Sale of farms in the Swiss Alps. A farm in the Alps or how Abondance cheese is made
The Swiss Alps are one of the most sought-after resorts in Western Europe. It is here that famous top models, show business stars, politicians and oligarchs come to ski.
Switzerland is a country that is famous not only for its highly developed and stable banking system, but also for all kinds of natural beauties. Here is just a unique area that combines cleanest lakes, endless valleys, snow-capped mountains covered with virgin forests. All this natural beauty is intertwined with magnificent architecture and works of art.
Real estate prices
If you are thinking about buying a home abroad, then you need to pay special attention to houses in the mountains. The cost of a chalet in the Alps will be quite high, since almost all real estate in these parts is elite. Nevertheless, this is an excellent investment for your funds, as housing prices in this region are constantly rising.
If you have already decided to buy a chalet in the Alps, then you should know that there are three most popular places to invest:
- chalet in the Austrian mountains;
- chalets in Swiss resorts;
- chalet in the french alps.
The most elite, of course, housing in Switzerland, because its cost will be significantly higher. Buying a chalet in the Alps is not so easy, even with money. Buying a house abroad is, in principle, a rather time-consuming process, so it is better to entrust such work to professionals.
Do I need to use intermediaries?
Our professional agency, which specializes in selling real estate abroad, has a high-quality website where you can see current offers and prices.
We advise you to contact our specialists in order to be sure of the transaction and not to “give” a lot of money to scammers who put up non-existent living space for sale. Believe me, dishonest people are enough. Why take such a risk? ATRealty works transparently, and therefore gives guarantees.
Selling a chalet in the Alps has become a very popular destination these days, because many people want to buy a piece of paradise in an ecologically clean place on Earth. This purchase will be your best investment!
In the vicinity of the village of Châtel (Haute Savoie, 3 km from the Swiss border, it is a ski resort) there are 38 farms that produce mainly cheese. The tourism office organizes a tour of one farm once a week.
The name of the cheese "Abondance" (Abundance) comes from the name of the valley of Abondance in Haute-Savoie, where the monks of the abbey of Abondance began the production of cheese already in the fifth century. They also brought out the breed of cows. In 1381, Abondance Abbey was chosen as the official supplier of cheeses to the table of the conclave that met to select the Pope. More than 1,500 kilograms of Abondance cheese were sent to Avignon. At one time, this cheese even served as a cash coin.
Abondance cheese has been AOC certified since 1990 and is now produced on 60 farms. They make it all year round, but the best is considered to be made from the milk of summer milking.
There are 35 Abondance cows on the farm. These cows are small, brown, with a point around the eye, adapted to life in the mountains. 
Cows are milked twice a day, the milk is poured into a copper vat, an enzyme is added, heated, it sours for a day, and the consistency of liquid cottage cheese is obtained. Then they take a special linen rag, pick up this cottage cheese in it and put it in a mold under the press. It turned out five heads of cheese. When it lies down a little, the rags are changed to dry ones and left under pressure for a day. 
The remaining milk is fed to the pig. 
After a day of lying under pressure, the cheeses are taken to the cellar and placed on special boards made of spruce 
.
There are about 400 cheeses in the cellar. All have markings: date, manufacturer number. Green means farmer's cheese. 
Further, attention, each head of cheese (about four hundred!) everyday turn over. The head weighs from 7 to 12 kg, depending on the amount of milk produced. At the same time, some are coated with coarse salt, and some are washed. 
Three months the cheese lies in the cellar, then it is handed over to the cooperative (lack of space), and there it ripens for another three months, then they are sold. In summer, cows graze in the mountains, on ski slopes. The farmer lives at this time in a second chalet in the mountains and makes cheese there. Only two people work on the farm - he and his wife. No holidays, no weekends, no trips, but he said that he really liked his life and did not need anything else.
Villars is a resort in the Swiss Alps, where you can find something to your liking both in the warm season and in winter. Botanical trails, oven-melted cheese, apricot liqueur, Après-ski palm bar, Ollon vineyards and the best views in our guide to Villars.
In the photo: vineyards in the vicinity of Villars
The pastoral resort of Villars is spread out on the natural balcony of the Vaudois Alps at an altitude of 1300 meters. Below is Lake Leman (or Geneva, as they used to call it) with Lausanne (), Montreux and Vevey, where you can go at any time if you miss city life.
In the photo: the Swiss Alps, the landscape of the surroundings of Villars
And here, at the height, everything was discovered for which it is customary to love the Swiss Alps. At any time of the year - piercing fresh air and a view of the tops of Mont Blanc, in summer - wooden houses with flowers and meadows with well-fed cows, in winter - picturesque snowdrifts.
In the photo: lake and mountains in the vicinity of Villars
Villars can be reached by bus, but we recommend taking the narrow gauge railway(from about 45 minutes, from Montreux and Vevey - 30 minutes). The train looks like a tram and makes its way through the picturesque places, and forest dwellers like roe deer can easily come out to stare at you.
