Villars-Gryon offers an international ambience for guests of all ages. There are a number of exclusive private schools located here. Its smaller neighbours Gryon and Barboleuse are a little lower down, on the more easterly side of the valley. Together, they make up the holiday destination of Villars-Gryon.
Villars-Gryon is located on a natural balcony with southern exposure in the heart of the Vaud Alps. It offers guests with sports, relaxation and culture. At an altitude of 1,300m, every holiday pleasure awaits you in an idyllic setting featuring the spectacular panorama extending from Lake Geneva to Mont-Blanc.
Villars-Gryon is a village in the canton of Vaud, part of the municipality of Ollon. It is also known for its boarding schools, especially for Collège Alpin International Beau Soleil and Aiglon College, two of the most expensive schools in the world.
Villars-Gryon is served by the Chemin de fer Bex-Villars-Bretaye railway, featuring a cog rack system leading from the town centre to a ski piste network.
The village of Villars overlooks the Rhône Valley and views of Mont Blanc are clearly visible from parts of the village and the local ski area of Bretaye. Bretaye is linked to Villars by the BVB railway. There is also a gondola lift connecting the village to Roc d’Orsay, 200m above Bretaye. Villars-Gryon offers a reasonable range of pistes at a moderate altitude. Accommodation is largely of the chalet variety, although there are also a good selection of hotels, many of which are four and five star. The village has previously hosted the Snowbombing electronic dance music and snowboarding spring festival and every year holds the 24hr Grand-Prix ski race.
Villars-Gryon restaurants have a reputation for good food served with local ingredients. There are some great restaurants with amazing views across the mountains. As with most Swiss Ski resorts there are the usual Swiss traditional restaurants and also a diverse mix of foreign dishes.
Villars-Gryon offers a range of varied bars, tea rooms, piano bars and restaurants. There is something for everyone. There are places of busy night spots for the late partiers. If you fancy some quiet après ski, you won’t go far wrong heading into the town centre, where you can sit outside with a hot chocolate and a warm blanket or go inside for a more intimate experience, as the bar area is quite small. Folklore evenings are staged regularly and there are sometimes ice hockey matches to watch at the rink.
There are over 75 ski lifts and 220km of trails of the Villars-Gryon-Les Diableretes and Glacier 3000 ski area. This means that you can leave and return to resort with your skis on your feet, having skied from the 3,000m glacier all the way back to the village!
In addition there are three snow parks, a snow kindergarten, 44km of cross-country skiing trails, sledging runs and numerous winter walking routes – not to mention a lively après-ski scene. Those in need of relaxation can visit the amenities and wellness centres at the thermal baths in Lavey.
Over the years we have managed to negotiate some superb equipment at excellent rates and have passed the benefits of this directly to you.
We use one of the top Sports shops in Villars-Gryon, Sports House, very convenient and friendly.
Francois and his team will assist you with the best equipment for you to progress.
They even stock the short skis for novices as the ski school we recommend in Villars uses the Ski Evolutive method of teaching.
SKIS: Top rate skis are included in the rental price with the latest brands and models.
SNOWBOARDS: No extra for snowboards with the latest bindings and designs.
We include Cross-Channel Ferries for those who are self driving or Airport Transfers for those flying, so you can choose the best option that suits you.
Train Transfer Time from Basel: | 3hr 55min |
Train Transfer Time from Bern: | 3hr 10min |
Train Transfer Time from Geneva: | 2hr 10min |
Train Transfer Time from Zürich : | 3hr 50min |
Driving Distance from Calais: | 520 miles |
View the Swiss Rail timetable.
We have 2-person studio apartments and every size, right up to 28-person apartments. They are spacious and convenient to amenities, the ski lifts and free village ski bus.
Again, we offer a huge range of availability on hotels. We can offer any level from our 2, 3 or 4-star hotel selection. In some resorts we can even 5 star hotels.
Our prices are simple, LOW & HIGH season. We have Youth prices for children up to the age of 15 and even bigger savings for Children under the age of 9yrs!
LOW & HIGH season vary for each accommodation/resort – we do not add any of our own surcharges onto the cost of your stay. NEW YEAR and HALF-TERM are standard HIGH Season. If you have any queries about which dates are LOW or HIGH for the accommodation level you desire, please contact us directly.
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