Ski holidays 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 glance a little inconspicuous, the former Maiensäss – a special type of alpine pasture with huts and stables – exudes its own unique charm. Holidaymakers will find not only a few well-preserved huts "from days gone by", but also cosy restaurants and bars that invite you to end the day in good company.

Its 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 wide range of activities on offer attracts passionate winter sports enthusiasts to this charming village every winter.

Val d'Anniviers

Nestled in a unique landscape with gigantic four-thousand-metre peaks in the Swiss Valais and turquoise-blue water in the Moiry reservoir lies the Alpine valley Val d'Anniviers, meaning "Eifischtal" in English. It stretches across the Rhone Valley, from the town of Sierre-Siders, famous for its wine, to the tranquil holiday resort of Zinal and the mighty "Grande Couronne" (Great Crown) mountain range – which includes 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, with the villages of Vercorin (1,330 m), Grimentz (1,553 m), Zinal (1,675 m), Saint Luc (1,655 m) and Chandolin (1,936 m) forming a large winter sports region. At altitudes between 1,340 and 2,980 m, skiers and snowboarders will find around 210 kilometres of varied slopes of varying degrees of difficulty, as well as freeriding opportunities and fun parks. There is also plenty of fun to be had away from the slopes: tyre tobogganing, ice skating, ice climbing, sledging, winter hiking and paragliding are just a few of the many leisure activities on offer. The swimming pool in Zinal with sauna and hot tub also offers a change from the slopes. Or the whole family can try their hand at a tricky puzzle in the escape room in Grimentz.

You should also not miss out on the traditional Valais raclette and the special "glacier wine". This oxidative white wine has a taste reminiscent of sherry and is grown, pressed and matured in larch barrels near glaciers at an altitude of over 1,200 metres.

Travel Zinal

• By train: Zinal (in resort), Saint-Luc (approx. 15 km), Sion (approx. 45 km), Brig (approx. 60 km)
• By plane: Sion (approx. 45 km), Bern (approx. 125 km), Lausanne (approx. 140 km), Aosta (approx. 150 km)