Les Diablerets, Switzerland

John B from UNITED KINGDOM writes:

Les Diablerets is a small but utterly charming village, right of the lid of a box of Swiss chocolates. The village nestles in a river valley surrounded by breathtakingly beautiful mountains including, of course the famous Diablerets glacier 3000. Life here is very gentle, and unhurried, far removed from the hustle and crowds of the more famous larger Swiss resorts. Everybody is courteous and you are treated like a welcome guest, not just a source of income. The village only has a hand full of hotels and restaurants, all family run, giving good value and old fashioned hospitality. Despite its small size the skiing is excellent. Everything from nice easy blue village runs through the pine forests to some jaw dropping runs from the glacier. Once you have done the local pistes you can move on to Villars that is connected to Diablerets by chair lift. Villars is far bigger and international with some excellent blue and red runs, and even the only black in the locale. Hop in your car, or use the superb Swiss public transport network and within an hour you have enough skiing to keep you going for a month. Gstaad and the white highlands system is just 12 miles in one direction, Morgins, Chatel and the Portes du Soleil in the other. Any downers?, not many, apres ski is a fondue and a quiet drink, there is really no night life and the village is popular with the Swiss living around lake Geneva so can get a bit busy on the weekend when the sun shines.

2004-02-06