seanyboy

What is the best place to go skiing in the Swiss alps. I'm interested in a vacation.

Shannon

Everyone's going to have a different answer to this one, because it's a matter of opinion, and what your skiing skills are. My personal favorites in Switzerland are Crans-Montana and Zermatt. However, on the French side, I've spent most of my time in Val D'Isere.

eric

A lot depends on two things: guaranteed snow, and do you want some charm/rustic feel? Since winters here aren't always the sure bet when it comes to snowfall, then you should shoot for a high-altitude resort: best for tough skiing is verbier; best for a combination charm/skiing is by far zermatt - not only is it car-free (you access it by train), here they have done a superb job of keeping the old chalet and village warmth with the most modern and high-tech. infrastructure; and, great nightlife if it interests you. other high resorts are arosa (quieter), saas fee (in valley adjacent to zermatt; lots of glacier skiing)and davos (modern infrastructure; great skiing but charm...?). slightly lower but with access to high-altitude skiing are murren (more quiet; site of filming on the schilthorn for old james bond movie) and wengen (small, no-car village, site of lauberhorn downhill race in january). if you can wait with booking until you know snow conditions, a lower resort with caché is gstaad (watch for fur coats in the village). some up and coming places like flims/laax and lenzerheide are fine too. then, of course, there is st.moritz and pontresina, in the eastern corner. your destination may depend on whether you fly into geneva or zurich. in any case, if the snow's right, you will be fine in switzerland!

Ursula

I love the Gstaad area, not necessarily Gstaad itself, but the smaller close-by villages Schoenried and Saanenmoeser. Very laidback and charming. <BR>Flims/Laax is the mecca for snow boarders, but also for nice winter hikes.<BR>Arosa is another fav of mine, although I haven't been for some time.<BR>Avoid Davos and St. Moritz. Towns in the mountains with heavy traffic. Although both are great for skiing. But they definitely lack the charm.

s

Hello seanyboy,<BR><BR>I've had the good fortune to ski the Berner Oberland three times and Zermatt once. I much prefer the Berner Oberland for the ski conditions, the weather, and the ambiance!<BR><BR>Even though it was March when I was in Zermatt, the weather was freezing (!!) and very windy. I was there for a week, and on most days, I could hardly see the skiers in front of me because of the blowing wind. My toes froze inside their boots every day. I guess the high wind comes from the ski stations being so high up on the mountain!<BR><BR>I also thought the village isn't as chaming as Wengen, Muerren, or Grindelwald in the Berner Oberland. There are quite a few hotels built almost on top of each other -- if you decide to go to Zermatt, try to get a hotel outside of the village center!<BR><BR>If you want to go to the Berner Oberland, Grindelwald has access to the most intermediate skiing around the cable station called First. Grindelwald has car traffic, and more restaurants & hotels. Wengen is smaller, is car-free as eric notes, and is more charming. Muerren is the smallest and the most remote though still not difficult to get to. Muerren has access to the Schilthorn and its "suicide piste," which I experienced from a rather undignified position!<BR><BR>If you haven't already found these places on the internet, most have websites based on their names:<BR><BR>www.grindelwald.com<BR>www.wengen.co m<BR>www.muerren.ch<BR>www.zermatt.ch<BR>www.skizermatt.ch (I think)<BR>www.gstaad.ch<BR><BR>Great luck!<BR><BR>s<BR>

jedi

Zermatt wins!!! It is by far the best skiing that I have ever done, and there is a very good Apre- ski in town as well. <BR> <BR> However, i hope we don'tget another winter like this last one. skiing was only good after a good snowfall, and they werent that frequent last year.

eric

I agree with swandav2000, that Zermatt can be hellish when the wind's howling and it's frigid cold. So for January skiing - if you go there, pack the woolies. But anytime else, because snow conditions can be like playing poker with a hand of 2's, your best bet is a place like Zermatt.