Epic Europe | A Year in the Life - 2013

Page 1


date:

location:

23/11/12

Musée d’Art et d’Histoire, Genève. 375M

time:

An empty post-Thanksgiving day (Epic Europe holiday!) to see the incredible ex-

3:05 PM

hibition “Picasso through the lens of David Douglas Duncan”. A special view into the artist’s private life and creative process paired with an impressive collection of art.



date:

location:

time:

Overlooking the Monte Rosa Massif, from the top of the Gornergrat cog railway,

12/23/12

GORNERGRAT 3090M

2:05 PM

Zermatt. Scoping ski lines below the Dufourspitze, the highest heli drop in Europe, followed by a 2400m (7875 ft.) descent back to town.



date:

location:

time: On the Swiss-Italian border between Zer-

29/12/12

TESTA GRIGIA, 3480M

4:00 PM

matt & Cervinia, after a ski-transfer of guests’ luggage, and a late afternoon lunch on the slopes.



date:

15/01/13

location:

BĂ‚ COMBE, VERBIER 2175M

time:

One of those days where everything falls into place, and you find yourself in the

12:30 PM

right place just as the clouds clear, revealing wide slopes of uncut powder all the way to the Village, and you can admire your tracks from the chalet deck.



date:

location:

time: Restaurant Findlerhof, better known as

27/01/13

FINDELN, ZERMATT 2051M

Franz & Heidi’s, may just hold the title of

1:45 PM

best mountain restaurant view in the world. It also may be the best mountain restaurant in the world, on any given day as well.



date:

location:

time: Traversing the high glacial moonscape be-

07/02/13

CASTOR & POLLUX 3785M

fore a long descent back to Zermatt from

10:30 AM

the Schwarztor pass. Our Zermatt-born 4th generation mountain guide leads the way to the notch between the 4000m peaks.



date:

location:

time:

Looking west over Lac Leman, which is below the sea of clouds, from the peaks

21/03/13

GLACIER3000 3000M

5:05 PM

which mark the start of the Bernese Oberland. Spring skiing days often end like this, a gorgeous sunset at the end of a long afternoon with a magnificent view.



date:

02/04/13

location:

FELIKJĂ–CH GLACIER, 3675M

time:

Ideal conditions lined up to create an opportunity for a first descent of the season of

11:15 AM

this iconic ski run, skirting the steeps of Lyskamm and navigating a tricky crevasse field, then revealing hundreds of silky powder turns to a memorable lunch.



date:

location:

time:

We came to Tuscany to escape the late snows of the Alps, and found the most ver-

10/05/13

PONTIGNANO, CHIANTI

3:27 PM

dant landscape in memory, where heavy rains had drenched the terra-cotta hillsides. The perfect climate for early spring road rides on the secret roads of Chianti.



date:

20/05/13

location:

PIAZZA DELLE SIGNORIA, FIRENZE

time:

Catching a snooze on an empty sidestreet before the true dog days of summer begin

2:05 PM

in the historic city of art and culture. Just a block from the Uffizi, we love Firenze in the off-season with plenty of room to explore without throngs of tourists.



date:

location:

22/06/13

GURALETSCH ALP 2018M

time:

Hiking in the Valsertal, far above the award-winning Thermes Vals, we stumbled

10:00 AM

upon a hamlet of stone Walser barns, lovingly restored by cheesemaker Felix and his family, who spend the summers at altitude with their herd of goats.



date:

location:

15/07/13

ROCHERS DE NAYE 2042M

time:

Climbing aboard the cog-rail train to the top affords the ultimate view of Mont Blanc

4:27 PM

and Lac Leman. Descending by mountainbike on centuries-old trails to the cosmopolitain town of Montreux just in time for a picnic and the world-class Jazz Festival.



date:

location:

time: A quiet moment at sunset during Mountain

28/07/12

CHAMPÉRY 1050M

Bike World Cup in Champéry Switzerland.

6:05 PM

This quiet village at the head of Val d’Illiez has become the mountainbike Mecca of the European Alps.



date:

01/08/12

location:

LE MOAY. VAL DE BAGNES SWITZERLAND 1550M

time: FĂŞte National - Swiss National Day: Across the country, people spend the day with

10:15 PM

family in the countryside, large bonfires are built, sometimes on mountaintops, and many glasses of local wine are consumed.



date:

location:

time:

UNESCO Heritage site and capital of Switzerland, this perfectly-preserved medieval

12/08/13

BERN 542M

4:55 PM

town thrives with cafĂŠ culture, museums, and old-world elements side-by-side. here, the Zytglogge astrological clock, dating back to 1530, marks the western gate.



date:

27/08/12

location:

GLETSCH SWITZERLAND 1757M

time:

Tiny hamlet of Gletsch at the head of the Rhone Valley, 100 years ago the glacier-

7:10 AM

almost reached the church and the villagers sought the popes assistance to stop the encroaching ice. Today they have asked the Pope to stop the ice from melting.



date:

location:

time: While hiking from Oberalp Pass to the

02/09/13

LAI DA CUNERA , TUJETSCH 1956M

Maighelshütte, we got a view from “where

5:35 PM

the trail ends” of this pristine, remote lake. A nice place to watch the shadows grow long up the far side of the valley.



date:

12/09/13

location:

FULLY SWITZERLAND 700M

time:

Combe d’Enfer, Domaine de Fully on the Swiss Rhône is Switzerland’s densest wine-

12:25 PM

growing region. The hundreds of small producers grow an array of varietals which are locally-revered, yet unknown outside of the country.



date:

location:

time:

Désalpe/Bagnes Capitale de la Raclette The tradition of parading the queen cows

23/09/12

LE CHÂBLE VS, 821M

3:30 PM

of the herd through the village, after they descent from the high pastures. Also a celebration of the Valley’s famous local cheese, melted under an open flame.



date:

11/10/12

location:

ZENTRUM PAUL KLEE BERN

time:

Paul Klee Museum in Bern, designed by Italian Architect Renzo Piano. One of the

7:00 PM

founding members of the Bauhaus, Paul Klee’s work spans from expressionism to cubism and surrealism, and his use of materials and creativity is equally as diverse.



date:

location:

time:

(Cover) The last light of the day hitting the majestic Matterhorn on the trail to the

23/12/12

ZERMATT 1700M

6:05 PM

summer hamlet of Zmutt. Crocus flowers are some of the first to pop out of the snowmelt, signaling the arrival of spring in this valley.

Epic Europe specializes in providing bespoke travel experiences for small private groups in the Alps and beyond. www.epiceurope.com | info@epiceurope.com


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.