Switzerland... where to go??

For scenery you cannot beat the Bernese Oberland area in the Swiss Alps. Check out the towns of Muerren and Gimmelwald that are small, quaint and car-less. Rick Steves talks about them in his Switzerland tour book. If you can, pick up a copy at the library or book store.

Kelli,

I'd also recommend the Berner Oberland region, which is accessed through Interlaken. You might find it interesting to have a look at www.gimmelwald.ch for some photos of the area.

You mentioned "scenery" and I can't think of a better part of Switzerland for that. You could (for example) take the Cable Cars to the Schilthorn (one of the world's first revolving restaurants) and have breakfast while viewing the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau.

Happy travels!

I would suggest Interlaken strongly. It is a beautiful place with just the exact environment you are looking for!you can explore caves, swim in the lakes and even do mountain biking!
Oh and do try and check out one of the chocolate factories if you have the time :)

have fun!
mitu

Wengen or Murren would be perfect choices. The area is incredibly gorgeous with hiking opportunities in every direction as well as great access to Schiltorn and Jungfrau. Interlaken is a place to make train connections--it is full of tacky shops and I just didn't find it to be especially quaint--perhaps it was many years ago.

There are a number of beautiful places in Switzerland, filled with beautiful views and charming villages. But for your purposes, traveling from France to Germany, the Berner Oberland is the obvious choice, followed by Luzern if you wanted a larger (but still lovely) city for your base.

Within the Berner Oberland region, the two car-free villages mentioned (Wengen and Mürren) are standouts for location, views and overall charm combined with a nice selection of hotels, from rustic to luxurious. These two villages are perched on opposite sides of the Lauterbrunnen Valley, with Mürren the higher of the two. You reach Wengen by train, and Mürren by a combination of train and cablecar. Either would be a good choice. (But like Chris I will admit to a slight preference for Mürren, which is a little smaller, more laid-back, and perfectly situated for some great hiking.

No place in Switzerland can beat Zermatt. It is incredibly beautiful.

Many places in Switzerland are incredibly beautiful.

Having been to many, I would put Zermatt about 1/3 down on the list. But apart from personal impressions, Zermatt is a long diversion from their main path from France and Germany. It is also crowded with tourists and more expensive than places with comparable scenery. It is a great place to spend a week if you are a serious hiker, mountaineer or mountain biker, but not so great for a short stop on the way from France to Germany.