Portfolio - Special Edition Switzerland

41 Special Edition Switzerland diurnal experiences, with night sledging and torchlight walks in the village or forest – complete with tastings of the local molten-cheese speciality, raclette. Directly accessible by a private shuttle bus or taxi to Zermatt village, Saas-Fee is one of the most convenient locations in the region where you can also book a first-time ski experience. Two pre- eminent hotels here are the five-star Walliserhof Grand-Hotel & Spa and the chalet-like The Capra, both guaranteeing a supremely comfortable stay. BATHING IN BEAUTY Further inland, Leukerbad, the largest thermal spa resort in the Alps – whose baths’ healing properties were first recognised by the ancient Romans – is a popular destination in Switzerland for wellness as well as sports enthusiasts. Walliser Alpentherme & Spa is a sprawling sauna complex, while Leukerbad Therme’s mineral-rich waters are popular among all age groups. The Torrent area makes an equally appealing destination in summer or winter, as it combines ski slopes with snowshoe and hiking trails; in warmer weather the picturesque region attracts bikers and ramblers. The Gemmi Cableways glide over an historic trade route and form the starting point for Switzerland’s longest via ferrata, offering magnificent views year-round to diners feasting on the fried-potato speciality Rösti in the Gemmi panorama restaurant. The five-star Les Sources des Alpes is a preferred hotel, widely appreciated for its own thermal spring in an open-air setting and its gourmet restaurant, La Malvoisie. The twin resorts of Nendaz and Veysonnaz offer visitors a prime location at the heart of Les 4 Vallées, the largest ski area in Switzerland with over 400 kilometres of slopes – lying halfway between the skiers’ meccas of Chamonix (in France) and Zermatt. Aside from winter sports options, Nendaz has interesting sideshows on offer: it’s the regional capital of the Alphorn, and a nature lovers’ paradise with its bisses (traditional irrigation canals) providing ideal grounds for walkers, mountain bikers and cross-country skiers. It also has more than 30 restaurants and bars to satiate the appetite after a long day’s outward-bound pursuits. Veysonnaz’ traditional chalets and friendly inhabitants help visitors immerse in a sleepier village atmosphere, where they can bathe in 300 days-a-year sunshine and admire rapturous vistas over the Rhône valley. Its mechanical snow-making system ensures an even spread of snow in wintertime, and Veysonnaz has hosted over 30 World Cup competitions as well as the vertiginous Piste de l’Ours (Path of the Bear) which runs through the forest. The two resorts combine to make one of Switzerland’s most spectacular alpine areas, with the Mont-Fort providing the optimum viewpoint over Matterhorn and the tallest mountain in Europe, Mont Blanc. The four-star Hôtel Nendaz 4 Vallées & Spa is a premium sanctuary in the region, while gourmets should head to the rustic Le Mont-Rouge restaurant, where fine Valaisian wines complement the French dining experience. The Région Dents du Midi also provides easy access to top-level sporting and gustatory pleasures, but the area is equally renowned for its figure- skating school (run by 2005 and 2006 world champion Stéphane Lambiel) and venue for international events, all set under the roof of Champéry Sports Centre (“Le Palladium”). Most recently, the curling event took place here in January 2020 during the Lausanne Youth Olympics. The resorts of the region – Champéry, Les Crosets, Morgins and Champoussin – form an integral part of Europe’s largest ski area, Portes du Soleil, snow-sports region which encompasses France and Switzerland, and are best enjoyed by skiers of all abilities and ages between mid-December and April. This is a premium destination for gourmets, as producers in the region enjoy a reputation for their eco-friendly preparation of high-quality, authentic cheese and beer. Many such goods are displayed in the local-produce store La Cavagne, which for over a decade has held a prestigious pedigree for its produce earning a “Saveurs Dents du Midi” (saveur meaning marked by good taste) certification; La Pâle, a type of cheese used in raclette, earned a rare 20/20 evaluation in 2019. A vast maturing cellar is able to store more than 12,000 wheels of cheese in optimum condition; while beer drinkers will appreciate a range of brews produced locally, such as 7 Peaks which takes its name from the mountainous environment. Two hotels of particular note in the area are the four-star Hôtel Le White and Hôtel