Winter sports

Into the great white open… 

From the moment the first frosting of snow dusts the peaks of the Dents du Midi, a thrill of excitement shivers through the Val d’Illiez in anticipation of the coming winter season. It’s not hard to understand our collective obsession with winter sports; with more than 308 ski slopes covering 600 km of terrain, the Portes du Soleil is a very big deal around here. 

Skiers and snowboarders can choose from long, winding ski slopes, like the bucolic Ripaille – Grand Paradis run or the Didier Defago run, named for our local Olympic champion, or test their mettle on perilous black pistes like the infamous, vertiginous mogul field at the top of Chavanette, better known as the Swiss Wall.

But in the Val d’Illiez, the joys of winter come in a multitude of experiences and the ski slopes are just the beginning. 150 km of snowshoe trails explore silent winter landscapes far from the madding crowds, and then there’s cross-country skiing, ski touring, invigorating winter hikes, ice climbing, curling and more…