Gstaad

Gstaad (pronounced|kʃtaːd̥) (Population: 2500) is a village located (coord|46|28|N|7|17|E|region:CH) 1050 m above sea level, in the German-speaking section of the Canton of Berne in southwestern Switzerland. Gstaad, part of the municipality of Saanen, is known as one of the most exclusive and expensive ski resorts in the world, [cite web
date=2007
url=http://www.wordtravels.com/Resorts/Switzerland/Bernese+Oberland/Gstaad
title=Coming Up Chic
accessdate=2007-12-30] and has also been the location of Institut Le Rosey's winter campus since 1916. [cite web
date=2007
url=http://www.rosey.ch/en/htmlVieRoseenne/campusGstaad.html
title=The Gstaad Winter Campus
accessdate=2007-12-30]

Tourism

Gstaad is known for its extremely luxurious hotels and shopping, high-society nightlife, fine dining, excellent service, and international stars. It is also one of the largest ski areas in the Alps. The town is located in the Bernese Oberland in the Swiss Alps.

Gstaad, named "the Place" by Time Magazine in the 1960s, [cite web
date=March 1, 1963
url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,830008,00.html
title=Coming Up Chic
accessdate=2007-12-30] is widely known for its famous part-time residents and vacationers. [cite web
date=March 1, 1963
url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,830008,00.html
title=Coming Up Chic
accessdate=2007-12-30] Current longtime residents of Gstaad include: Alinghi yachting syndicate boss Ernesto Bertarelli, actresses Julie Andrews and Elizabeth Taylor, [cite web
date=April 16, 1989
url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-3938606.html
title=Gstaad: Just a simple Swiss village - for Liz Taylor and Julie Andrews
accessdate=2007-12-30] Formula One Holdings owner Bernie Ecclestone, [cite web
date=2007
url=http://switzerland.isyours.com/e/celebrities/bios/236.html
title=Celebrities in Switzerland: Bernie Ecclestone
accessdate=2007-12-30] legendary French actress Jeanne Moreau, [cite web
date=2007
url=http://switzerland.isyours.com/E/VA/AreasGstaad.htm
title=Switzerland Is Yours
accessdate=2007-12-30] iconic French singer Johnny Hallyday, [cite web
date=January 17, 2007
url=http://www.accesshollywood.com/news/ah3572.shtml
title=James Blunt planning Swiss move
accessdate=2007-12-30] and columnist Taki Theodoracopulos. [cite web
date=2007
url=http://www.gstaadlife.com/2006/09/taki_on_summers.html
title=Taki on Gstaad summers in the line of fire
accessdate=2007-12-30] Former famous residents include actor Roger Moore and director Roman Polanski, violinist Yehudi Menuhin, Prince Rainier and Grace Kelly, modern artist Balthus, and Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. [cite web
date=2007
url=http://switzerland.isyours.com/E/VA/AreasGstaad.htm
title=Switzerland Is Yours
accessdate=2007-12-30] Famous regular visitors to Gstaad have included Michael Jackson, Prince Charles and Princess Diana, former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, writer William F. Buckley, Jr. [cite web
date=March 10, 2008
url=http://www.newsweek.com/id/117854
title=He Knew He Was Right
accessdate=2008-03-01] , and a highly publicised romantic ski holiday of Paris Hilton and Greek shipping heir Paris Latsis in December 2005. [cite web
date=2007
url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0385296/news
title=News for Paris Hilton
accessdate=2007-12-30] [cite web
date=2007
url=http://www.toptenproperties.net/buy/detail/?id=3325
title=Top Ten Properties
accessdate=2007-12-30] Other occasional visitors in the past include Margaret Thatcher, actors David Niven and Peter Sellers, real estate entrepreneur Richard White as well as King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain. [cite web
date=July 20, 2006
url=http://www.gramophone.co.uk/interviews_detail.asp?f=2578&id=2612
title=Happy Birthday Menuhin Festival
accessdate=2007-12-30] In January 1983, King Juan Carlos fell while skiing in Gstaad and cracked his pelvis, immobilising him for a month. [cite web
date=January 17, 1983
url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,951885,00.html?promoid=googlep
title=Juan Carlos of Spain
accessdate=2007-12-30]

Promenade

The middle of the village has been a carfree zone since 1997. Along the Promenade, there are numerous highly-exclusive shops, restaurants and hotels.

Regular events

In Gstaad, the following regular events are held:
*the Allianz Suisse Open Gstaad tennis tournament;
*the "1to1 energy open" beach volleyball tournament;
*the "Hublot Polo Gold Cup" polo tournament;
*the "Menuhin Festival" classical music summer series;
*"Country Night Gstaad".

Every December at The Gstaad Palace Hotel, Bonhams auctioneers hold an exclusive Ferrari & Maserati auction which draws in the rich and famous from around the world.Fact|date=September 2008

In popular culture

*Gstaad is featured prominently in the 1975 film "Return of the Pink Panther", [cite web
date=2007
url=http://www.moviemistakes.com/film3408
title=Return of the Pink Panther
accessdate=2007-12-30]
*In the 1983 comedy film "Trading Places", character Louis Winthorpe III played by Dan Aykroyd says, "Look, it tells time simultaneously in Monte Carlo, Beverly Hills, London, Paris, Rome, and Gstaad." [cite web
date=2007
url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086465/quotes
title=Memorable Quotes for Trading Places
accessdate=2007-12-30]
*Gstaad was also part of a memorable dialogue in a 1984 episode of the American television series "Dynasty" between characters Dominique Deveraux (played by Diahann Carroll) and Alexis Colby (played by Joan Collins). [cite web
date=2007
url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0567438/quotes
title=Memorable Quotes for Dynasty
accessdate=2007-12-30]

Notes

External links

* [http://www.gstaad.ch/ Official Website of Gstaad (in English, French, & German)]
* [http://www.gstaadlife.com/ GstaadLife magazine (in English with links to German sister publication, the Anzeiger von Saanen)]