Ski vacations Zinal - charming village below the Kaiserkrone!

Zinal

Surrounded by the imposing mountain landscape of the "Kaiserkrone", the holiday resort of Zinal lies at the end of the Val d'Anniviers in the French-speaking part of Valais. At first, the former "Maiensäss" - a special form of Alpine pasture with huts and stables - seems a little inconspicuous, but it exudes its very own charm. Holidaymakers here will not only find some well-preserved "old-fashioned" huts, but also cosy restaurants and bars which invite them to successfully end the day in a sociable atmosphere.

The unbeatable location in the middle of the mountains makes Zinal an ideal starting point for all winter activities. Skiing, winter hiking, cross-country skiing and much more - the broad selection attracts passionate winter sports fans each year to this charming village.

Val d'Anniviers

The Alpine valley of Val d'Anniviers is embedded in the unique landscape of the Swiss Valais with its gigantic, four-thousand-metre peaks and turquoise blue water of the Moiry reservoir. It extends through the Rhone Valley, from the town of Sierre-Siders, famous for its wine, to the tranquil holiday resort of Zinal and on to the mighty "Grande Couronne" (Great Crown) mountain range - including the world-famous Matterhorn (4,478 m) and the Weisshorn (4,505 m).

The valley offers a wide range of leisure activities. Winter sports are particularly popular here, as the towns of Vercorin (1,330 m), Grimentz (1,553 m), Zinal (1,675 m), St-Luc (1,655 m) and Chandolin (1,936 m) have been combined to form a large winter sports region. At altitudes between 1,340 and 3,026 m, skiers and snowboarders will find around 200 diverse kilometres of pistes of varying degrees of difficulty as well as freeride opportunities and fun parks. There is also plenty of fun off-piste: snowtubing, ice skating, ice climbing, sledging, winter hiking and paragliding are just a few of the many leisure activities on offer. The Zinal swimming pool, with sauna and hot tub, also provides a change from the fun on the slopes. Alternatively, the whole family can try their hand at a tricky riddle in the Escape Room in Grimentz.

Don't miss out on the traditional Valais raclette and special "glacier wine": this oxidative white wine has a taste reminiscent of sherry and is matured on site at an altitude of over 1,200 m, pressed and aged for many years in larch barrels near the glacier.

Travel Zinal

• By train: Zinal, Saint-Luc (approx. 15 km), Sitten (approx. 45 km), Brig (approx. 65 km), Freiburg (approx. 170 km)
• By plane: Sitten (approx. 45 km), Bern (approx. 125 km), Lausanne (approx. 140 km), Aosta (approx. 150 km)