St Bernards-Barryland

Hi Alan, I love Saint Bernards! ❤️

We stayed at the Hotel de L’Arve in Chamonix a few years ago while on the RS Eastern France tour. There was an adorable Saint Bernard puppy running around the hotel. I wonder what he looks like now! Fyi, the hotel also had a great breakfast buffet and the best baguettes I’ve ever eaten. I’d love to go back there.

We also did the RS Switzerland tour and enjoyed it very much. Can’t wait to travel again. Will add the museum in Martigny to my wish list.

Rick himself said in a recent news article that he hadn’t a dog person, but with his Significant Other owning 2 dogs, he’s finding himself walking them, and having dogs on his house. Some things take time, but maybe he’ll be warming up to canines. He always has included a sheepdog herding demonstration in a tour, if that helps.

Anything with a legitimate museum is worth a stop. Does it have a break area, where you can get a refreshment out of a keg on a St. Bernard’s neck? Hope you can fit it in.

St Bernard story that has nothing to do with travel:

My neighbors went to a dog breeder with their friend who was picking up a Lab puppy. The breeder also had a litter of ready-to-go 8-week-old St Bernard puppies. My neighbors brought home the Lab puppy for their friend and...... a totally unplanned St Bernard puppy who was the cutest thing you’d ever seen.

I still remember sitting next to my neighbor on her porch the day after, holding the puppy. She (my neighbor) was literally shaking, and kept repeating, “I think we have to get a new car, she’ll never fit in the Subaru....” (shortly thereafter, they bought an SUV).

On an actual travel-related note, we loved seeing the Bernese Mountain dog kiddie ride at the top of the Mannlichen lift in the BO. Sent lots of pix to our friends with a Berner doggie.

In April 2019, we had a Thursday afternoon visit to Barryland. It was low-key and very enjoyable. Barryland is clearly a family destination and there were lots of children and few international tourists:) We enjoyed the small museum and learning the history of Barry, the famous Saint Bernard mountain rescue dog from the early 1800’s. There were also displays and historical information about the evolution of the breed, and the hospice at the pass.

Barryland raises Saint Bernards from puppies, mostly for hiking and social visit work. They are not used for mountain rescue work anymore because they are too big to fit into the modern search and rescue helicopters.

We enjoyed watching the dogs interact in their kennels and there is a nice garden to walk through while watching the dogs in their outdoor runs. While we were there, they brought a large Saint Bernard, Hoxane, out to lie on a table so that kids could hug and pet her. My wife, some years from childhood, also got a chance to cuddle with her.

The foundation offers dog walking tours on weekends in the spring which could be of interest.

There is the obligatory museum gift shop and a café at Barryland with “Steak Cheval” on the specials menu the day we visited.

Equally enjoyable were the Roman amphitheater ruins, next door to the museum; also the Pierre Gianadda Foundation with archaeological and art exhibits, and sculpture garden.

Allan, glad to see you got an answer on your question. Better than I did on mine ( ask about trains get answers about walking and driving???). Barryland looks interesting. We start our tour in Lausanne and I actually looked up taking the train to Martigny to visit this. Was a bit pricey so I doubt I can talk my husband into it. Best of luck getting there.

There was a TV show in the 70's about a St Bernard named George and I fell in love with the breed.

Yes I was 8 when I saw it and decided that I wanted to live in Switzerland... and I have been here now for thirty years as of the 1st of July last.