Pretty, rustic village with some modern development, near the head of the the Val d'Anniviers off the Valais. Cable-car up to a high area of open, steepish slopes - most runs are justifiably red or black. Excellent views. There are runs to the valley, including one excellent tough red off which an itinerary links to Grimentz, down the valley.
Its local slopes have stunning views of high peaks including the Matterhorn. A modern cable car goes to Sorebois at 2440m, the hub of the ski area. Most of the slopes face roughly east and keep their snow well. The runs are mainly short (some only 200m or 300m vertical) but include some good reds - those from Combe Durand at the edge of the ski area, served by a steepish draglift that also accesses a freeride area.
The one fast chairlift serves wide and gentle blue runs, ideal for novices. The two short black runs are really of red steepness. There is a longer red run (with a black variant on the lower part) back to the village. And there's great off-piste in bowls between the pistes (and, with a guide, off the back of the ski area to the Moiry dam and on to Grimentz).
From the top of the area, Piste du Chamois is a real highlight - a long, mainly easy black run of almost 1300m vertical down a shady deserted bowl with lots of accessible off-piste, ending with a woodland path to Grimentz. Zinal is popular with families and there's a good beginner area and children's snow garden.
Zinal has a handful of hotels. The central 2-star Pointe de Zinal does excellent food and the 2-star Le Trift is 'comfortable, with adequate but small rooms and good food'. There are also several catered chalets. A regular visitor pronounces the Alpina, Besso and Ferme his favourite village restaurants. The Bar e Vox wine bar is 'appreciated by a more mature market than Le Pub attracts along the street'. The valley pass covers not only these two resorts but also St Luc/Chandolin across the valley, and Vercorin - 220km of runs in total.
