The Tullmann Travels The Tullmann Travels

Switzerland · France

2023

Swiss & French Alps

Mürren · Chamonix · Zermatt — 22 days, Summer 2023

Our first big alpine adventure as a family — from the Jungfrau to the Matterhorn, the trip that set the template for everything after.

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The trip in brief

First big steps in the Alps

Summer 2023 · 24 entries

Where we went

Twenty-two days from Mürren across the Bernese Oberland — Jungfraujoch, the Schilthorn, Männlichen — then over to Chamonix and the Mer de Glace, finishing among the peaks of Zermatt and the streets of Zurich.

Why it mattered

Our first big alpine adventure as a family — a rough, jet-lagged, sick start that turned into twenty days of magic and set the template for every trip since.

Favorite moment

Standing on the Jungfraujoch, the “Top of Europe,” snow underfoot in July. (Hans: confirm your pick.)

Jonas highlight

Playgrounds at Allmendhubel, the 007 Walk of Fame on the Schilthorn — and the morning a drone met its end above Grindelwald.

Around the table

Cog railways, lake swims, and slow Mürren mornings — the trip that first made Switzerland feel like a second home.

The photo essay

Switzerland 2023, in pictures

Arriving in the Alps
Arriving in the Alps
Top of Europe
Top of Europe
Grindelwald
Grindelwald
Schilthorn
Schilthorn
Back on the trail
Back on the trail
Aiguille du Midi
Aiguille du Midi
Gornergrat
Gornergrat
Train in the rain
Train in the rain
Auf Wiedersehen
Auf Wiedersehen

The journal

Every day of the trip

24 entries · oldest first

Day 0: Before the Trip: International Travel and Risk-Taking
Day 0
Before the Trip: International Travel and Risk-Taking
June 30

Summer 2022 Exploring the world is exhilarating and terrifying all at the same time. Last Summer our family took a risk and our first international trip since our…

Day 1: Departure from America
Day 1
Departure from America
July 1

Saturday, July 1, 2023 Bakersfield, California Packing Preparing for a 21-day trip is... tricky. We spent 1 whole day just packing. You have to think ahead about what…

Day 2: Arriving in Switzerland - Sick & Stranded
Day 2
Arriving in Switzerland - Sick & Stranded
July 2

Sunday, July 2, 2023 Zurich, Switzerland Arriving in Switzerland After a restless flight of Jonas coughing, trips to the lavatory, and trying to block out sights and sounds…

Day 3: Mürren, Switzerland - Recovering from Jet Lag
Day 3
Mürren, Switzerland - Recovering from Jet Lag
July 3

Monday, July 3, 2023 Mürren, Switzerland After a restless night of sleeping, we awoke in another world. We looked out the window and could hardly believe what we…

Day 4: Jungfraujoch, Switzerland - The Top of Europe
Day 4
Jungfraujoch, Switzerland - The Top of Europe
July 4

Tuesday, July 4, 2023 Jungfraujoch, Switzerland We started the morning with an early 10-minute walk to the Mürren Train station. We noticed some beautiful edelweiss along the way.…

Day 5: Allmendhubel, Switzerland - Playgrounds & Meltdowns
Day 5
Allmendhubel, Switzerland - Playgrounds & Meltdowns
July 5

Wednesday, July 5, 2023 Allmendhubel, Switzerland After being on top of Europe, we needed a little break. So we slept in and awoke to a cloudy and chilly…

Day 6: Interlaken, Switzerland - Harder Kulm & Fast Friends
Day 6
Interlaken, Switzerland - Harder Kulm & Fast Friends
July 6

Thursday, July 6, 2023 Interlaken, Switzerland Each morning, we make our own breakfast. Switzerland Style. This usually means eggs, bread, butter, cheese, sliced meat, tomatoes, cucumbers, fruit, cereal,…

Day 7: Grindelwald, Switzerland - I Crashed my Drone in the Mountains!
Day 7
Grindelwald, Switzerland - I Crashed my Drone in the Mountains!
July 7

Friday, July 7, 2023 Grindelwald, Switzerland An early morning walk through Mürren led us to our routine train ride and cable car down to Lauterbrunnen. Today was going…

Day 8: Mürren, Switzerland - A New Apartment & Day of Rest
Day 8
Mürren, Switzerland - A New Apartment & Day of Rest
July 8

Saturday, July 8, 2023 Mürren, Switzerland After spending our first 6 nights on our 3rd floor, tiny Chalet AirBnB, the time had come to move on. Down the…

Day 9: Schilthorn, Switzerland - 007 Walk of Fame & Farm Fridges
Day 9
Schilthorn, Switzerland - 007 Walk of Fame & Farm Fridges
July 9

