Alpine Pearls, the authentic mountain

After a comfortable journey, you wander through the mountain village you have been looking for for your holiday.

It is an alpine village of the network Alpine Pearls.

An authentic mountain village, with its traditional habitat, its small church, at the bottom of a pretty valley whose fir trees are covered with snow in winter, or on a slope enjoying the sun of a beautiful summer day.

Whatever the season, the villagers go about their business: shopkeepers tidying up their shops, farmers crossing the main street with their animals, cheesemakers selling their products at the market on the main square, but also notables going to their offices, a priest welcoming parishioners to prepare for the patronal festival, and the elderly talking about the world in a tavern or sitting on the terrace of a café in the sun.

AlpAddict in Werfenweng — Werfenweng, view of the mountains, (c)BethelFath TVB Werfenweng

Not forgetting the restaurants where you can smell the scents of local cuisine on every street corner!

An authentic mountain village who lives all year round, with or without tourists.

In the villages of the network Alpine Pearls, not only are tourists welcome, but they are also offered a host of activities. Classic and typical mountain activities in winter and summer – skiing, climbing, mountain biking – but also discoveries specific to the culture and tradition of the village in which you are staying.

Mixing authenticity, sport, discovery, entertainment and tradition, that is the spirit of a village Alpine Pearls.

What is the Alpine Pearls Village Network?

The Alpine Pearls logo

Without going into the official details of the origin of this network of villages – whose history and objectives you can consult in detail on the Alpine Pearls website , we can simplify by saying that there was a desire in Europe to unite around a single label mountain villages which develop tourism while respecting the environment which surrounds them.

These villages, currently around twenty, are located in Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Slovenia, a real necklace of Alpine pearls.

Du Piedmont to the Aosta Valley In Ceresole Reale, Chamois-La Magdeleine, Cogne and Limone Piemonte you will discover the great landscapes of the Alps on the French-Italian border.

From the almost complete Bavaria through Bad Reichenhall and Berchtesgaden to the'Italy Dolomites and its picturesque villages of Alpe Cimbra, Moena, Moos in Passeier, Villnöss, Ratschings, Forni di Sopra, you immerse yourself in a very strong local culture and tradition, and enjoy an extremely refined gastronomy.

En Switzerland in Disentis-Müster and in Austria In Weissensee, Mallnitz, Hinterstoder and Werfenweng you can enjoy the tradition of hospitality and the beauty of the landscapes worthy of the most beautiful postcards.

En Slovenia In Bled and Bohinj, finally, you will be surprised by the beauty of the Triglav massif and will enjoy the change of scenery offered by this country at the crossroads of the Slavic and Germanic worlds.

Why these five countries? When you walk in the Austrian, German, Swiss, Slovenian or Italian Alps, you notice that the villages and valleys are not sacrificed to the God of Tourism only. These villages have kept their cultural originalities, their traditional economic activities, and have added a reasonable tourist component to their economy. It is a supplement of resource, a progressive transition. In the villages Alpine Pearls, few or no large housing developments, few or no tourist residences whose apartments remain empty for a large part of the year. Urban growth has been harmonious, based on economic needs. We hope to have Alpine Pearls in France very soon!

The villages Alpine Pearls who share this authentic vision of the mountain have formed a network whose watchword is soft mobility.

Alpine Pearls, villages committed to soft mobility

AlpAddict in a carriage — Carriage ride, (c)TVB Werfenweng; Bethel Fath

To put it simply, the soft mobility, is when we reduce the use of the car. Both to access the village, to move around inside it or when we go on excursions in the surrounding area.

These villages are located at reasonable distances from a railway station, which makes it very easy to get there by train. Some of them have a station within the village itself, which makes the journey even more comfortable. These are Limone Piemonte in Italy, and most of the German, Austrian, Swiss and Slovenian Pearls.

Shuttles take you to your hotel, and a well-integrated bus network allows you to get around and discover the village and its activities. It is a guarantee of soft mobility.

The guest cards issued by your host entitle you to these free services. soft mobilityYou will be encouraged to do something for the environment, and to respect the locals who welcome you by contributing to the preservation of the nature of their valley.

On site you can test electric mobility on two or four wheels...and enjoy the silence of the mountain.

What mountain activities are available in the Alpine Pearls villages?

AlpAddict in sled dogs — Dog sled ride, (c) TVB Werfenweng, Christian Schartner

In the villages of the network Alpine Pearls, as in all the villages of the Alps you can practice typical outdoor sports in winter and summer such as, in winter, downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, ski touring, snowshoeing, sledding, and, in summer, mountaineering, climbing, mountain biking, horse riding, water sports...

But we have chosen seven winter experiences that sum up for us the authenticity of the mountain embodied by the spirit of the Alpine Pearls :

Le Ruisseling, in Cogne (Italy): winter hike along a torrent to discover natural slides and ice waterfalls.
Romantic carriage ride in Ratchings (Italy) to discover the snowy landscapes of the Ridnaun Valley.
Chamois observation during a snowshoe hike in a National Park in Mallnitz (Austria)
Ice skating on Lake Wengsee, day and night, in Werfenweng (Austria) like in a fairy tale.
A relaxing stay in the Bad Reichenhall Thermal Baths (Germany) in the Bavarian Alps.
A hot air balloon ride in Bled (Slovenia) to see the valleys and lakes from above, like a bird gliding silently.
Snow rafting at night in Bohinj (Slovenia)… an inflatable boat, a snowy slope, a headlamp and off you go!
Go looking for Rhine gold in Disentis-Müster (Switzerland) during a good gold panning session.
An adventure on the border between France and Italy on horseback in Limone Piemonte (Italy)
A Segway tour to discover the charm and history of Berchtesgaden (Germany).

You can find all the experiences on the Alpine Pearls website.

Why choose the authentic mountain in the Alpine Pearls village network?

AlpAddict in Moena — Moena, (c)Angeli-Archivio Immagini ApT Moena Val di Fassa

A village Alpine Pearls is for you if:

You love nature, you love preserving it and you love doing it with the locals at your holiday destination
You want to get away from the noise, the pollution, the engines of all kinds, and take time to relax, take care of yourself, during your vacation.
Escape the clichés of mountain resorts and their incessant bustle, and live to the rhythm of authentic villages that have integrated tourism and tourists without changing their lifestyle and traditions.
Discover the exoticism of mountain gastronomy that is not limited to cheese-based recipes!

See you soon in one of the villages in the network Alpine Pearls !