes to discover Swiss wines. Spread over Switzerland’s six wine regions, around 1,500 winegrowers produce their own wines. Saillon, the smallest vineyard in the world, comprises just three vines. It is located in Valais, measures 1.6 sqm and has been owned by the Dalai Lama since 1999. Besides, below the village of Visperterminen lies Europe’s highest vineyard at an elevation of between 650 m and 1,150 m above sea level.

Europe’s highest-altitude railway station: Jungfraujoch, Bern Region

Jungfraujoch, Bern Region

On clear days, views extend even beyond Switzerland’s frontiers to the Vosges mountain range in France and the Black Forest in Germany

For more than 100 years, the Jungfrau railway has been making its journey to Europe’s highest-altitude railway station at 3,454 m. The summit itself is a glacier and grotto world which lies in the Jungfrau-Aletsch UNESCO World Heritage. 

Eiger Ambassador Express is the nostalgic luxury train of Jungfrau Railways which is operating between Kleine Scheidegg and the Jungfraujoch. Visitors are afforded excellent views of the Aletsch Glacier, which at about 22.5 km are the longest in the Alps. On clear days, views extend even beyond Switzerland’s frontiers to the Vosges mountain range in France and the Black Forest in Germany.

Europe’s largest subterranean lake: St-Léonard, Valais

St-Léonard, Valais

The famous speleologist Jean-Jacques Pittard is said to have been the first person to scientifically explore the cave

Besides more than 1,500 lakes under the open sky, Switzerland also has the largest subterranean lake in Europe. Saint-Léonard underground lake is Europe’s largest subterranean lake that can be sailed upon lies between Sion and Sierre. 

Various types of stone glitter at a height of 10 m, their shapes reflected on the 6,000 sqm surface of the lake. Every year about 80,000 visitors are taken in large boats to see the lake. The famous speleologist Jean-Jacques Pittard is said to have been the first person to scientifically explore the cave.

World’s longest staircase: Mount Niesen

Mount Niesen

It takes just 30 minutes to reach the 2,362 m summit of the pyramid on the funicular railways from Mülenen

In Switzerland, not too far from Bern, there is a mountain named the Niesen which houses the world’s longest staircase. The staircase runs parallel to the Niesen train that runs up the mountains steep flanks and counts 11,674 steps. 

The near-perfect pyramid shape of this mountain has inspired many an artist to depict it. It takes just 30 minutes to reach the 2,362 m summit of the pyramid on the funicular railways from Mülenen. Views over the Bernese Alps as far as Lake Thun and the Simmen Valley are said to be more spectacular as viewed from the transparent glass pavillion. Things are a bit tougher for contestants in the traditional Niesen race, up the stairway, which, other than during this race, use of the steps is not permitted. 

World’s first bridge between two mountain peaks: Les Diablerets, Lake Geneva Region

Les Diablerets, Lake Geneva Region

The 107 metre-long and 80 centimetre wide bridge connects the view point lookout with the Scex Rouge

On Glacier 3000, visitors can find the first and only suspension bridge in the world that connects two mountain peaks. From the 107 m long bridge they can even see the Matterhorn, the Mont Blanc massif and the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau. 

The 107 metre-long and 80 centimetre wide bridge connects the view point lookout with the Scex Rouge. And as visitors take to the circular summit tour on the Peak Walk. Access to the suspension bridge, which, weather permitting, is open year round, is free of charge for visitors to the Glacier 3000.

Tallest gravity dam is located in the Swiss Alps: Grande Dixence Dam, Valais

Grande Dixence Dam

A cable car carries visitors up from the car park and bus terminus to the top of the Dixence dam

The Grande Dixence is the world’s highest gravity dam. It collects melting water from 35 Valaisian glaciers in the region surrounding Zermatt and leading up to Val d’Hérens and can hold up to 400 billion litres of water. The dam is a visitor attraction and also the starting point for mountain hikes. Guided tours with slide shows and films take place in the interior of the dam. 

A cable car carries visitors up from the car park and bus terminus to the top of the Dixence dam, where they can enjoy an impressive panoramic view of the Valais mountains and over the long lake. Diverse mountain tours, such as that over the Steinbockhöhenweg highland path, created by Grande Dixence SA in collaboration with Pro Natura Valais, start here.

Around 6 pc of Europe’s drinking water resources are located in Switzerland

drinking water resources in Switzerland

Energie Zukunft Schweiz (energy future Switzerland) offers tours behind the scenes and show, how drinking water is produced in different Swiss cities

Switzerland is considered the water castle of Europe. The water distributed in Switzerland meets very high-quality standards, it is even possible to drink from every outdoor fountain, unless otherwise indicated. Energie Zukunft Schweiz (energy future Switzerland) offers tours behind the scenes and show, how drinking water is produced in different Swiss cities. In Switzerland this is ensured by approximately 3000 small and large drinking water facilities. The guided tours have a duration of 1-2 hours and can be booked for Basel, Olten, Grenchen, Zug.

Swiss Railways: 90 pc hydropowered

Swiss Railways

Over 90 pc of trains are hydro powered

Rail travel forms the backbone of sustainable mobility in Switzerland. Over 90 pc of trains are hydro powered and public transport is also the safest way to travel, as it emits less CO₂ than any other motorised transport option. SBB (Swiss Federal Railways), the country’s biggest transport company, generates the electricity for its trains from hydropower. 

Energy procurement for stations, offices as well as company and production buildings is already 100 pc CO2-neutral. By 2025, all electricity is planned to come from renewable sources. 

Internet was invented in Switzerland

CERN

World Wide Web was invented at CERN in 1989

The World Wide Web was invented at CERN in 1989. The organisation decided to keep the Web in the public domain, a decision well in line with Geneva’s international spirit. CERN, the European Organisation for Nuclear Research, is one of the world’s largest and most respected centres for scientific research.

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