The hills are alive with the sound of e-bikes

Salivating over a lunch menu of local cheese (Hobelkäse), smoked sausage goulash, cooked meats and hearty salads, I felt “as hungry as a bear” - an expression I had learned since arriving in the Swiss Alps (in German, “ich habe einen barenhunger”).

We were thankfully not likely to spy one, as bears in Switzerland became extinct a century ago. But the saying lives on. And Alpine air and exercise were proving to be a winning combination for a healthy appetite.

We had just cycled 15 km from our hotel in the tiny village of Saanen, located in the South Western Swiss Alps, arriving at a traditional restaurant overlooking Lake Lauenen. The most exercise I’d had recently was a weekly 20-minute jog (or is that slog) around the Knavesmire, so I was relieved to make it up the final hill without the humiliation of having to get off and push. But I also had a guilty secret.

This bike was super-charged - fitted with a highly efficient and effective Swiss Bosch battery that will get you up a mountain faster than you’d see me run if I did happen across that elusive grizzly.

“E-biking”, as it’s known, is all the rage here and even the fittest of mountain bikers will unashamedly take an e-bike if they need to get from A to B in half the usual time, explained our local guide, Loui.

So I had come to Switzerland to investigate e-biking for myself. And whilst I can ride a bike, even investing in a new one recently - enthused (like many others) by the Tour de Yorkshire - the truth is I’ve only ridden it so far around the Vale of York.

Cyclist's view of the Alps

After a quick lesson from Loui, I set off with my e-bike controls set to ‘eco’, which promises just a little boost to your peddling. As the quiet country lanes steepened I switched up to ‘tour’ and then, where usually I’d be sorely tempted to get off and walk, ‘turbo’ - at which point I shot around a steep hairpin bend, smugly overtaking my companions without so much as breaking into a sweat.

Though early in the season for summer visitors to the Swiss Alps, temperatures in the first week of June were already reaching 26 degrees and we enjoyed lunch on a sunny wooden terrace. Local smoked trout with a sharp green onion salad with freshly baked rye bread was my choice, while my companion had a plate of smoked meats, one of which was simply described as ‘lard’ - probably to be avoided by anyone anxious about cholesterol intake. A generous slice of red-current pie, with a dollop of fresh cream for pudding, left me pondering how many “e-bike miles” I would need to bag to work off all the calories.

In total we cycled around 25 km on our first day, along gently rolling hills, with cascading waterfalls and wildflower meadows as our neighbours - and always with snow-capped mountain peaks in the distance and the sound of cowbells ringing across the valleys.

As the miles ticked by I expected to see Heidi running to greet us at any moment. Our route was one of the easiest of a choice of graded trails, which are well marked, both on the road and in the brochure we collected from the Tourist Office in Gstaad.

Back at the Huus Hotel, I took a dip in the large pool and sunbathed on the panoramic terrace. Then, like Goldilocks in search of the perfect resting place, I first tried the aromatic dry sauna, then drank in the Alpine views from the Finnish Sauna and finally briefly nodded off in the herbal steam room.

View from the Huus Hotel

The hotel takes full advantage of its picture-box mountain views, offering evening barbecues where guests get to know each other and share tales from the day. Some had sampled river rafting, others had hiked or taken the easier option of a leisurely cable car ride, while one muscle-bound cycling enthusiast had ridden 125km on a vintage road bike; a part of the route which will be used in the area’s very first International Vintage Cycling Festival taking place this August.

We tucked into a veritable feast of barbecued lamb, beef and prawns served with full-bodied and fruity Swiss wines, and were somewhat surprisingly serenaded by an uber cool hipster, playing the keyboard, dressed head to toe in Daz white. Had he missed his flight to Ibiza?

A whole host of outdoor activities is included in the price of your stay at the Huus Hotel (“Huus” meaning home) - as is the shuttle bus that will take you and pick you up if you’re heading to and from neighbouring Gstaad for the evening.

Whilst built in wood in the traditional style, the hotel interior oozes contemporary chic. It’s the brainchild of Gu?nter Weilguni and Marwan Naja, who both had the same vision of a hotel that feels like home but also gets guests experiencing the Alps in a truly accessible way. Hence including a variety of “add-ons” in the room rate, from guided hikes, to rafting, climbing and mountain biking. E-bikes and mountain bikes are free to use too by all guests.

With just 7,000 inhabitants and almost as many cows, Gstaad-Saanenland is known for its outstanding winter skiing, designer shopping and chic chalets. One of the cows grazing in the meadows belongs in fact to Roger Federer; a gift bestowed on him on winning the Swiss Open here in 2004. There are other celebrity connections too; Julie Andrews of “Sound and Music” fame has a home here and proudly proclaims, “Gstaad is the most beautiful village on earth”. It’s a tough one to disagree with and despite its reputation for glitz and glamour, Gstaad has maintained a chilled-out feel and is a town proud its traditions.

A boot outside a restaurant in the Swiss Alps

A tour of the local Cheese grotto had dairy farmer Klaus enthusing about this age-old craft and showing us some of the 3,000 cheeses that are stored here. The locals have become adept at blending the old and new too. In the super cool Art Bar Restaurant, a 300 year old house, formerly used for cow bell making, we were served a master-chef winning menu of smoked veal tongue, organic roast chicken, followed by crème brulée with fresh blueberries, strawberries and cream along with an apricot Schnapps.

Next day we planned to take one of the hotel mountain bikes on a longer 45km loop up to the pretty village of Turbach, at 1,350 metres above sea level. Within five minutes of setting off though, we had to turn back. I had a confession to make. I had become addicted to the e-bike. After a quick swap (with typical Swiss efficiency a bike was already charged with my name on it), I reached the summit with enough energy left to enjoy the view and cycle back for sun-downers at the hotel’s rooftop bar, where I waited once again for the bear hunger to arrive.

Factfile

For more information visit www.MySwitzerland.com

Getting there

• Fly direct with Swiss from Manchester to Zurich
• Fares from as little as £55 one-way
• www.swiss.com

Train from Zurich to Saanen

• The Swiss Transfer Ticket covers a round-trip between the airport/Swiss border and destination. Prices are £112 in second class and £184 in first class.
• The Swiss Travel Pass is the all-in-one ticket to travel by train, bus and boat on an all-inclusive basis from 3-15 days. Prices from £170 in second class.
• Visit www.swisstravelsystem.co.uk

Huus Hotel – offers rates from CHF 270, based on two people sharing a double room with breakfast. Visit www.huusgstaad.ch

Vintage Cycling Festival - 26/27 August

• If you have a pre-1986 bike and a vintage outfit to match, sign up to take part (by 31 July) or just go to watch.