RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

Good morning. I'm Renee Montagne. In a world defined by Facebook, Skype, constant contact with others, the life of a hermit has a certain charm, especially if the locale is an isolated but exquisite green gorge in Switzerland. The job was open, a position dating back to the 15th century, paying $24,000 a year. The new hire? A spiritual man with a long, white beard and a kindly face. A previous hermit quit, saying too many tourists wanted to chat. It's MORNING EDITION. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.