Valais, switzerland – land of winter activities

Valais, Switzerland – Land of Winter Activities

Perfect powder-snow on challenging slopes, Valais is every winter sport enthusiast’s dream. Home to the Matterhorn – the Toblerone mountain and the ski village of Zermatt, and dotted with ski chalets and resorts, it’s the perfect place to plan your winter adventures around.

For those who live to hit the slopes, there are miles of great ski trails, some often criss-crossing France and Italy, including the classic Mont Blanc circuit. Hike, climb, paraglide, ski and snowboard and round off your days with a soak in the thermal baths at Leukerbad. Some of Switzerland’s most exclusive ski resorts are also here, so come prepared for some serious après-ski activity.

BEST PLACE FOR SKIING CHAMPÉRY. Champéry is a small yet a beautiful resort with friendly locals and cozy log chalets. But for adrenaline junkies, it simply means just one thing – the Swiss Wallat Chavanette. A heart stopping, difficult mogul run famed as one of the world’s toughest. An orange run (outside the usual blue to black rating), it’s a 400m drop and in places the incline is 50 percent, so it’s only for experienced skiers.

ALETS CHARENA. Skiing in the Aletsch Arena ski area, with its 105 km of easy or intermediate ski runs, is utterly beautiful, with some runs skirting the Aletsch Glacier. Base yourself in the twin villages of Riederalp and Bettmeralp, can only be access via a cable car, which kids are literally pulled around in traditional sledges and skis are the best way to get to the supermarket.

VERBIER. Verbier is all things to all people – from schnapps-fuelled high jinks to VIP lounges, from burgers to a Michelin star. The skiing, which is billed as some of Europe’s finest, also offers plenty of variety.

Comprising a whopping 410km of pistes and 94 ski lifts, the resort sits at the heart of the Quatre Vallées and has varied terrain, a good snow record and some of the best off-piste powder in Switzerland.

OTHER WINTER SPORTS CLIMBING. Zermatt is a holy grail of mountaineering. Rock climbers have been successfully reaching the 4,478m summit of the mighty Matterhorn since 1865. You’ll need to be an experienced climber to take it on, so if you’re after something a little less daunting, try your hand at ice climbing or fixed rope climbing on a gorge adventure courtesy of the Zermatt Alpin Center.

PARAGLIDING. Wherever there’s a beautiful breeze and a mountain, there’s tandem paragliding in Switzerland. Bordering on the icy realms of the Aletsch Glacier–the longest and most voluminous glacier in the European Alps–the resort of Fiescher alp is a prime spot to catch thermals. Strap yourself into your harness, take a run, jump and be blown away by a 22km long swirl of deeply-crevassed ice.

SNOWBOARDING. Hemmed in by a magniďŹ cent amphitheater of 13 implacable summit over 4,000m, SaasFee is a car-free, stylish resort. Its slopes are snow-sure and attract snow boarders who come for the deep powder and big air. In winter the resort maintains a half-pipe, and boarders head lower down the slopes at Morenia.

Visit Vacation-now.com for more travel tips and destination.