Just returned from a holiday in Switzerland in a ?traffic free? resort. This is Wengen, I?ve been there before, and can recommend it to anyone like myself who spends holidays doing NOTHING, except of course walking.
Traffic is restricted to the valley below, and there is not much of that. There is a big, well hidden, carpark next to the railway station, and then you are on the cog railway up to the village.
In the village there are hotel vehicles, which are mainly electrically driven buggies for luggage, with a dickie seat on the back for brave guests. There are also a number of Piaggio and Subaru 4x4 minibuses which I have not seen in the UK. Outside the village there are a number of small number of vehicles for local residents. Those vehicles are a mixed bunch of small 4x4s, mostly Suzuki. The place has so many steep hills that I wonder if any of them ever get beyond second gear.
The lady proprietor told me that the village had very few cars, but one of them had ?overcrossed? the hotel cat. This was a handsome white thing which was wont to walking and lying on the dining room tables. I was sad at her distress, but from the hygiene point of view maybe it had a positive aspect.
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Also highly recommend the Centre Parc resort in Nottingham Forest. After arrival/unloading all cars are parked away from the chalets, and the absence of traffic hits you like a breath of fresh air and complements the atmosphere of the place. Transport is by foot or bike.
The degree to which vehicles are part of our everyday lives makes their absence for a few days refreshing. Not saying thats how I would prefer it, but the change is definitely uncanny and then rewarding, in as much as, ironically, you get a sense of greater personal freedom. As a parent, it may well be that my own sense of traffic awareness and caution is naturally amplified.
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Centre Parcs is indeed blissful. Traffic noise is a scourge and much could be done to reduce it, make cars smaller for less tyre/road noise, ban the Ford Transit diesel van...
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If you need a traffic free holiday and a little culture then you can't beat Venice.
JaB
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Sorry to hijack the thread a little, but I'm goign to centreparks in the Lake District this weekend. How large is the park? Would people say that cycles are a necessity to get around?
Also, is it necessary to book ahead for the majority of activities?
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Bazza - it depends where your chalet is, but you may not know this until you get there. We went to Sherwood Forest Centre Parc and had one of the largest chalets. It was 15 minutes walk from the swimming pool, restaurants etc. Bikes were a very expensive necessity as other activites were further away. Take your own bikes if you can and plenty of cash for the activities!
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another great place to have a traffic free holiday is the island of sark in the channel islands ,kids love the pony and trap ,no speed cameras ,go as fast as you like .food is wonderful ,booze cheap ,and there is no crime .very relaxing.
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A disabled friend speaks very highly of a traffic-free holiday place in the Kielder Forest, up near the Scottish border. Sorry, I can't remember the name of the resort
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