A lady and a gentleman admiring the flora and fauna in the mountains.
A bouquet of flowers and insider knowledge
Slow down, look closely and experience the sheer beauty of the great outdoors. A stroll along the flower trail with Willy Aegerter.
Welcome to the Gstaad holiday region – a high alpine valley where time seems to stand still and nature is at its most pristine. The hilly landscape unfolds gently, framed by magnificent mountains on either side. The sun is already peeking above the horizon. It’s the dawn of a new day for Willy Aegerter. The exquisite fragrance of the wildflowers in his garden wafts through the air, mingled with the aroma of the first cup of morning coffee.
Willy greets the day with a simple yet hearty breakfast: fresh bread, spread with local alpine butter made from the finest milk from Simmental cows. This is topped by flavoursome blossom honey, made from the wonderful nectar collected from this untouched landscape by the local bees. Its sweet yet tart taste is redolent of the untrammelled countryside that makes Gstaad and the surrounding area such a paradise for nature lovers.
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GST / Melanie Uhkötter
Slow down and enjoy the journey
Willy, a Schönried native, was infatuated with the beauty of the landscape from a young age. Even as a little boy, he knew to value its magical sense of calm and incredible potency. As a young man, his love of the great outdoors led him to train as a mountain guide and snow sports instructor. For years now, he has been sharing his passion for alpine flora with keen visitors on every step of his tours. His flower-spotting excursions are usually fully booked.
On the Hornberg, Willy maintains and nurtures the Blumenweg (flower trail), a nature trail with lots of information about wild alpine flora, punctuated with meticulous displays that impart fascinating facts about the individual plants. This circular hike from Horneggli valley station has superb views and is easily doable for everyone. Willy is a big believer in slow sightseeing, and pauses frequently. He is constantly urging his groups to look around them and take in the scenery. Slowing down like this is the best way to bring your body and mind into harmony.
No need to rush
Life as a mountain guide has taught Willy patience and respect, which he considers to be his greatest strengths today. He likes to pass this philosophy on to his guests, emphasising the importance of diversity in nature, which is apparent to anyone prepared to look closely and immerse themselves in the beauty of the moment. He is happy to provide information along the way and often encounters groups of hikers on the trail. He points out a rare azalea here, an emerging wild orchid there, brimming over with enthusiasm as he points out rare alpine flowers. He talks about the symbiosis between plants and insects, especially bees. Every organism contributes to the overall balance of the ecosystem in which we live. His deep respect for the environment and burning desire to pass on his invaluable knowledge is clear from every word he speaks.
After many hours on the trail, Willy likes to while away the evening relaxing in the garden in front of his chalet and reflecting on the day. Cup of tea in hand, he gazes out over the magnificent mountain panorama. Twilight settles over the valley like a gentle veil, as the last rays of sunshine gild the outline of the peaks. The magic hour, l’heure bleue, has arrived.
In these quiet moments, Willy knows that every day in Saanenland is a gift bestowed by nature. And he wants to share it with others. There’s no need to rush here. Musing on his good fortune, he thinks that there’s a lot of truth in the old legend that God created the Saanenland specially. The story goes that on the seventh day, when God had finished his work, he propped himself up on his left hand, forming the five valleys around Gstaad.
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