Emmanuel Tresmontant - 2006-12-01
Relaxation, fresh air, alpine atmosphere and affordable prices... One hour from Lausanne by train, Villars is Switzerland’s family resort par excellence.
A tranquil beauty spot appreciated by all
Villars-sur-Ollon has always played the hand of discretion. Far from the glitz of Zermatt and Saint-Moritz, this intimate resort nestling above Bas-Valais at an altitude of 1,300 m (4,265 ft) deliberately cultivates its peaceful family-friendly reputation. Famous for its international private schools run with iron discipline, Villars is also popular with stars (such as Roger Moore or the great chef Guy Savoy) who can find restful anonymity here!
Accessible by train (1hr from Lausanne, 2hr from Geneva) or by motorway, Villars is set on a natural balcony facing due south, from where it is possible to see Lake Geneva in the distance. In fine weather the French Alps and Dents du Midi, which face the resort, whet the appetite of climbers. In addition to the skiing area, Villars offers 300 km (186 miles) of footpaths linking the village to alpine farms, mountain lakes and the old hamlets of Gryon and Taveyanne, which have been nestling at the foot of the Les Diablerets massif for 800 years.
A skiing area of human dimension
Cosy and warm with its shops, strings of lights and Christmas market, Villars is also appreciated for its skiing area, culminating at Glacier 3000. At an altitude of 3,000 m (9,842 ft), this peak now – from this year – boasts the world’s highest toboggan run, the “Alpine Coaster”, with an impressive 1,000 m (3,280 ft) descent!
The Villars skiing area is perfectly suited to skiers of intermediate or beginner level. It links 5 alpine areas over 3 valleys with one single hands-free ski pass: Villars, Gryon, Meilleret, Isenau and Glacier 3000, i.e. 77 ski lifts for 225 km (140 miles) of pistes, enabling skiers to leave and return to the resort on their skis.
Recommended ski or snowshoe itineraries
To reach the pistes you have to take the new cable car (see box) or go by rack railway from the central station. This little forest train runs every day and, skirting Villars’ immense golf club, takes you to the Col de Bretaye, at an altitude of 1,810 m (5,938 ft), in 25 minutes. There, the panorama of peaks is grandiose and bright (don’t forget your sunglasses!) and nature totally preserved, with its traditional Swiss chalets. You then have two solutions.
If you have snowshoes, you can begin with a warm-up on the first day by hiking to the Lac des Chavonnes at 1,700 m (5,577 ft), a place steeped in legend, lost in the forest (allow 35 minutes leisurely walking on gentle slopes, then 50 minutes for the return). At the edge of the lake, you can eat at an inn founded in 1900 and highly renowned for its fondues: L’auberge du Lac des Chavonnes.
If you choose the ski option from Col de Bretaye, we recommend going down as far as Lac Noir, which is frozen in winter, then taking the chair lift to Chaux Ronde (1,987 m/6,519 ft) and Meilleret (1,949 m/6,394 ft). The pistes are by and large vast and well tamped. Then head to Les Mazots (1,717 m/5,633 ft) where you can eat a morsel of Etivaz (the regional Gruyère) on the terrace of an inn overlooking the LesDiablerets massif. From Les Mazots, take the red run as far as Laouissalet (an exhilarating piste that you never tire of!).
Return via Lac Noir and Chaux Ronde. All that remains is for you to ski down for lunch at the Restaurant du Golf, renowned for its pasta and local specialities including the famous “smoked sausage with cabbage”... Bernard Cavé’s Marsanne–based white vin de pays (a very floral grape variety originating from the Rhône valley) is lively and pleasantly flavoured: nose of lime blossom, aromas of peach.
After coffee, take the chair lift to LesChaux (1,750 m/5,741 ft), which overlooks the hamlet of Les Gryons, then to Croix des Chaux (2,020 m/6,627 ft) where several superb pistes (blue, red and black) stretch out in the direction of Sodoleuvre.
You can return to Villars by train or ski back directly via the Col de Soud (the blue run ends at the entrance to the village at a picturesque inn famous for its mulled wine and its fireplace).
Affordable gourmet holidays
Villars is proof that, contrary to preconceived ideas, the Swiss mountains are not more expensive than elsewhere! Here, ski passes are free for children under 9 and under 16s pay half price for the ski lifts.
As for the hotels, they offer very good value for money: 110 CHF* (73 euros) for a double room with terrace at the 3-star Hôtel Ecureuil; 175 CHF (109 euros) for a double room at the 4-star Eurotel Victoria (winter high season rate).
As for gastronomy, Villars-sur-Ollon offers a range of excellent quality regional products such as the succulent Gruyère from Etivaz, whose fatty milk comes from the alpine farms. Séré fumé is also a local speciality: a fromage frais that is drained and smoked in the fireplace. “Maréchal” is a highly renowned Gruyère from Fribourg, with an amazing length on the palate.
The wine merchant of Villars (La Treille d’Or) will introduce you to some local white wines to whet the appetite, but also to the great wines of the Valais such as the Vendanges Tardives (late harvest wine) by Marie-Thérèse Chappaz in Fully, made from a rare grape variety, Petite Arvine.
In the evening, you can enjoy tasty wood fire barbecues at LeSporting, a trendy address.
For Christmas, treat yourself at La Renardière, a charming inn set beneath the trees, a stone’s throw from the centre. The “discovery” menu (“Menu Découverte”) at 72 CHF (45 euros) will enable you to discover the talent of the young chef from Lyon, Pierre Oberger. His precise, technical cuisine puts the spotlight on great Swiss produce such as alpine lamb, beef from Fribourg, organic veal from Gryon, cheese from Etivaz, wild herbs and flowers from the Valais and vins de pays from Ollon. His warm brioche of game with vinaigrette, walnut oil and beetroot juice is delicious. We also recommend his sweet and sour veal offal and his bricks of celery, apple and preserved fennel. Pierre Oberger also proves to be an excellent pastry chef: his nougatine and caramel croustillant, fried with bananas and mango in pepper brings dinner to a perfect close.
*1 CHF is worth approximately GBP0.42.
Villars Tourisme
Rue centrale
Tél.: +41 (0) 24 495 32 32
L’auberge du Lac des Chavonnes
Tél. : +41 (0) 24 495 21 31
La Renardière
Tél.: + 41 (0) 24 495.25.92
Fax.: + 41 (0) 24 495.39.15
Café le Sporting
Rue Centrale
1884 Villars-sur-Ollon
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