Visiting St. Bernard Dogs

A travel journal to Switzerland by aliante1981

Quote: Did you ever wonder where those Beethoven dogs come from? Visiting Switzerland, I, being a huge fan of these friendly animals, could not very well miss visiting the hospice where they where first bred.

Visiting St. Bernard Dogs

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Overview

Quote:

Not the easiest place to get to, the hospice, perched on the Grand St. Bernard Pass, is a wonderful place to spend a morning. The freshness of the air, as well as the cold, is a pleasant contrast to major Swiss cities. Even in August you have to take a sweater, and gloves would not come amiss. If you forgot them, they are readily available from local shops.

The main attraction is, however, the dogs. With over 30 of them in the kennel, they can be seen by tourists all summer upon a purchase of a ticket granting access to both the kennel and the museum featuring the hospice's history and the dogs. You will not be able come close to the dogs, though... They are closed in cages so that the throngs of visitors will not disturb them. However, if you fix yourself there for long, you will be able to see them free as they are taken for a walk by one of four monk residents of the hospice. This way they even make better photographic subjects. Keep in mind that the hospice has the dogs in its kennels only during summer, so be sure to plan your visit accordingly if seeing these mountain giants is your main objective.

But we will return to the subject in hand - namely, the dogs - later. Grand St. Bernard is not just for the furry best friends: there are exceptional hiking opportunities, as well as an educational visit to the museum where some of the exhibits date back to the times of the Roman Empire. You can also check out local souvenir shops and eateries, watch films being screened about the history of the hospice, or just chat with the monks - they will not refuse if you are genuinely interested.

Quick Tips:

You can watch the Beethoven series before you go - just to get into the right mood!

Best Way To Get Around:

Getting there is best accomplished onboard the St. Bernard Express: first by train and then by boarding one of the buses bound for Aosta in Italy. Alternatively, you can go by car. Read Less