The world of travel is awash with classic images – Egypt and its Pyramids, Rio and its epic beaches. But few combinations hang together quite as well as Switzerland and snow. It is a time-honoured equation which has proved a perfect context for millions of skiing breaks for well over a century – since as far back as 1864, in fact, when the St. Moritz hotelier Johannes Badrutt created the winter holiday season by asking four English summer tourists to return to the town for the icier months. A sensation was born.
Fast forward to 2015, and Switzerland is an ideal setting for a week (or a fortnight) on skis and snowboards, home to some of the world’s most famous resorts, and some of its most iconic peaks – including the 14,692ft (4478m) striking viper of the Matterhorn, and the close-knit trio of the Jungfrau, the Eiger and the Mönch. In fact, Switzerland boasts 52 peaks which climb above 4000m (13,123ft) – making for a playground where on-piste experts can truly test their skills, at a high altitude where deep snow coverage can be relied on throughout the winter. But then, there is also plenty of gentle terrain for families and those just finding their feet on skis. All of it wrapped up in crisp Alpine beauty – pretty villages dotted at the base of slopes with wooden chalets lit up at night.
It’s a play ground where on-piste experts can truly test their ski skills
Where to ski: experts and intermediates
The choices are almost endless – not least for those seeking challenges and thrills. The Jungfrau Region of the Bernese Oberland has a litany of superb slopes. Grindelwald hits a top elevation of 8202ft (2500m) at Oberjoch – with fast descents available below. Mürren provides a raft of steep moments, dashing down from a high point of 9613ft (2930m) at Schilthorn Piz Gloria. Wengen offers over 70 miles of pistes, and incredible off-piste skiing under the north face of the Eiger.
Graubünden can claim Davos and Klosters, a celebrated close pairing where 200 miles of slopes are stretched across six different zones (Parsenn, Pischa, Rinerhorn, Madrisa, Schatzalp-Strela and Jakobshorn), adding up to a wealth of skiing opportunities. Elsewhere in the canton, Engadin St. Moritz is one of the great names on the winter map, where you can dash down from Piz Bernina, Piz Palu, Piz Corvatsch, Diavolezza and Corviglia – or try your hand at the notorious curves of the Cresta Run skeleton course.
Portes du Soleil, meanwhile, is enormous, spreading out of Valais and across the border into France – offering some 400 miles of pistes in total. Skiers can find stark plunges (and lovely views) above the Swiss villages of Champery, Les Crosets and Morgins – the latter, in particular, dealing in tough tests.
For families and beginners
By contrast, there are pistes galore for less advanced skiers, and for parents with children. Meiringen-Hasliberg, in the Bernese Oberland, come with 40 miles of slopes including Skihasliland, a colossal learning area designed with junior skiers in mind. Villars, a short hop from Geneva, has pistes for wintersports fans of all abilities, plus excellent teaching facilities – and children under nine ski here for free. Pays du Saint-Bernard, in Valais, comprises four small resorts great for gentle days of skiing – including Champex-Lac, with its host of welcoming hotels and sumptuous Alpine setting. Also in Valais, the Aletsch Arena is a first-rate expanse of glacier snow – a solid ski-spot for families, and all resorts are car-free and ski-in/ski-out.
Where to ski – intrepid explorers
Switzerland also rewards exploration in winter – you never know where you will stumble across a resort which lies off the beaten track. Lenk in the Bernese Oberland, is one of the most picturesque villages anywhere in the Alpine realm. Adelboden, whose pistes are linked to Lenk, has similar appeal.
Thyon, in Valais, meanwhile, is part of the “Four Valleys” ski zone which also includes the snowspots of Veysonnaz and La Tzoumaz, as well as Nendaz and Verbier. It makes for superb alternative to the latter two resorts – and is brilliant for families.
Switzerland is awash with locations where the winter focus ebbs far beyond the simple joy of descending a piste. Engelberg, in Obwalden, is great for a long weekend – little more than an hour’s drive from Zürich. Known for its off-piste areas – which attract experienced skiers – it has a vibrant après ski scene which stretches day into night. Similarly easy to reach, Laax, in Graubünden, has first-rate nightlife, and revels in a youthful vibe which also plays out in its challenging snow park – a great place for tricks and flicks.
Sensations away from the slopes
Once skiing is done for the day, it is time for dinner. In a country which is renowned for the quality of its cheese and chocolate, several resorts shimmer with a distinct gourmet edge. Gstaad, in the Bernese Oberland, is a symbol of gastronomy – home to feted restaurants such as La Grande Terrasse at the celebrated Gstaad Palace hotel.
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Wherever you stay, you will find comfortable accommodation, whether you have chosen a five- star hotel dame such as the fabled Ferienart in Saas-Fee, or the gilded Badrutt’s Palace in St. Moritz – or a comfortable chalet ideal for families. You can even travel back in time. The Belle Epoque Hotel Victoria in Kandersteg remembers the 1910s via its afternoon teas and antique luxury, and is one of the centrepoints of the village’s Belle Epoque Week, every January – a feast of period costumes and old-fashioned fun. For more hotel recommendations visit MySwitzerland.com/besthotels.
How to get to Switzerland
So how to reach this winter wonderland? Quite easily. Switzerland and its ski resorts are enormously accessible from the UK. The national carrier SWISS (swiss. com) offers more than 180 flights per week between Switzerland and the UK and Ireland – with ski equipment travelling for free (excluding Economy Light fare). Geneva is connected to the UK by eight separate airlines, from 24 different airports. You can also fly to Zürich (four airlines flying in from six British airports) and Basel (four airlines from eight airports), with flights taking less than two hours.
How to reach your destination
Once you land, you can make the journey to your chosen resort quickly and easily. Switzerland has one of the world’s best rail networks. And all of it is available using the “Swiss Transfer Ticket”, which carries you from any Swiss arrival airport or border station to your destination, and back again at the end of your holiday. Children under 16 travel free (with a paying adult). Switzerland is waiting for you this winter. Why not accept the invitation?v
