Leysin, Switzerland

Rob Farrands from UNITED KINGDOM writes:

Leysin is small resort by alpine standards, however if you combine it with nearby Les Diablerets (where there's skiing on Glacier 3000) and Villars, on the Vaudois Ski Pass, it makes for a large ski area. A car is worth considering if you want to ski all three areas, as unusually by Swiss standards, the shuttle bus which runs between Diablerets and Leysin only runs at certain times of the year. Transport from Geneva airport is easy by train, and finishes with a lovely 'Cog' train ride from the small town of Aigle to Leysin through the forest; it's very romantic!.
Leysin is south facing which can make for spring conditions early on in the year. There are some nice little restaurants on the hill, one in particular at the foot of Mayen is very rustic. None of the runs are particularly taxing, however there is good off piste which can be accessed from the marked runs and leads you through the trees. When I skied there for the first time in 1986 I skied 3 foot powder through the pine trees!
The views from La Bernuese, where there is a revolving restaurant at the top, are great you can see the Dents de Midis, and the whole of Lake Geneva.
There is a good mountaineering school, ski school and mountain guides for real off piste expidtions.
The village is quiet with a handfull of good restaurants. There is a very good sports centre with swimming pool and an ice rink at the bottom of the village.
There is plenty of good accomadation to suite all tastes, although few chalets, and only one 4 star hotel. Night life is confined to two bars, we never went, however they looked well attended by the boarding fraternity, but Leysin is not a place for partying I would guess, since the Club Vagabond closed down some years ago. Food and accomadation is cheap by Swiss standards.
We stayed at Chalet Orchides the last time I visited, which was friendly and reasonably priced and only a 5 - 10 minute walk from the main lift complex.
A good resort for mixed ability couples or families on a budget.

2005-06-27