Switzerland: 10 charming resorts to explore in winter

In the Bernese Oberland, a ski lift leaving from Lauterbrunnen takes you up to Mürren, a resort perched at an altitude of 1,650 meters. This car-free village has remained authentic, with its shingle chalets and frost-covered inns. You reach the Winteregg-Schilthorn ski area, 51 kilometers of south-facing slopes with a view over the Eiger-Mönch-Jungfrau triad of peaks.

From the Schilthorn (2,970 m), Piz Gloria’s 360° terrace offers a panoramic view over more than 200 peaks, from the Blüemlisalp to the Finsteraarhorn. You then go back down toward the valley, where shepherd’s huts can still be found, testament to a pastoral world that continues to exist.

At the convergence of the Gotthard, Oberalp, and Furka passes, Andermatt, in the canton of Uri, has an unmistakable mountain feel. Walk through its cobblestone center, overlooked by the tower of the church of St. Peter and Paul, before taking the Gemsstock gondola lifts; reaching a height of 2,963 meters, the ski area offers you sporty slopes and views over the frozen River Reuss.

On Nätschen‘s slopes, follow peaceful loops for cross-country skiing or snowshoeing. Traveling along the Oberalp Pass road, you may even spot the red Matterhorn-Gotthard trains cutting through the snow.

Climbing up the Ormont-Dessus Valley to the south of Gruyère Park, you reach Les Diablerets ski resort (1,160 m), tucked at the foot of a mountain range. The village stretches out along the main street featuring mountain shops and chalets. Glacier 3000’s cable car leads to a ski area shared with the famous ski resort of Gstaad.

Open until spring, it offers you 30 kilometers of slopes, a snow park, and Peak Walk pedestrian suspension bridge linking two peaks. You can also ski in the sunnier Isenau sector or follow the groomed trails on the Pillon Pass.

From Schwyz, the steepest funicular railway in the world takes you up to Stoos, at an altitude of 1,300 meters. When you reach the top, you discover a car-free village with a beautiful white church and wooden inns. The surrounding family-friendly ski area offers some thirty kilometers of slopes among forests and mountain pastures.

Climbing up via the Fronalpstock chairlift, you reach one of the country’s most spectacular viewpoints with a plunging view over the lake and the peaks of Mount Pilatus. Another option is to follow the path leading to Klingenstock, a panoramic four-kilometer trail highly appreciated by winter walkers.

In Val de Bagnes in the south-west of the country, Verbier stands on a large balcony at an altitude of 1,500 meters. Roam its narrow cobblestone streets and admire the old chalets reminiscent of a pastoral age, before taking to the slopes of 4 Vallées, Switzerland’s largest ski area (410 km).

The descent from Mont Fort (3,330 m) offers an incredible view over the Mont Blanc massif. You can also take the winter trail to Cabane Mont Fort, a refuge and restaurant accessible on foot or with snowshoes. In the evening, Place Centrale comes to life with coffee shops and boutiques, without losing its authenticity.

Arriving via Talstrasse, you catch sight of Saas-Fee, a Valais village nestled at 1,800 meters in a cirque dominated by 13 peaks more than 4,000 meters high. The entirely pedestrianized center has kept its granaries on stilts and narrow alleyways. Leave your car at the entrance and continue on foot to the village’s museum, set up in an 18^th-century house.

The nearby Hannig trail runs along a superb balcony over the valley. Then climb up to the Mittelallalin via an underground funicular railway followed by a cable car: the slopes stretch out over 150 kilometers to the seracs of the Fee Glacier, with stunning views over the mountain ranges.

In the canton of Obwald, the road that runs along the River Aa leads to Engelberg, a village dominated by a Benedictine Abbey dating from the 12^th century. You can visit its cloister, Baroque nave, and the cheese dairy where Engelberger Klosterglocke, a bell-shaped mild cheese, is produced. The Rotair cable car, the first revolving model in the world, climbs up to Titlis (3,020 m).

There, you can ski in Central Switzerland’s largest ski area: 82 kilometers of slopes and an altitude difference of almost 2,000 meters. To relax, make your way along Lake Eugenisee, which is often frozen, before strolling through the streets lined with Belle Époque hotels.

From Sierre, the road climbs in tight hairpin bends up to Grimentz (1,570 m), a typical village in the south-west of Switzerland, where charred larch raccard granaries line the streets. From the center, you can access the slopes of Bendolla, connected to Zinal and forming a 115-kilometer area across forests and valleys. Every descent offers a view over the Weisshorn and the Bishorn.

You then pass by the Maison de Grand-Maman: through the window, a reconstructed room conjures up 16^th-century life in Val d’Anniviers. Grimentz is also a base for snowshoe hikes to the two neighboring hamlets of Saint-Jean and Ayer.

As you enter Champéry by the forest road, your attention is caught by the Dents du Midi, whose cliffs encircle the valley. Standing at an altitude of 1,050 meters, the village presents a string of stone houses and chalets sculpted at the bottom of Val d’Illiez. Wooden signs, often engraved in the local dialect, are a reminder of its Valais identity.

From the cable car, you reach the vast ski area of Les Portes du Soleil, which is shared with France: 600 kilometers of slopes and a large network of trails. Evenings stretch out in coffee shops, where you can enjoy local cheese and cold meats. For a peaceful walk, continue on to the hamlet of Barme, surrounded by snowy mountain pastures.