Snow vacations: the best ski resorts in the Swiss Alps
Because there are more than 20 ski resorts within a two-hour radius, Geneva is often considered the gateway to the snow in the Alps. With majestic summits such as Zermatt and Dent Blanche, first-class slopes and a very upbeat atmosphere during the season, few places in the world offer a more spectacular ski setting than the Alps. With the snow season in full swing, we travel to Geneva to explore the ski resorts you can’t miss if you visit this destination.
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1 Crans-Montana in Valais
The Crans-Montana resort in the Valais region boasts of being one of the sunniest spots in Switzerland. Skiers appreciate the fact that most of the resort’s red and blue slopes face south, perfect for staying warm while enjoying its many slopes. One of the most famous is its Piste Nationale, whose seven kilometres descend 620 metres from its starting point at more than 2,700 metres and the finish, at 2,000 metres.
Image from GFC Collection/Alamy Photo from stock -
2 Glacier3000 in Gstaad
The Glacier3000 station is the place for mingling with the jet set from Gstaad, very close to the base. Its location on a glacier, and the altitude of its 28km of slopes – 1,200 metres to 3,000 metres above sea level – means it has the perfect conditions for the Glacier3000’s skiing season to extend from November to May.
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3 Chamonix-Mont-Blanc
Although not in Switzerland, the town of Chamonix-Mont-Blanc is one of the most visited in the vicinity of Geneva because of its location in the foothills of Mont Blanc, the European Union’s highest mountain. From here, you can reach four ski resorts whose passes tend to be less costly than the ones in the resorts on the Swiss side of the Alps.
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4 Verbier in Valais
The exclusive resort of Verbier, in Valais, is the gateway to the ski region of Les 4 Vallées, with more than 410km of ski slopes and 89 ski lifts. In addition, this paradise for winter sport lovers offers some of Switzerland’s best après-ski parties, like the ones organised in the newly opened Experimental Chalet hotel, whose lively Farm Club is the best place to see and be seen when night falls.
Image from Grant Gunderson/ST-Swiss Image
