Just west of Lake Geneva, Villars is part of the French-speaking region of the ‘Alpes Vaudoises’. The resort sits on a balcony at 1300m and is mostly south-facing – ideal for sun-soaked vistas of the Portes du Soleil and even sights of Mont Blanc on a clear day.
This eco-savvy destination is one of the greenest resorts in the world and has been awarded the Flocon Vert for sustainable development. The Swiss tourist office has also recognised it for the awesome children’s facilities (they’ve offered free l...
The local ski area covers the four peaks of Petit Chamossaire, Grand Chamossaire and Chaux Ronde above Villars and the Croix des Chaux behind Gryon.
There’s some fantastic beginner skiing on the designated areas towards the back of town – as these are off the main piste network, they’re usually free to use. Venture towards the bowl at Bretaye where you’ll find some wide, sweeping blue runs like Bretay-Orsay and Chaux Ronde (the main learners’ slope). The Populaire Bretaye run meets the Lapins slope for a...
Kick things off during the afternoon by settling for vin chauds at a slopeside café like Col De Bretaye. You can relax on the terrace with a sunny view of Mt Blanc and the surrounding runs - if you haven’t had lunch yet, we’ve heard the steak tartare is amazing!
Down in the village, the Plaza el Gringo has 3 bars that are popular with both tourists and locals. The liveliest is the El Gringo disco and there’s also the VIP club and Charlie’s that do a good range of drinks and have DJ’s most nights. The Moo...