WHAT TO DO IN THE SWISS ALPS THIS SPRING

Spring is a beautiful time to be in the mountains. A time of rebirth, of making new plans in anticipation of the summer ahead. As the snow thaws on the lower slopes of the Swiss Alps, revealing spring flowers, hiking trails and golf courses, you might be packing away your skis but there is a host of other things to do.

NEW SEASON, NEW HOTELS

Swiss tourism is buoyant and there are a lot of exciting new hotels and spas in the pipeline.

Sustainability is the ethos of the Mad Mount Hotel in Nendaz, with its cosy cabanes and family-friendly restaurant, and Japanese onsen spa.

If you haven’t already tried it, there’s the small, serenely revamped Boutique Hotel Panorama, sitting peacefully away from the pistes with its panoramic views over the Rhone Valley. There’s a great spa and outdoor yoga deck.

A SPA FOR EVERYONE

The Six Senses Crans-Montana is finally open and its state-of-the-art wellness facilities, Earth Lab, Biohack Recovery Lounge, children’s spa and dog pampering certainly bring a whole new dimension to the hotel offerings of Crans. Sleep upgrade, anyone?

In addition to the options above we can’t wait for the new spa at The Eringer Hotel in Les Collons. Close by in the Dixence Resort you can enjoy traditional local dishes in the Stubli restaurant, or Italian specialities at Chez Pietro.

FESTIVALS, WINE AND CHEESE…

This spring there are host of new things to try alongside traditional favourites. Explore Gstaad with a cheese whisperer – or take a fondue al fresco up to the mountain, there are dozens of cheesy options.

Another authentic mountain experience is the shepherd festival in Leukerbad (12-14 May), or book a wine-tasting tour in the Valais to suit, or plan ahead for Jazz in Verbier (July).

SPORT AND SIGHTSEEING

Tackle a challenging mountain hike along many of the marked trails around Crans-Montana. Try the Grand Bisse de Lens and Zseuzier Zam trail – perfect in April before it gets too hot.

For another challenge tackle the Gemstock in Andermatt (Gotthard Region), with its 1’500 meters of vertical slopes and powder snow from November to May.

Or test yourself on the seven-stage Valais Alpine Bike Route, surfing at Alaia Bay, or less traditional Alpine offerings skateboarding, scootering, BMX and parkour at Alaïa Chalet. Brand new this summer: try the new Matterhorn Glacier Ride II connecting Zermatt and Cervinia.

SPRING HOUSE-HUNTING

Spring is the ideal time to look for a new home too. There’s an eight-bedroom Chalet Bellevue in Les Collons with stunning views of the Dent Blanche and the Matterhorn. With five bedrooms and great features such as jacuzzi and built-in wine celler, there’s also Chalet Maguy. Staying in Les Collons, there are large two-bedroom apartments at Le Cervin in Dixence Resort mentioned above.

Also available with second home status, there’s a two-bedroom attic apartment in Veysonnaz, at CHF595,000, which could be the ideal Swiss bolt hole; or in Crans-Montana, there are two apartments left at The Masters, in a peaceful location towards Lens.

Prefer investing? The property market in Andermatt is booming: thanks to special law exemptions granted to the entire Resort, investors can easily buy and rent out with the full management package. To find out more about this investment opportunity, you can reach out to one of our alpine experts.

Alpine Homes is a family-run agency with two decades of experience selling homes to international buyers. We can find you anything from a studio apartment or an uber-chalet in the Valais. Get in touch now.