From Bex to Bretaye in all seasons : the railway lines at the origins of tourism

Considered as part of the “landscape”, mountain railway lines were a real revolution at the time they were built: by providing an easier access to the mountain, they contributed to the development of winter activities. The suggested itinerary follows two steps, one leading from Bex to Bretaye by train, the other on foot from Bretaye to Villars-sur-Ollon. The first allows one to discover the role of the line which was gradually put into service between 1897 and 1913, the second to reflect on the tourist development of the resort, on the remains of the famous “funiluge” with the panorama of the plateau of Villars, already described in eulogistic terms by Eugène Rambert in 1885.

Christophe Jemelin : Having spent his youth in the Chablais, Christophe Jemelin is a geographer and scientific collaborator at the EPFL. His research works have been about the analysis of the evolutions of territory and mobility. His has also taken part in a study on the connecting of touristy sites by public transport.