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Gstaad Skiing Holidays
The ski resort of Gstaad, nestled between valleys in the Bernese Oberland in the Swiss Alps, is world famous mostly because of its’ upscale image and wealthy celebrity clientele. This attractive resort, dominated by a romantic castle which overlooks the town, has an understated elegance, its’ pedestrian Promenade being filled with expensive boutiques and exclusive bars and clubs. The area is heavily influenced by both Germany and France, and skiing in Gstaad enables visitors to experience the two cultures. There is skiing in Gstaad for all abilities, and the resort has facilities for families, groups and single travellers, but obviously not for the budget skier.
Skiing in Gstaad – The Mountains
Gstaad is the hub of the Gstaad Super Ski Region, with neighbouring resorts of Chateau D’Oex, Rougemont, Saanen, Schonried, Saanenmoser, Zweisimmen, St Stephan, Lauenen, and Gsteig offering a combined skiable area of 250km. The area is served by 70 lifts and reaches a top elevation of 2,000m. The four main valleys surrounding Gstaad are home to these resorts, with the entire area being divided into 6 sectors. The sector incorporating Gstaad is divided into 3 main ski areas – Eggli, Wispile and Wasserngrat - offering 85km of well-groomed pistes served by 17 lifts. The local slopes of the Wispile Mountain contain some village level nursery slopes, and beginners will find more than half of the runs in Gstaad are rated easy, with all of the sectors having some gentle runs, easily accessible by train or car. The wide open slopes, often trailing through woodland, offer some great terrain for intermediates and the Eggli links to some challenging long trails. Expert skiers will find decent terrain, including moguls and off-piste skiing, throughout the area with some of the toughest skiing in Gstaad to be found on the Wassertgrat, with exceptional advanced runs found on the Videmanette Mountain. The Diablerets glacier offers skiing well into the summer with surprisingly wide gentle slopes, and is a good option for skiers if the snow conditions are not optimum in Gstaad. Gstaad has a snowboard park on Eggli, with plenty of off-piste boarding available, and the resort is home to the most extensive cross-country trails in Switzerland.
Skiing in Gstaad – The Après-ski
Gstaad is a resort to see and be seen in and this is definitely reflected in the après-ski scene here. The many lively bars and restaurants create a vibrant atmosphere, all with a matching price tag. The Palace Hotel is extremely popular, with both the Lobby Bar and Greengos always being packed, and The Chesery is a favourite with its’ refined piano bar and casino. The shopping, of course, is first-class with designer boutiques throughout the town, as well as jewelers and furriers. Whilst skiing in Gstaad, other activities to enjoy are heli-skiing, tobogganing, snow-shoeing, ice-skating and scenic sleigh-rides.
Switzerland Skiing Holidays
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