alps

Stretching from France to Slovenia and covering 1,200 kilometers (750 miles), the Alps are a prominent foundation for European culture. Travelers today, like those of the past, are inspired by these beautiful and imposing mountains. Over the years, stories of legendary travelers who traversed these breathtaking mountains have been passed down from generation to generation. Under the UrdenseeCenturies ago, a feeble old woman made her way to a humble hut in a valley. She begged for some food and drink from the sneering farmer. The farmer turned her away, refusing to feed a beggar. Despite her pitiable protests, he bid her to leave.

The world-class ski resort of Verbier lies in the southwest of Switzerland in the canton of Valais. When it comes to skiing in Switzerland, no resort is more idyllic than Verbier. Although not a familiar name to many Americans, Verbier certainly does not go unnoticed. Celebrity regulars include Jamie Oliver, Leonardo DiCaprio, Princess Mary and Prince Frederik of Denmark, and the ever-fashionable David and Victoria Beckham. Jeremy Rollason, Managing Director of Alpine Homes International, calls Verbier “the benchmark for Swiss ski resorts.”

A large map of the world, plastered with clusters of brightly-colored sewing pins, hangs in the home of 73-year-old Myrna Towers. Each pin marks a place that Towers, her husband, Dave, or one of their six children has visited. Myrna and Dave have traveled extensively, and have lived in Great Britain, Cambodia, and Hong Kong. What the map does not show, however, is where they have slept on their travels. A cabin on the African savanna, a chateau in the Alps, and a hut in Mexico are only a few. “If you stay in Best Westerns everywhere you go, you’ll have a very typical trip,” says Towers. They are always on the alert for rare lodging opportunities.

First Place Three OrphansPhoto by Stephanie Jarstad

A couple of summers ago, I took a ten-day trip to Europe with my best friend, Jess Ward. We went to Paris, Berlin, and London. We looked at paintings by Monet, walked along the Berlin Wall, and traversed our way through London’s subway system. But it turned out that some of the best days we had in Europe were on our two-day stopover in a remote village in Switzerland, one that we had learned about through my family friend who had talked about the place for years. And so off we went.