Tannheim, a peaceful and charming valley

It is considered the most beautiful high valley in Europe. Tannheim and its villages nestle at 1100 meters from this vast valley bordered by the Allgäu Alps: Nesselwängle-Haller, Grän-Haldensee, Tannheim, Zöblen and Schattwald.

 

 

 

The route sometimes winds between Germany and Austria. A proximity to the nearby Bavaria which makes Tannheim the perfect place to stay from which to visit the castles of Louis II of Bavaria or the pretty town of Füssen.

 

 

 

About Füssen: one of the six ski areas is located on the heights of "Füssener Jöchle". The story goes that during a terrible famine, Füssen exchanged this peak for three sacks of flour to the inhabitants of the valley…

The six small downhill ski areas in the valley please customers who no longer wish to spend a full day hurtling down the slopes and who are fleeing the large resorts that are too popular.

 

 

 

The Tannheim valley is renowned for its 140 km of cross-country ski trails which attract sports enthusiasts. The best cross-country skiers in Germany and Austria take part every year in the Ski Trail, a formidable cross-country skiing marathon.

Many vacationers come to walk. With a network of 70 km of maintained winter hiking trails, there is plenty to do even when there is snow. Thanks to three gondolas, the paths on the summits are easily accessible. Be careful, however, to have good shoes, preferably with crampons, and walking sticks (to be borrowed free of charge on the Neunköpfle). Nothing then prevents you from climbing to the summit cross and signing the largest golden summit book in the Alps.

 

 

 

The tourist office offers a nice range of activities suitable for a wide audience, from young athletes to seniors and families. But you will look in vain for parties and unbridled après-ski evenings. In this peaceful valley, we are far from the big resorts like Sankt Anton or Ischgl. Here, people prefer more intimate evenings in restaurants and hotels.

In bad weather, or for an afternoon off, a visit to the heritage museum is a must. In an old farm, we discover the life and work of yesteryear. A poor and austere life, made even more difficult by the isolated geographical location of the valley. All the objects staged in this old farm come from the region. We discover trades of yesteryear, musical instruments, worship articles, traditional outfits.

The museum houses a few very rare treasures like these moving miniatures sculpted by the teacher Anton Peterluger in memory of his students who died in the war.

Better plan some time to explore all the rooms!

 

 

 

Do not hesitate to push the door of the impressive baroque church of St. Nicolas in Tannheim, the second largest in the diocese of Innsbruck, built between 1711 and 1724. Listen up: the bell tower houses four old bells from the Tyrolean Löffler foundry dating from 1561 and 1580.

 

 

 

A little everywhere in the valley, chapels are sheltering small treasures of Baroque art.

In the heart of the village of Tannheim, the Alpenschick boutique is the unmissable meeting place for lovers of quality wooden decorative objects. This is where one of the last master wood and stone sculptors in the region, Nikolaus Meusburger, works.

 

 

 

 If there are fewer requests for large sculptures, Nikolaus regularly produces trophies for companies and associations. Small series produced by machine, but with manual finishes. And the original is always made by hand.

"Pieces like this eagle would cost around €1,000," explains the sculptor, who specializes in the manufacture of objects in Cembro pine wood, the very precious "Zirbe" with recognized therapeutic virtues. According to research, sleeping in a bed made of Cembro pine wood “saves” up to 3500 heartbeats. In his shop, Nikolaus Meusburger sells pillows filled with shavings of this precious wood. “We  carefully clean the shavings of all traces of dust befote filling them in cotton covers made in the shop. During your sleep, the body heat releases the precious essential oils. »

 

 

 

As for the statue of Christ, which waits peacefuly in its shed, it has a particular history. “It is that of the summit cross of Neunerköpfle, explains Nikolaus. It was sculpted by my father 45 years ago and it needs some repairs. Over time and exposed to the weather, it is missing fingers. We were able to get it down just in time before the snow arrived! »

Right in front of the shop, a large meadow is used as a take-off area for hot air balloons. Among the unmissable events of the valley, the International Montgolfières festival attracts crews from all over Europe each year. For 25 years, the balloons take off at 1100 meters to climb more than 3000 meters, flying over the impressive mountain range, the castles of Louis de Bavaria before landing smoothly in the plain of the Bavarian Alps.

 

 

 

As in all of Austria, the food is very good in the Tannheim Valley. If during the day we let ourselves be tempted by one or the other regional specialty, in the evening we gladly take advantage of the menus offered as part of the half-board at the hotel.

 

 

 

Among the gourmet souvenirs to take away, there are the products of the farm "Beim Kähtrer" in Zöbeln 
https://www.hofladen-tannheimertal.at/

 Stephanie took over the family farm with her husband Georg. The young woman represents the sixth generation on the farm created in 1850 by Katherina “Käthr” Hörbst. Stephanie's grandparents go into breeding. When the butcher who was responsible for the slaughter retired, the family had a small slaughterhouse built and launched into direct sales. “We have 15 breeding sows and a boar. Every 2 weeks, 6 to 8 pigs go to the slaughterhouse. Meat, sausages and bacon are sold on site. In his shop, other products from the valley are offered such as cheese from the mountain pastures, honey, eggs, pasta, jams, brandies. To take some goodies home.