When most of us think of the perfect ski resort, we conjure up images of peaceful, picture-postcard, traditional mountain villages surrounded by snow-laden trees and snow-capped peaks. Unfortunately, this is not always the case!
One thing that can spoil the atmosphere in a ski resort is a main road running through the center or simply lots of cars coming and going all the time. The answer is to choose a ski resort with a car free center
Saas Fee
is often named as being one of the world's most attractive ski resorts. Its setting alone is pretty spectacular! Surrounded by some of the highest mountains in the Swiss Alps and glaciers which remain snow covered even in summer, Saas-Fee has definitely chosen the perfect place to be.
In addition to its natural beauty, Saas-Fee is a relatively peaceful ski resort thanks to its pedestrian centre. When a proper road leading to this resort was built back in the early 50s, thankfully someone important decided to prevent cars from entering the village center meaning that it’s narrow streets still remain clean and car free today!
Therefore, regardless of being up there with the world-class ski resorts concerning facilities and infrastructure, Saas-Fee has managed to retain its traditional charm and a wonderfully peaceful atmosphere.
Mürren
is a picturesque ski resort perched on the sunny mountain side high above the Lütschine river. This ski resort cannot be reached by car, so visitors are obliged to leave their cars in Lauterbrunnen and take the mountain train to get to the resort. After its appearance in one of the original James Bond films, the 3 star Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau hotel is a unique landmark here and has made this resort an international attraction. The resort center is rather attractive with its colourful mix of different hotels, wooden chalets and pretty boutiques. Here you won’t find any concrete apartment blocks or hotel complexes and each property owner aims to make their accommodation or establishment as appealing to the eye as possible creating a charming and cozy atmosphere.
The ski area on Schilthorn is impressive and one of the unique features is a futuristic rotating restaurant. With just over 200km of ski slopes on the ski map, there's something for every level and taste here.
Right in the heart of the vast Portes du Soleil ski area,
Avoriaz
sits up on the top of a dizzyingly high cliff with apartment blocks seemingly perched on the cliff edge! Due to its location, Avoriaz is an entirely pedestrian ski resort and in fact the only time you’re not on the snow is when you’re inside a building! Don’t leave your moonboots at home or you could get chilly toes!
Even though this resort was purpose-built and there are a lot of large apartment blocks here, I personally think it’s difficult not to fall under this resort’s spell. When you arrive at the bus and coach station just outside the resort, the only forms of transport from there on for the rest of your week’s holiday, are skis, skidoo, sledge and horse-drawn sleigh! There’s no better way to have a complete change of scenery than to get away from traffic for a whole week. Relaxing on the many sunny terraces in the resort center is a favourite activity here and a great place to meet for lunch if you have non-skiers in your group.
Most accommodation here offers doorstep skiing which is great for beginners and families and there’s something really special about being able to ski through the resort centre. The huge Portes du Soleil ski area, with a total of over 650kms of marked ski runs, stretches across both France and Switzerland and offers some mind-blowing skiing.
Megève
is not just any winter sports destination and thousands of winter sports fans flock here each winter to enjoy the unique atmosphere in this authentic, and rather chic, French ski resort. This renovated ski resort has a pedestrian centre with lots of stylish and rather expensive boutiques and cafés. Once you start to wander through the back streets, you realize that no car would be able to fit through even if it were allowed! In Megève, with everything within walking distance, you can literally do a nightclub crawl – with the choice of, among others, the Club de Jazz des 5 rues, Cocoon's, La Caleche and the Caves - you’ll never be far from home!
Being part of the Evasion Mont Blanc ski area with more than 400 kilometres of excellent ski slopes, Megève has just about everything you could want from a ski resort.
Cervinia being so popular is certainly no surprise. Once you are in the this lovely Italian ski resort, you can admire the eternal snow of the Matterhorn and the Monte Rosa mountains and you know you are somewhere rather special. Cervinia is less fashionable than its Swiss partner, Zermatt (which is linked by ski lifts), and has some fantastic, gentle skiing for those looking for an easy ski holiday! The hotshots can take the link to Zermatt where there are much more challenging slopes on offer. The centre of Cervinia is car free and is lined with cozy bars, restaurants and stylish little Italian boutiques. The renovation of the rather ugly 60s-style centre has created a much warmer, friendlier feel in this fantastic ski resort.
The Austrian ski resort of
Ischgl
is well-known for being an excellent all-round ski resort – it really does have something for everyone – in every category! Set in the heart of the stunning Silvretta mountains, this fashionable ski resort, with its pleasant pedestrian center, offers some of the best skiing in Austria. Many international snowboard competitions are held here drawing an interesting and mixed crowd which creates a cosmopolitan feel about this Austrian ski resort. Après-ski is really a big deal here with a list of bars, restaurants and nightclubs as long as your arm! If you come to Ischgl, don’t plan to go to bed early!
Ischgl has access to over 200km of predominantly red ski slopes and stays open until the end of April!
Not being bothered by traffic noise, pollution and the stress of taking your car every day can increase enormously the positive affects of a ski holiday – you’ll come back feeling like a new person!
Leave a comment or join us on
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if you have visited any of these resorts or would like to share others with us.
Happy relaxed ski holidays!
When most of us think of the perfect ski resort, we conjure up images of peaceful, picture-postcard, traditional mountain villages surrounded by snow-laden trees and snow-capped peaks. Unfortunately, this is not always the case!
