Egg Vorarlberg

Egg lies in the lower Bregenzerwald, the broad valley of the Bregenzer Ach river that runs from the Arlberg foothills to Lake Constance. At about 560 metres, it is among the lowest villages in the region, and its rolling meadows, orchards and patches of beech wood have a softer look than the higher Alpine valleys. Mountains rise to the south and east, and on clear days the view from the hills takes in the Swiss side of Lake Constance.

Wood is the key to the look of the place. Traditional Bregenzerwald houses are built of timber and covered with shingles, with deep eaves, carefully carved details and tidy gardens, and modern architects have extended the tradition with contemporary timber buildings in the region. Egg is a good place to see both, with farmhouses, village halls and new buildings side by side. The Bregenzerwald is known as a centre of Vorarlberg's timber architecture and craft.

Dairy farming runs through local life. In summer, cattle graze on alpine pastures, the Alpen, where farm families make mountain cheese in copper kettles, and in autumn there is the Alpabtrieb, the cattle drive down to the valley, when the animals are decorated with flowers. The Vorarlberger Bergkäse is a semi-hard cheese with a firm texture and a nutty, slightly sweet flavour, with strong protection of origin. The Käsestraße Bregenzerwald, the cheese route, links dairies, restaurants and farm shops, and in Egg and neighbouring villages you can buy cheese straight from the maker. Many farms offer an Alpenjause, a snack of cheese, bread, butter and bacon served at an alpine hut, an excellent introduction to the food.

For walks, the village is surrounded by marked trails of every length. Paths lead to the Pfaffenbühl, a viewpoint near the village with a bench and a view over the valley, and to hills where you can see Lake Constance and the Säntis in Switzerland. Longer routes follow ridges and are marked as high trails, among them a route promoted as the Bregenz High Trail, which crosses the forest uplands with views over the valley. Cyclists use the valley road and the farm tracks, and an e-bike makes the hills manageable. In winter, small ski lifts and cross-country trails operate, including the Schetteregg area.

Egg has a small local museum, the Egg Museum, which presents the history and culture of the village and region, with farm tools, costumes and household goods. The parish church of St. Nicholas, the Pfarrkirche St. Nikolaus, stands in the centre and has a typical valley tower. The valley is also known for the Bregenzerwälder Wälderbähnle, a narrow-gauge heritage railway at Bezau, a few kilometres up the road, which runs on summer Sundays. Other places to visit nearby include Hittisau and its Frauenmuseum, Schwarzenberg and its old inns, and the small villages of the Alps.

Egg is also a base for the wider area. Bregenz, the capital of Vorarlberg, with its lake, its opera festival and its art museum, lies about 25 kilometres west, and Dornbirn and Lake Constance are within easy reach. St. Gallen, in Switzerland, with its famous cathedral and abbey library, is about an hour and a half away and works as a day trip, although it is not part of the local area. The lake promenade at Bregenz is where many visitors go for a stroll after a morning in the hills.

Food is Vorarlberg cooking. Käsknöpfle, cheese dumplings with fried onions, Riebel, a cornmeal dish served with apple compote, and Bregenzerwälder cheese soup are staples, with cider and local schnapps. Cafes serve cakes made with Alpine cream.

The best time to visit is from June to September for walking and cycling, and for the Alpabtrieb in September. In winter, the small ski areas operate when there is snow, and the village is quiet. Spring brings blossom in the orchards.

Getting there is simple. Egg is about 30 minutes by road from Dornbirn and Bregenz, along the Bregenzerwald valley road, and local buses link the villages with the railway stations at Dornbirn and Bregenz. The A14 Rheintal motorway is the main road to the region from Zurich and Munich, each about two to three hours away. A car is useful, but buses run frequently along the valley.