"Gstaad is for walking...Feutersoey is for driving."

Regular readers of this website will be familiar with the Gstaad Automobile Club. It was under GAC colors that Stanislas de Sadeleer, Vincent Janssens, and Hansueli Brand all crossed the Sahara desert in the Transafricaine Classic Rally from Paris to Dakar. Last night saw a GAC event closer to home, with the unveiling of the club's brand new clubhouse in Feutersoey. Located in an unassuming steel building down by the river behind the Ledi Garage, the club is the new homebase for 47 car fanatics with roots in the Gstaad-Saanenland region, who came together two years ago united in the idea that if there could be a yacht club in Gstaad, there'd better be a car club as well.

Above, Gstaad Automobile Club president Hansueli Brand (right) with one of GAC's founding members, Stanislas de Sadeleer, shortly after his insightful observation of Feutersoey's role relative to Gstaad (see headline above).

Above, Gstaad Automobile Club committee members, Isabelle de Sadeleer and Stéphane Gutzwiller, are honored for all their hard work in getting GAC up and running.

So it was that around 60 people gathered for a cocktail and dinner catered by the Gasthaus Rössli in Feutersoey. With invitation-only membership restricted to those who own or race classic cars and who have a residence in the Gstaad region, many the area's car aficionados were on hand. While the lower two floors of the building are used for the storage of vehicles, the building's top floor has been built out into what can only be described as a car lover's playground, an "industrial-chic" loft replete with books, models, and memorabilia from all manner of auto racing. Take, for instance, the cocktail tables, simple glass top affairs that happen to be supported by the engine blocks of past race winners from such events as Le Mans and GP2 (for the uninitiated, GP2 is the feeder series for Formula One, and the table to the left of the bar is supported by the engine from Lewis Hamilton's 2006 GP2-winning car). At the far end of the lounge is a large projection screen, where members will while away Sunday afternoons from March to October in front of live grand prix races. Throughout the year, GAC will host a series of events for members, including dinners, trips to racing events, winter driving courses, and participation in classic rallies.