Switzerland’s Biggest Ski Resorts

Verbier’s local slopes cover 100km, which form a chunk of Switzerland’s biggest ski area. There’s a mammoth 410km of corduroy across the entire 4 Valleys, not to mention the dizzyingly high Mont Fort, and some of the finest off piste on the planet. All this is shared between 6 different resorts, and there’s no denying Verbier takes the crown. The town is a sea of gorgeous spruced-up farmhouses: Chalets and hotels have a total of 15,000 guest beds, and include some of the most downright decadent lodges we’ve ever seen. It’s the sort of place where you find yourself bumping into royals and oligarchs, whether you’re browsing art galleries, sampling the spas or getting stuck into in the après ski. This happens to be one of the biggest après scenes in the Alps, with no-expenses-spared partying in the likes of Farinet and Farm Club.

The best things come in threes, and original ski town St Moritz (also twice Olympics host) is no exception. Not stopping at a lone village, St M has a trio, each with a different kind of vibe. On the shores of the giant frozen Moritz Lake is Dorf, the main hub of posh boutiques, iconic hotels and fine-dining restaurants. Bad (meaning spa) is a bit further out, with a more relaxed feel. Then there’s lovely Celerina (AKA ‘Little Milan’ for its popularity with the Italians), 3km away. As a whole, St Moritz is famed for its golden climate, averaging 322 days of sun a year. But sunshine isn’t the only thing it has in swathes. On the mountain, there are a number of ski areas – Corviglia’s accessible directly from the centre then Corvatsch, Diavolezza, Lagalb and Zuoz are a short bus/train ride away. This all comes to a whopping 350km - and with Switzerland’s longest night ski slope at 4.2km and the world’s last remaining natural bob sleigh run, you’re not going to be sat twiddling your thumbs (unless, of course, you want to…).

Two villages - Crans-sur-Sierre and Montana – joined hands in the 60’s to form one big 6km-long resort – and it’s become a bit of a titan. Both sides have held onto their own characters: Crans is the more upmarket of the two, with the biggest luxury shopping area in the Alps and attractions like a 3D cinema for any non-ski days. Montana’s a little more low-key, with livelier bars and cheaper eats. They share some impressive stats: 1200 hotels, 2000 chalets/apartments and 110 restaurants (with another 24 up on the mountain). But the best thing’s the sun-drenched plateau higher up, where 140km of blue, red and black slopes stretch down from the Plaine Morte Glacier at 3000m. You’ll also find a thwacking great 100,000m2 snow park – by far one of the biggest in the Alps.

Spa town, party town and the highest full-sized town in Europe, Davos is no stranger to weighty claims. Its population stands at around 13,000, and there are over 28,000 guest beds. A place of two parts, Davos Dorf has the quickest access to the white stuff; whilst Platz is home to the bulk of trendy hotels, shops, restaurants and nightlife. Between them, you’ve got 6 cinemas, theatres and a huge conference centre (where they host the World Economic Forums). And covering SIX mountains shared with Klosters, the ski area’s also a whopper. The Parsenn has the most slopes, while Rinerhorn’s the one for ‘piste and quiet’ in peak season. You’ve even got a freestyle mountain (the Jakobshorn), freeride mountain (the Pischa) and a ‘slow’ mountain (Schatzalp). And if you’d rather enjoy the snow another way, there are 110km of winter walking trails, 146km of cross-country tracks and 15km of sledge runs (this is the birthplace of tobogganing, after all).

Most places would seem a mere speck on the horizon when surrounded by most of the Alps' highest peaks, but Zermatt holds its own. The village achieves the golden balance of small-resort charm and big-resort facilities, with a population of 5,600 and the scope to host nearly 30,000 guests. They may look like ancient farm houses but on the inside, the buildings here are nothing of the sort: we’re talking about some of the finest hotels and chalets in the Alps, and 108 restaurants in the village alone (where Michelin stars and Gault-Millau points abound) as well as a cinema, galleries and countless shops and spas. 200km of runs slope through the immediate ski area, plus 39km of powder slopes and 15km of cross-country trails. And when you add in the Italian side of the Matterhorn, the terrain tots up to a colossal 360km. It’s the highest ski area in Europe, and with sights of the Matterhorn every which way, skiing doesn’t get more scenic than this.

