Swiss village three hour drive west of Calgary opening late summer

The Edelweiss Village sits above Golden, B.C., in the Rocky Mountains.
The six homes of the Swiss guides have been restored and are opening as a resort.
The six homes were built for Swiss mountain guides in around 1912.
The historic homes' restoration has already won a heritage award.
Historic photos of the village.
Historic photos of the village.

Instead of being sold, demolished and redeveloped, an almost forgotten group of Swiss chalets in B.C.'s Rocky Mountains has been turned into a resort.

And it's nearly open for business.

Edelweiss Village and Resort has announced bookings are now open for six cabins near Golden B.C., with the earliest available dates in August.

"We are excited to begin welcoming guests to our beautifully restored village, where history and modern comfort blend seamlessly to create an unforgettable retreat," reads a release from the resort.

Each of the cabins is named after the families that used to live in the unique community when they moved to Canada 110 years ago. Each is unique, too, in price and amenities. Prices range from $605 per night to $775 per night, with room for four to seven guests.

The project has already earned a heritage award and garnered attention from the Swiss government.

Historic context: Cabins built for mountain guides

While the homes are located just north of Golden on B.C.'s side of the Rocky Mountains, they look like they're straight out of the Alps.

That's because six of them were built more than 110 years ago for Swiss mountain guides who were essential to the early mountain tourism industry of the region.

Instead of sending the guides home after each tourist season, the cabins were built so their families could join them.

Over the years the guides' families mostly left, and in 2021 the property went up for sale for $2.3 million (the property includes all seven structures).

Eventually, Montayne, a real estate consulting firm based in Canmore, Alberta, bought the site, and the next phase of the village began as the property and homes were renovated to become Edelweiss Village and Resort.

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