One thing that can spoil the atmosphere in a ski resort is a main road running through the center or simply lots of cars coming and going all the time. The answer is to choose a ski resort with a car free center
Saas Fee
is often named as being one of the world's most attractive ski resorts. Its setting alone is pretty spectacular! Surrounded by some of the highest mountains in the Swiss Alps and glaciers which remain snow covered even in summer, Saas-Fee has definitely chosen the perfect place to be.
In addition to its natural beauty, Saas-Fee is a relatively peaceful ski resort thanks to its pedestrian centre. When a proper road leading to this resort was built back in the early 50s, thankfully someone important decided to prevent cars from entering the village center meaning that it’s narrow streets still remain clean and car free today!
Therefore, regardless of being up there with the world-class ski resorts concerning facilities and infrastructure, Saas-Fee has managed to retain its traditional charm and a wonderfully peaceful atmosphere.
Mürren
is a picturesque ski resort perched on the sunny mountain side high above the Lütschine river. This ski resort cannot be reached by car, so visitors are obliged to leave their cars in Lauterbrunnen and take the mountain train to get to the resort. After its appearance in one of the original James Bond films, the 3 star Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau hotel is a unique landmark here and has made this resort an international attraction. The resort center is rather attractive with its colourful mix of different hotels, wooden chalets and pretty boutiques. Here you won’t find any concrete apartment blocks or hotel complexes and each property owner aims to make their accommodation or establishment as appealing to the eye as possible creating a charming and cozy atmosphere.
The ski area on Schilthorn is impressive and one of the unique features is a futuristic rotating restaurant. With just over 200km of ski slopes on the ski map, there's something for every level and taste here.
Right in the heart of the vast Portes du Soleil ski area,
Avoriaz
sits up on the top of a dizzyingly high cliff with apartment blocks seemingly perched on the cliff edge! Due to its location, Avoriaz is an entirely pedestrian ski resort and in fact the only time you’re not on the snow is when you’re inside a building! Don’t leave your moonboots at home or you could get chilly toes!
Even though this resort was purpose-built and there are a lot of large apartment blocks here, I personally think it’s difficult not to fall under this resort’s spell. When you arrive at the bus and coach station just outside the resort, the only forms of transport from there on for the rest of your week’s holiday, are skis, skidoo, sledge and horse-drawn sleigh! There’s no better way to have a complete change of scenery than to get away from traffic for a whole week. Relaxing on the many sunny terraces in the resort center is a favourite activity here and a great place to meet for lunch if you have non-skiers in your group.
Most accommodation here offers doorstep skiing which is great for beginners and families and there’s something really special about being able to ski through the resort centre. The huge Portes du Soleil ski area, with a total of over 650kms of marked ski runs, stretches across both France and Switzerland and offers some mind-blowing skiing.
Megève
is not just any winter sports destination and thousands of winter sports fans flock here each winter to enjoy the unique atmosphere in this authentic, and rather chic, French ski resort. This renovated ski resort has a pedestrian centre with lots of stylish and rather expensive boutiques and cafés. Once you start to wander through the back streets, you realize that no car would be able to fit through even if it were allowed! In Megève, with everything within walking distance, you can literally do a nightclub crawl – with the choice of, among others, the Club de Jazz des 5 rues, Cocoon's, La Caleche and the Caves - you’ll never be far from home!
Being part of the Evasion Mont Blanc ski area with more than 400 kilometres of excellent ski slopes, Megève has just about everything you could want from a ski resort.
Cervinia being so popular is certainly no surprise. Once you are in the this lovely Italian ski resort, you can admire the eternal snow of the Matterhorn and the Monte Rosa mountains and you know you are somewhere rather special. Cervinia is less fashionable than its Swiss partner, Zermatt (which is linked by ski lifts), and has some fantastic, gentle skiing for those looking for an easy ski holiday! The hotshots can take the link to Zermatt where there are much more challenging slopes on offer. The centre of Cervinia is car free and is lined with cozy bars, restaurants and stylish little Italian boutiques. The renovation of the rather ugly 60s-style centre has created a much warmer, friendlier feel in this fantastic ski resort.
The Austrian ski resort of
Ischgl
is well-known for being an excellent all-round ski resort – it really does have something for everyone – in every category! Set in the heart of the stunning Silvretta mountains, this fashionable ski resort, with its pleasant pedestrian center, offers some of the best skiing in Austria. Many international snowboard competitions are held here drawing an interesting and mixed crowd which creates a cosmopolitan feel about this Austrian ski resort. Après-ski is really a big deal here with a list of bars, restaurants and nightclubs as long as your arm! If you come to Ischgl, don’t plan to go to bed early!
Ischgl has access to over 200km of predominantly red ski slopes and stays open until the end of April!
Not being bothered by traffic noise, pollution and the stress of taking your car every day can increase enormously the positive affects of a ski holiday – you’ll come back feeling like a new person!
Leave a comment or join us on
Facebook
if you have visited any of these resorts or would like to share others with us.
Happy relaxed ski holidays!
Being lucky enough to have parents who were crazy about skiing, my love for the mountains started when I was 4 years old on our first family ski holiday to Austrian ski resort of Obergurl. One ski holiday a year was never enough and tears rolled down my face as I looked out the back window of the car on the drive down the valley on the way home!
