Gstaad
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gstaad (pronounced [ˈkʃtaːd̥]) (Population: 2500) is a village located () 1050 m above sea level, in the German-speaking section of the Bern canton in western Switzerland. Gstaad is part of the municipality of Saanen.
Contents |
[edit] Tourism
Gstaad is known for its luxury hotels and shopping, fine dining, excellent service, and international stars. It is also one of the largest ski areas in Europe. The town is located in the Bernese Oberland in the Alps.
It is a snow paradise, which encompasses the Saanenland and Schoenried ski regions, as well as the Glacier 3000 ski area. It is also famous for its renowned hotel resort, the Gstaad Palace.
It is known as a ski resort for the wealthy elite. Grace Kelly and her husband Rainier III, Prince of Monaco owned a luxurious chalet there.
With a wide range of events, its Alpine scenery, and the array of warm-weather activities on offer, the village is a summer destination as well as a winter one.
Gstaad is a bit quieter than either Zermatt or St. Moritz, and is notably free of paparazzi and autograph seekers, thus offering yet another attraction for the rich and famous. These include, among others, Roger Moore, Ursula Andress, Tina Turner, Günter Netzer, Ernesto Bertarelli, Bernie Ecclestone, Elle Macpherson, Roger Federer, Kofi Annan, and various European royal families.
[edit] Promenade
The middle of the village has been a carfree zone since 1997. Along the Promenade that has been thus created are numerous exclusive shops, restaurants and hotels. Lending charm to the village are the houses, which are all built in the chalet style.
[edit] Regular events
In Gstaad, the following regular events are held:
- the Allianz Suisse Open tennis tournament;
- the "1to1 energy open" beach volleyball tournament;
- the "Cartier Polo Gold Cup" polo tournament;
- the "Yehudi Menuhin Festival";
- "Country Night".
Every December at The Palace Hotel, Gstaad, Bonhams auctionneers hold an exlusive Ferrari & Maserati auction which draws in the rich and famous from around the world.
[edit] Miscellaneous
- Nearby airports are Geneva Airport and Bern Airport, though many more airlines serve Geneva. Private jets and charters are served from nearby Saanen airfield.
- The local newspaper, the Anzeiger von Saanen, is the only local newspaper in Switzerland to print a regular, separate English language version. Called GstaadLife, it has been printed since 2004, appears once a week in the winter and summer high seasons, and is aimed at foreign guests who own chalets in and around Gstaad. It also has a website at GstaadLife.com that is updated all year round.
- In television, it is the birthplace of part-Swiss anaesthetist Dr. Guy Secretan, from the British sitcom Green Wing.
- The village also features prominently in the film Return of the Pink Panther and Snowboarder the movie.
- In the 1983 movie Trading Places, Dan Akroyd says that the watch he is trying to pawn "tells time simultaneously in Monte Carlo, Beverly Hills, London, Paris, Rome, and Gstaad"
