Well, it turns out that my little traveling crew have the opportunity to go to Switzerland in January for the annual hot air balloon festival (just east of Geneva and south of Bern), so we are going to make a vacation of it!
My friend has been offered the chance to fly HIS balloon at the festival, too!
So, as we plan this trip, we are kinda at a loss for what to do in Switzerland in late January, and what other areas nearby we can reasonably visit in the dead of winter. Dijon and Lyon are both close in France - although more spring/summer destinations - as well as all the usual northern Italian destinations like Milan or Venice.
But again ... winter.
We aren't skiers or mountain climbers or glacier climbers... we are more likely to sit in the lodge and sample fine meats, cheeses, and wines, honestly.
So, for those who know the area/region, what should we do in late January in the middle of the EU?