By the way, thanks to the exceptional care for nature, Villar is considered one of the most environmentally friendly clean places in Switzerland. For winter holiday Villar was once chosen by Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier, the Duchess of Westminster, the Belgian royal family, Roger Moore, Phil Collins and Sophia Loren. And when David Bowie moved to Lake Lehman from America in the 70s, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards visited Breteuil, located in Villars, for skiing.
LATE SPRING, SUMMER AND EARLY AUTUMN
In the warm season, Villard is good primarily for walks. Wander through the mountains and forests, along pastures and inhale the smell of alpine flowers and herbs. The resort has about 300 kilometers of hiking trails and 50 km of mountain bike trails. A number of hiking trails are designed to explore the flora and fauna and have been developed in collaboration with the University of Lausanne and biologists.
In the photo: pastures in the vicinity of Villars
Unity with nature is addictive. As our new acquaintance, the dearest Guy Chanel from the Villars tourism office, said, he used to live in Lausanne, but then moved to the mountains, breathes alpine air every day, drinks coffee overlooking the mountains and is very pleased.
Ecotourism can be continued with acquaintance with vineyards and farms. Ollon is famous for its vineyards, which are worth admiring during the green seasons.
By the way, Ollon is home to two of the region's wine celebrities, winemakers Bernard Cavet and Pierre-Alain Meilan. Look for Bernard Cave and Pierre-Alain Meylan wines in restaurants, we especially recommend the red varieties Pinot Noir, Gamaret and Gamay, whites are traditionally Chasselas. Swiss wines are excellent in quality and taste.
In addition, until mid-autumn (farms are closed for the winter) there is the opportunity to visit one of the Villars cheese factories to see how Etivaz, the signature variety of the canton of Vaud, is prepared.
VILLAR IN WINTER
Villard is one of the important Swiss ski resorts, the total length of the tracks is 125 km. The resort has a long season, which lasts from December to March.
The most pleasant time is February and March, when Europeans come to the resort: everything is open, snow and sun are in abundance. The ski area includes Villars, Breteuil, Gryon, Les Diablerets. Grace Kelly, the Belgian royal family, Roger Moore and the rollers honed their skiing skills there.
In the photo: the train to the ski resort
If skiing doesn’t appeal to you, then we inform you that many people go to Villars for the entourage of the Swiss Alpine resorts: sunbathing on a sun lounger overlooking the Alps (remember Audrey Hepburn at the beginning of Charade?), Après-ski cocktails, raclette and apricot tincture after a frosty day.
Those who do not dare to master skiing can go for a walk in the mountains on snowshoes accompanied by an instructor, as well as frolic on sleds or ice skates.
We asked regular Villara about best places in winter:
“A favorite place to start Après-ski is Le Bar Chez Jimmy with palm trees, music and sun loungers for mountaineers. From there you have a beautiful view and it is very nice to have a glass of wine or champagne before descending to Villars. Eating in the mountains - L'Etable.
In the photo: dessert from Eurotel Victoria with Alpine flowers
There the chef prepares dishes with the addition of Alpine herbs and flowers. In December, the new location (Hotel du Lac) opens a cafe by Australian chef Cookie Bar & Restaurant, which makes a successful mix of European and Asian cuisines.”
In the photo: the chief of Eurotel Victoria collects herbs
Let's add about the excellent Chalet Royalp & Spa hotel: with a terrace overlooking the Alps, spacious designer rooms in the style of wooden chalets and a spa of 1200 square meters, which received the World Luxury Spa Awards and N ° 1 Spa Hotel by Trip Advisor's Choice.
GASTRONOMY
When you come to Villars in the summer, be sure to eat fish from Lake Leman (trout and perch) and dishes with freshly picked herbs and flowers. In winter, solid mountain cuisine awaits - fondue, local mushrooms in melted cheese, sausages, raclette and Vacherin Mont-d'Or. Such cuisine is best tasted in traditional establishments, ideally in some kind of house at the top. Fondue is more or less known, but let's dwell on the last two dishes in more detail.
To prepare raclette, a head of cheese is hung over an open fire, and when it has melted enough, pieces are cut off and placed on a plate. Raclette is eaten with pickles and boiled potatoes.
For Vacherin Mont-d'Or, they take cheese, which is sold in a special wooden basket. The basket is wrapped in foil, white wine is poured on top of the cheese, a couple of garlic cloves are stuck in and placed in a preheated oven for 25 minutes. The finished dish is eaten with bread or jacket potatoes.
The Swiss follow the rule for all dishes with melted cheese - you can’t drink them with water, only with wine, otherwise it will be difficult for the stomach to digest food.
Pictured: Pierre-Alain Meylan winery
At any time of the year, try the excellent local wines from Ollon, and if you need to warm up, apricot or pear vodka (Abricotine and Williamine) will come in handy. Traditional desserts are meringues with Gruyère double cream and chocolate fondant, which is also served with heavy Alpine cream.
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Lyudmila Egorshina- Lyudmila Egorshina - former columnist for Afisha magazine and columnist for travel, culture and fashion on elle.ru. She has traveled half the world, but she has a special inclination towards Asian culture and Italian cuisine.