This is the largest and liveliest ski resort in the Jungfrau ski region – and it’s also the only one you can reach by car. There’s a train station too, making it super easy to get out and explore. Favourite trips include the ones to the Eiger Glacier and Kleine Scheidegg, which open up some of the best views of the surrounding peaks. The local ski area, First, has 60km of slopes, the White Elements Snowpark (which is actually 3 parks in one) and the world’s longest sledge run (at a whopping 15km). But that’s just the start of it – over in Kleine Scheidegg-Männlichen there’s 110km to ski, with another 54km in the Murren-Schilthorn area. A long, resolutely alpine village that faces the north wall of the Eiger, Grindelwald’s jam packed with restaurants - from Pizza at Onkel Tom’s to classic Swiss dishes at La Marmite - as well as 44 hotels and 2300 apartments. They’ve even managed to fit in a socking great sports centre, with a pool, spa, ice rink, rope park and gym.

Klosters made it big in the Golden Age, when the nickname ‘Hollywood on the Rocks’ came about for its star-studded following (Garbo, Harrison, Hepburn…). And though the high profile guests just keep coming (Prince Charles is a regular – they’ve named a lift after him), it’s held onto that humble Alpine farming feel everyone loves. Split in two, Platz has a sophisticated hub of shops and gourmet restaurants. This is also where you have direct access to the Parsenn - the biggest of the six skiable mountains that Klosters shares with Davos. The more remote Dorf has a sprinkling of hotels, with a gondola to whisk skiers up the Madrisa Mountain. Altogether, the ski area is vast, with 320km of pistes and because 80% of it sits above 2000m, the potential for powder skiing is huge.

With a year-round community of 6000, Nendaz sits right in the centre of the 4 Valleys - Switzerland’s biggest ski area. Cosy but roomy, it lays claim to 16 churches and a whopping 17,000 tourist beds. But compared to neighbouring Verbier, there’s a lot less song and dance here. The pace is wonderfully slow, and Nendaz has the Families Welcome label from the Swiss Tourist Board. You’ll soon see why, with two snow gardens, a tubing piste and a fabulous kid’s park. The standard lift pass is a big ‘un, unlocking 220km across to the resorts of Siviez, Veysonnaz and Thyon. But it seems tiny compared to the wider area: the 4 Valleys pass is your key to 412km of slopes, not to mention the legendary off piste descents on the Mont Fort glacier.

70km of trails ramble through the local ski area, and Arosa’s recent merger with Lenzerheide tallies on another 155km of the good stuff - making this one of the biggest ski areas in the country. Hop on the Hornli-Unrdenfurggli cable car to be up there in a super-speedy five minutes; then a sea of blues, reds, the occasional black and endless powder trails await. Non-skiers can amble along 60km of seriously scenic walking trails, and you’ll also find the finest spas in all the land: Spa Salus and Tschuggen Bergoase cram in every type of wellness facility and treatment you could dream of. As well as being stupidly pretty (it overlooks the frozen Obersee), the resort is pretty high at 1739m, with the capacity to sleep 6786 guests and see them well fed in over 60 restaurants (the fondues at Burestuebli are divine).

Just west of Lake Geneva, Villars first saw skier’s way-back-when in 1913, and has since welcomed everyone from Grace Kelly to Mick Jagger. Overlooking the Rhone valley, it wins the gong for eco-savviness, with a heard of hybrid busses to ferry skiers around, and low-energy snow canons covering the slopes (recently doubled thanks to an 8 million CHF investment). The village is big enough to host events like the Alpine Ski Championships and Christmas markets, without feeling too overwhelming. Shops stock all sorts of goodies, from watches, to wine, artwork, and gadgets and there’s a whole load of restaurants and spas. Then you’ve got the skiing: Four peaks and 125km of corduroy are covered in the local ski pass, which is shared with Gryon, Les Diaberets, and the snow sure Glacier 3000. Take the Roc D’Orsay gondola and you’re up, up and away.