As temperatures plunge here in New York and in other areas of the country, the snowy scene that graces our cover this month, “Les Diablerets/Suisse” (39 in. by 24 in.) by an unknown designer, which sold for $6,000 at Swann Auction Galleries’ recent Rare & Important Travel Posters Sale in New York on Oct. 18, 2013, is particularly appropriate.
Located in the Lake Geneva region of Switzerland, Les Diab- lerets is an idyllic alpine village that sits at the foot of an enormous glacier. The village opened its doors to tourism in the mid-19th century, though public transportation (the Aigle–Sépey–Diablerets rail line, which is featured in the poster) wasn’t available until 1914. Les Diablerets is also notable for having the first ski lift in French-speaking Switzerland, installed in 1942 (for those that are curious, ski lifts were invented in 1934). Before lifts, if you wanted to have fun skiing down a mountain, you first had to climb it.
The estate-planning mountain can present an imposing ascent. Unfortunately, there are no ski lifts in sight. As planners, we need to stay ahead of the curve and advise our clients of the latest trends and strategies, so that their climb is easier.
