Zinal Ski Resort
For a rustic village, spectacular scenery and some of Switzerland's best off piste steep terrain, Zinal is a great option.
A cable car from town whisks you up to Sorebois at the heart of the local ski area, from which a network of blues, reds and blacks radiate out to a lofty 2896m. The main attraction however is the lift-served off piste, which is excellent, as well as the epic descent down to Grimentz via the Chamois black – which drops a thigh-burning 1326m of vertical. This then accesses another pod of long, steep slopes which after fresh snowfall transform into an off piste paradise. Catch the long cable car back, the same cable car that linked the two resorts in 2013 to form the Val d'Anniviers ski area.
In town there are a handful of hotels, rustic chalets to rent and a number of newer accommodation options – but all of these are still tastefully designed. There are some good, traditional restaurants to choose from in town and also on the hill, but off slope activities are relatively limited in comparison to other Swiss resorts as skiing is very much the focus.
Resort website: www.valdanniviers.ch
