Gstaad and Vaud Alps snow forecast

Skiing in Gstaad and Vaud Alps

This area brings together Gstaad, in the Bernese Saanenland, and the Vaud Alps resorts of Villars and Les Diablerets; the Col du Pillon separates Les Diablerets from the Gstaad side. It has two sections: Gstaad and Villars-Diablerets.

Gstaad Mountain Rides covers about 200 km of pistes spread across separate sectors, including Eggli, Wispile, Wasserngrat and Rinderberg-Saanerslochgrat above Zweisimmen and Schönried. Most of the skiing is gentle blue and red terrain between about 1,000 m and 2,150 m, which suits intermediates and families. That low altitude is the area's weak point: early and late in the season, and in mild spells, the valley runs can struggle.

Glacier 3000, above Les Diablerets, is the high-altitude answer, with about 31 km of slopes reaching close to 3,000 m. It gives more reliable snow, freeride and long descents when lower sectors are thin. Exposed glacier lifts can close in high wind.

Villars, Gryon and Les Diablerets are linked into a domain of more than 100 km in the Vaud Alps, with mostly intermediate, family-friendly skiing on sunny slopes above the Rhône valley, and a short bus ride to Glacier 3000.

The main season runs from mid-December to late March or April, with the glacier often opening earlier. Gstaad is reached by the Montreux to Zweisimmen railway, and Villars by rack railway from Bex; Geneva is the nearest major airport.