Sunday, July 9, 2023 Schilthorn, Switzerland 🇨🇭 The next morning, we awoke in a new apartment at the edge of the town of Mürren, Switzerland. The move from…

Day 10: Männlichen, Switzerland - The Royal Walk & Old Friends
Day 10
Männlichen, Switzerland - The Royal Walk & Old Friends
July 10

Monday, July 10, 2023 Männlichen, Switzerland I awoke in our apartment in Mürren, Switzerland. I hadn’t gone for a run in weeks and I knew I may never…

Day 11: Chamonix, France - Goodbye Switzerland, Hello France!
Day 11
Chamonix, France - Goodbye Switzerland, Hello France!
July 11

Tuesday, July 11, 2023 Chamonix, France This was it. It was time to say goodbye, to what would come to be our favorite place in Switzerland. Mürren had…

Day 12: Col du Balme, France - Returning to Hiking Adventures of the Past
Day 12
Col du Balme, France - Returning to Hiking Adventures of the Past
July 12

Wednesday, July 12, 2023 Chamonix, France We start every morning by eating breakfast together on our travels. Not only does this save money, but it gives us a…

Day 13: Mer de Glace, France - 
A Rainy Day & Walk through a Glacier
Day 13
Mer de Glace, France - A Rainy Day & Walk through a Glacier
July 13

Thursday, July 13, 2023 Chamonix, France We awoke in our Chalet in Chamonix, France, and looked out the window. There, above us, was the massive mountain range of…

Day 14: Le Brévent & Aiguille du Midi, France - 12,604 Feet Above France
Day 14
Le Brévent & Aiguille du Midi, France - 12,604 Feet Above France
July 14

Friday, July 14, 2023 Chamonix, France The next morning in Chamonix, France, we looked out the window and the weather was crystal clear— perfect for our biggest adventure…

Day 15: Zermatt, Switzerland - Leaving Chamonix, Arriving in Zermatt
Day 15
Zermatt, Switzerland - Leaving Chamonix, Arriving in Zermatt
July 15

Saturday, July 15, 2023 Chamonix, France to Zermatt, Switzerland The next morning, we were up early, finishing packing, cleaning, and getting ready to leave for our next location.…

Day 16: Gornergrat, Switzerland - Highest Cog Railway & Cutest Sheep
Day 16
Gornergrat, Switzerland - Highest Cog Railway & Cutest Sheep
July 16

Sunday, July 16, 2023 Zermatt, Switzerland The next morning in Zermatt Switzerland, we took our time in the morning, enjoying breakfast outside on the patio. We walked down…

Day 17: The Glacier Express, Switzerland - The Slowest Express Train in the World
Day 17
The Glacier Express, Switzerland - The Slowest Express Train in the World
July 17

Monday, July 17, 2023 Zermatt & St. Moritz, Switzerland After a short but sweet stay in Zermatt, Switzerland, it was time to say goodbye and embark on one…

Day 18: St, Moritz, Switzerland - Luxury by the Lake
Day 18
St, Moritz, Switzerland - Luxury by the Lake
July 18

I ran and walked through downtown, the train station, and around the lake. It was beautiful and cool in the shade. We stopped by a chocolate shop for…

Day 19: Zurich, Switzerland - The Train in the Rain to Our Last Destination
Day 19
Zurich, Switzerland - The Train in the Rain to Our Last Destination
July 19

Wednesday, July 19, 2023 St. Mortiz & Zurich Switzerland After a short time in St. Moritz, Switzerland, it was once again time to depart for our final destination.…

Day 20: Zurich, Switzerland - The City Tour and an Old Friend
Day 20
Zurich, Switzerland - The City Tour and an Old Friend
July 20

Thursday, July 20, 2023 Zurich Switzerland After a full day of travel yesterday, it would have been nice to sleep in at our Airbnb in Old Town Zurich,…

Day 21: Zurich, Switzerland - Saying Goodbye to Switzerland
Day 21
Zurich, Switzerland - Saying Goodbye to Switzerland
July 21

Friday, July 21, 2023 Zurich, Switzerland to Los Angeles, California It had finally come. Our last day in Switzerland. We had only spent a few days in Zurich,…

Day 22: Bakersfield, California - A Vacation from Vacation
Day 22
Bakersfield, California - A Vacation from Vacation
July 22

Saturday, July 22, 2023 Bakersfield, California Wow. Our #Switzerland2023Tullmann vacation had come to an end. We made it safely home and Alina and Jonas woke at 3am and…

Switzerland 2023 Summary
Entry 24
Switzerland 2023 Summary
November 26

After such an amazing vacation, it's been fun to reflect on our trip. We spent 21 days in Switzerland and France from July 1-21, 2023. If you haven't…

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