Wanderlust

On Saturday evening, I found myself in a white-out blizzard, driving up steep and curvy West Virginia back roads. Normally, I would have admitted defeat and turned back. But I kept going, propelled up the mountain by thoughts of the unique Mardi Gras foods and festivities that awaited me in an improbable-seeming Swiss village at top.

Owing to both this seclusion and the continuous preservation efforts of determined locals, Helvetia has retained much of its Swiss character and traditions over the years. Witness the historic and charming Alpine-style buildings — some of which date to the town’s founding. There are the Cheese Haus and Beekeeper Inn, and the town’s only restaurant — The Hutte (pronounced HOO-tay) — which serves traditional Swiss-German fare. And the celebration of this heritage culminates in the yearly pre-Lenten festival, Fasnacht.

Swiss Village + West Virginia + Mardi Gras Feast = Fasnacht