We are thinking of renting an apartment in summer 2007 in Leysin. Can anyone tell me what the place is like in summer and how easy it will be to find things to do nearby? We will have a car. What is the drive to Leysin like? We will be coming through France from the UK. Which shops are available locally for groceries as we will be self catering? Thanks

Hi Buzzy,

I spent a day in Leysin once, drawn mainly to take a look at the school there. The Leysin-American School (www.las.ch) is huge and occupies about seven buildings in the town.

The town is really hilly and seems to be perched in stages going up the mountain. It also seems to be pretty isolated -- only places like Villars & Ollon are nearby. It's not far from Aigle. It's a great spot for hiking, for instance around Les Mosses, Le Sepey.

I don't drive in CH so can't advise about driving times & routes.

s

TTT

Driving: Geneva, follow the lake all the way to Aigle then go up to the hills and Leysin - regular roads a few hours from Geneva - by less scenic autoroute about an hour.

My granddaughter spent 4 years of high school in the Leysin American School there. According to her, it NEVER gets warm in Leysin. A typical high temperature might reach 70 degrees in the middle of summer. She verifies the somewhat isolated position of the place, but the photos she has made indicate that the countryside, like most of Switzerland, is very scenic.