Montafon

Introducing Montafon

Silent and unspoilt, the Montafon (www.montafon.at) was apparently Hemingway’s favourite valley and is still a fine spot for a wee adventure. Running south from Bludenz, the vale is quilted green in summer, blanketed white in winter and silhouetted by the glaciated Silvretta range year-round. All that natural splendour doesn’t go to waste: freestyle skiers and families seeking uncrowded pistes and a low-key vibe flock here, as do hikers spellbound by the craggy summits.

Walking, cycling and skiing are available along the length of Montafon. During winter, the Montafon-Card (3-/7-day pass €98/195) covers public transport and the 65 lifts in the valley; its summer equivalent is the Montafon-Silvretta-Card (€32/43).

One of the first proper resorts along the valley is family-friendly Schruns, which has a tourist office (05556-721 66; www.schruns-tschagguns.at; Silvrettastrasse 6; 8am-6pm Mon-Fri, 9am-noon & 4-6pm Sat, 10.30am-noon Sun mid-Jun–Sep, 8am-5pm Mon-Fri Oct–mid-Jun). A much-loved hangout of Hemingway in the 1920s, Hotel Taube (05556-723 84; Silvrettastrasse 1; s/d €30/96; ) makes a good base to explore the area.

The panoramic Silvretta Hochalpenstrasse soon winds its way under peaks rising to well over 2500m, before climbing over the 2036m Bielerhöhe Pass via a series of tight switchbacks. At the top of the pass is the Silvretta Stausee (2030m), an ice-cold alpine reservoir, across which the snow-capped peaks of Piz Buin (3312m) and Klostertaler Egghorn (3120m) shine brightly on a sunny day. The reservoir is the trailhead for the dramatic Radsattel Circuit .

A budget place to bed down at Bielerhöhe is the Madlenerhaus (05558-42 34; www.madlenerhaus.at; dm €8-10; Dec–mid-Jan, mid-Feb–Easter, mid-Jun–Oct). This DAV (German Alpine Club) alpine hut has comfy four- to 10-bed dorms and a restaurant (mains €5-12) serving solid Austrian fare. For more creature comfort, check into the architecturally innovative Silvrettahaus (05558-42 46; s/d €43/72; ) or homy Piz Buin (05558-42 31; www.pizbuin-silvretta.at, in German; s/d €40/72; mains €8-13; ). Both open from late May to early November and from Christmas to April.