Garmisch-Partenkirchen

jobould

Last updated at 12:02 14 April 2005


Garmisch-Partenkirchen (G-P) in the Bavarian Alps is typical of other alpine villages in Austria, Germany and the Italian South Tyrol.

Wooden houses are swathed with flowers on their ornate balconies; an onion domed baroque church stands proud in the centre; frescoes depict scenes from rural life on pastel coloured buildings.

It stands out from other alpine counterparts because it's hidden, and Germans know what a treasure they're hiding.

You wont find G-P in any popular ski destination brochures and it's not fair to call it a resort because it doesnt exist primarily to serve the skiing industry.

G-Ps ski runs are long, winding and more importantly, uncrowded. Perfect for all levels.

Having experienced the pistes for myself I can understand why the Germans are not too keen to let the big commercial companies get their hands on it.

Why spoil a place where no matter what hour of the day you go you can always access the runs with no queuing on the chairlifts?

If I dare say it, the only down side to G-P are the archaic cable cars which transport skiers from the town up to the slopes.

Although a probably unfair comment, they seemed, felt and sounded like they were built for the 1936 Winter Olympics and you can also experience, first-hand, what it's like to be a sardine in a tin.

However, I'm informed this will no longer be the case soon, as new high speed gondolas are set to replace the 40-man cables cars sometime this year.

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