Edelweiss Village becomes a Swiss monument in Canada
For a long time, the fate of six historic Swiss chalets in Canada was uncertain. Now the former home of the legendary Swiss mountain guides in the Rocky Mountains has been saved.
A group of simple wooden chalets just outside the village of Golden, surrounded by spruce trees and hills, some half-ruined and barely inhabited for decades. This is part of Swiss history abroad: the former homes of Swiss mountain guides in British Columbia, Canada, known as “The Swiss Guides Village Edelweiss”.
Chalets so that the Swiss could stay
Around 1900, the Canadian Pacific Railway hired numerous Swiss mountain guides as tour guides. Their job was to guide tourists up the many challenging mountain peaks in the region.
The chalets, built in 1912, were their home. They were also a kind of lure. The Canadians wanted Swiss mountain guides and their families to settle permanently in the Rocky Mountains. Previously, they had often come as seasonal travellers.
At the time, Swiss mountain guides had an exceptionally good reputation worldwide. They were experts in their field and had completed countless first ascents of 3000 metre peaks in the Rockies.
Then, over 100 years later, the special settlement, which had never really been changed or maintained in all those years, came onto the property market. However, it was not only the local museum that feared the loss of the historic houses – of which there are not many in Canada – as a result of the sale.
Birthplace of Canadian mountain culture
The future of Edelweiss Village affected many local people. And the sale also caused a stir internationally, not least due to a documentary filmExternal link.
In fact, Edelweiss Village in Golden is considered one of the most important birthplaces of Canadian mountain culture. “It must be preserved for present and future generations,” Ilona Spaar told swissinfo.ch at the beginning of 2023. Spaar is the author of the book Swiss GuidesExternal link. She fought side by side with the Swiss abroad Johann Roduit to preserve the houses.
The two have even managed to get the historic site included in the list of Canada’s ten most endangered placesExternal link, which has brought Edelweiss Village a lot of attention, especially in Canada.
Awakened from slumber
Last summer, things went from bad to worse for the settlement: in July, the Canadian property company Montayne bought the settlement. According to a recent press release, it immediately took initial measures to protect and improve the historic structures. It stabilised the floors and installed fire protection equipment.
The first buildings also underwent a complete exterior renovation. Roofs and terraces have now been renovated and some houses have been freshly painted. “Careful attention was paid to preserving and restoring as much of the original construction as possible,” the press release explains.
Montayne adds: “We respect the historical significance of the Swiss village and the Swiss mountain guides who lived there.” The company recognises the importance of the village for the local community and the Swiss living abroad in Canada. “We are passionate about preserving and restoring this unique place and its legacy,” writes the property company.
Inspiration from the Swiss Heritage Society
The aim is now to bring the structure of the Swiss village back to life and further restore the chalets to prevent further decay.
The inspiration for this comes from an idea from the Swiss Heritage Society and its “Ferien im Baudenkmal” foundation. The chalets in Canada are to be rented out as holiday homes to cover the costs of the expensive restoration and landscaping work.
Ilona Spaar, who set up the “Swiss Edelweiss Village Foundation” with Johann Roduit, is delighted that the historic village will now be preserved.
“We are delighted with the extensive work that has been carried out so quickly,” she says. The work was carried out in the best possible way to preserve the original character of the chalets.
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