Nendaz
Nendaz offers plenty of cruisy-wide slopes, plus links to some of the most challenging terrain around for the more experienced. Nendaz skiing is the best of the Four Valleys for beginners and children, offering some great nursery slopes, followed by the gentle and exceptionally wide blues on Tracouet.
As you built your confidence, longer blues and easy reds can be found back down to resort from the Prarion chair. The frozen lake makes the perfect spot for the children’s snow play area, with big inflatable toys to enjoy.
Intermediats can find good carving runs at the top of the Alpage chair and the extent of the terrain will help you to push your skiing to the next level. For advanced skiers, the only way to ski Nendaz is on the marked but off-piste itinerary routes that the Four Valleys is famous for.
The backcountry runs are plentiful but if you really want to prove yourself, start on the Siviez-Chassoure route before building up to one of the “Scariest ski runs in the world” the Tortin Wall.
Boarders will love the two snow parks. The Nendaz Snowpark for beginners and the Burton Progression Park for the more advanced park rat, which even benefits from an airbag and on-site instructors to help you progress quickly.
Zermatt
Thanks to its large glacier and high altitude Zermatt is a close as you can get to guaranteed snow.
Zermatt is perfect for intermediates who are beginning to focus on their technique as there are plenty of wide, open runs to cruise down. With its beginner pistes, plenty of challenging blacks, and some good off-piste Zermatt delvers something to all levels of skiers and boarders. If you are a park skier or snowboarder, there is a ski park to try out.
Zermatt has an expansive and varied ski area and is blessed with one of the longest seasons in Europe as well as reliable conditions.