Saanen’s history is visible not only in individual buildings: narrow streets and lanes are lined with old wooden houses. The historic chalet village lies in the Bernese Oberland at 1,010 m above sea level and is listed in the Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites. Within the municipality, elevations range from 985 m on the Saane at the Rüttischlucht gorge to 2,542 m at Giferspitz. This brings village architecture and a wide range of elevations together in the same travel destination.
Wooden Houses and Architectural History
The church’s history goes back a long way: the first church was built in the 10th or 11th century and first mentioned in a document in 1228. The Church of St. Mauritius was enlarged between 1444 and 1447; its murals date from the second half of the 15th century. Another landmark building is the Old Kastlanei, built by Hans Tüller in 1670 near the former hospital. Its richly decorated Baroque façade shaped local building traditions for generations. These buildings reveal different chapters of the village’s history, from its early ecclesiastical beginnings to Baroque architecture.
The exhibitions also explore different aspects of the region. The Museum der Landschaft Saanen is housed in a late-medieval building that was badly damaged in the devastating village fire of 1575. Its permanent exhibition is devoted to Saanen customs and traditions, complemented by regularly changing exhibitions. The museum also features a diverse display of local and regional bells. The Menuhin Center Saanen offers a different perspective: letters, original documents, rare photographs and works of visual art explore Yehudi Menuhin and his work in the Saanenland. Video screenings complement the exhibition. Here, village traditions and musical history take different forms.
Music, Craft and Water
At EK Enzian Keramik, visitors can see how pottery is made by hand from a single piece of clay. Saanen also offers a visitor experience involving the making and tasting of Saanen mustard. Saanis Klangerlebnis can also begin in Saanen: at 18 interactive stations, children and their parents explore different sounds and noises through play. Traditional folk music and classical music are introduced along the way. Saanen le Bijou outdoor swimming pool offers a very different kind of leisure activity. The facility includes a 65 m-long waterslide, a separate children’s pool and a diving tower.
Paths Along the Saane
The Saane is a prominent natural attraction near Saanen; a hiking trail runs along the river between Saanen and Rougemont. The W22 circular hiking trail runs from Saanen via Unterbort and the Pont de la Scie to Rougemont, then follows the Saane back to Saanen. The loop thus combines a named river crossing with a return route along the water.
The W24 hike goes via Rüebeldorf to Cholisgrind at 1,281 m above sea level and back. It is of moderate difficulty, 4.3 km long and takes about 1 hour 45 minutes; both the ascent and descent are 270 m. The route is accessible by public transport, with Saanen railway station as the starting point. As a shorter, easy themed trail option, the T12 Audioguide Saanen takes you through the village’s history and architecture: it is 1.9 km long and takes 30 minutes. The Saanen riverside path is paved throughout and can also be partly walked on a gravel path. Check the latest route information before setting out on a hike.
Practical Information
Saanen has several parking areas, including Zentrum, Bahnhofplatz, Märetplatz, Pfrundmätteli and Floraplatz. If you’re planning around events, you can sort the municipality’s event calendar by date, location or event type. This lets you narrow your search to your preferred day of visit or a suitable type of event.
Discover more destinations: Saanen, Lauenen, Gstaad, Saanen, Gsteig Bei Gstaad, Thun, Wangen, Interlaken.
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