The call of the mountains - Arosa

The really tough ones get their pre-war classics out of the garage and show what’s possible.

Arosa? The small town in the middle of the imposing mountain landscape is normally a place of tranquillity, a health resort for stressed city-dwellers, and a winter Eldorado for mountain-lovers and cross-country skiers thanks to the Arosa Lenzerheide ski area. In summer, the highlights include hiking, biking and the ‘Bärenland’ bear sanctuary, where four bears rescued from terrible conditions live in a secured space of three square kilometres.

A little higher still, in the Schanfigg district at an altitude of 1,775 metres, you will find the Tschuggen Grand Hotel. It is part of the Tschuggen Collection, the ‘green hotel group’ of owner Dr Götz Bechtolsheimer, who manages the balancing act between enjoyment and sustainability at the highest level with the holistic Moving Mountains holiday programme. Star chef Marco Campanella, who has 19 Gault&Millau points and is the current ‘Chef of the year’ 2025, conjures up the finest dishes in the Grand Hotel’s kitchen, while Australian nutritionist Rhaya Jordan creates predominantly plant-based meals that have a connection to the local area and celebrate seasonality. They also boast a particularly high nutrient density and are healthier – for people and the planet.

Exactly 20 years ago, the local leaders in Arosa decided to wake their fellow residents from their Alpine slumber once a year with the sound of thundering ­engines. And this in Switzerland of all places, where there are no longer any circuit races, and – what’s more – in the canton of Graubünden, where the automobile was banned in 1900. The ban was only lifted a quarter of a century later, meaning that just 137 cars were registered here in 1925. Today, there are around 200,000 cars spread over 1,600 kilometres of cantonal roads in Graubünden, with 45 tunnels connecting around 150 valleys.

Many cars are visually and technically significantly upgraded for racing.

Serge’s yellow Aston is just as eye-catching as his wife’s British car. It is one of only 29 Competition models built, now equipped with coilover suspension and a bored engine. ‘The British used original DB4s in races back then, but soon realised that they were too heavy. So they quickly knocked together a new body from very thin aluminium, and the weight of the car was already under a tonne,’ Serge says. Despite having been involved with the Arosa ClassicCar for a long time, he is nevertheless thoughtful: ‘I used to think that accidents only happened to others. Since becoming a father, I no longer see it that way. It’s with good reason that they say every child makes you a second slower...’

Car painter Andre Frank from the Zurich Oberland region has no such worries. His goal, he says, ‘...is to be disqualified.’ This will happen if he breaks the average speed of 80 km/h in the Classic Trophy – which would make him faster than last year. His work horse is a VW Beetle from 1960. He found it in a barn 15 years ago, renewed the underbody, repaired the visible rust and patina with a coat of matt paint and fitted a Porsche 993 axle and Porsche brakes at the front. At the rear, drum brakes from a VW T4 van slow the vehicle down when required. The engine also comes from the van, but has been bored out to 2.6 litres and officially delivers 140 horsepower. Unofficially, that figure is more likely to be 200. Inside, the speedometer goes up to 210. ‘I’ve already driven 190 km/h in it,’ Frank says.

The Tschuggen Grand Hotel in the climatic health resort of Arosa is one of the most sustainable and best hotels in Switzerland and was awarded with two ­Michelin Keys. 

Of course, many cars are significantly upgraded both optically and technically for races – you might see an Opel Kadett with a Corvette underbody, for example. But there are also many original classics. Sue Darbyshire, the most famous British racing driver of historic cars, will be at the starting line in a quirky three-wheeled Morgan Super Aero from 1929, which only has 60 horsepower. And there’s Britta Bächli from Lenzburg. She is not above entering a rare Porsche 356 Pre-A from 1954 into the race with herself as the driver. ‘My husband and I bought the car 25 years ago, and I drive it every day – even in the rain,’ she admits. She is now at the hill climb race for the fifteenth time. Her goal: ‘I’m not aiming for any records, but I won’t be driving like a lame duck either. I want to get what I can out of the car. I’m constantly in the red zone as a result, but the car can take it.’ The Porsche has never taken offence – unlike the Nardi wooden steering wheel, a period accessory from the aftermarket: ‘At some point I suddenly noticed that I had splinters in my hands...’

Sometimes worse things happen. Once a car landed on its roof; luckily, the driver got away with no more than a fright. This year the rear end of a 1974 Porsche 911 RSR went up in flames. The car was driven by a professional of all people – Fabio Scherer, the Le Mans category winner from the previous year. But most of the time it is just bodywork damage caused by brief contact with the crash barriers or the wooden fences at the side of the road. Serge Endress is no exception. However, the man of the world has a mechanic with him, who mends the cold-formed corner in no time with yellow gaffer tape. The show must go on.

And as long as nothing worse happens, the Swiss government will continue turning a blind eye to such events. Which is reason enough to come along for the ride – you’ll have the chance to do so from 4 to 7 September 2025...