Jewels of the Imperial Crown
Picturesque and charming mountain villages, uncrowded slopes and oodles of local charm make this ‘end of the road’ cluster a true hidden gem.
The Jewels centre around the Val D’Anniviers valley, which culminates in Zinal where 3 glaciers meet in spectacular fashion, beyond this lie the views and the mountains that make up the crown. The skiing in this area is excellent, varied and (at altitude) snow sure. The resorts remain small and slightly disjointed due to the natural geography of the area. This in turn keeps the crowds away and so the villages have kept their charm, the slopes are less skied out and you are in a perfect place for beginners and experts alike.
Those in the know rate the snow quality in these resorts as second to none in Switzerland. These are the true hidden gems of Swiss skiing.
What makes The Jewels of the Imperial Crown Unique?
Historic & traditional
The Valais area has some of the most authentic traditional villages and customs in the alps. Here you will be able to experience the proud history and strange traditions that helped the communities survive in this challenging environment
Great free ride / off piste
The beauty of this cluster of small resorts is that they all have access to some serious powder opportunities. As they are spread out the available powder does not get skied out in the few hours that often happens with larger resorts, and there are slopes facing every direction, so when there is a storm somewhere in this cluster will hold the snow exceptionally well.
Quiet slopes
The resorts in this cluster are medium or small sized and so do not feature for those seeking a huge linked ski area. The result is the mass crowds do not come and there are mostly very quiet slopes to enjoy to their maximum. The resorts are however close enough to zip between one and another depending on your mood or the snow conditions.
