Switzerland has many charms but one of the best experiences is the combination of dinner & sledging home. Many resorts have Mountain Cabin Restaurants which offer a wonderful dinner (usually quite rustic but very good), drinks and then a moonlit toboggan back to your chalet along a road or piste.
Coming in from the cold into a warm log cabin with flickering firelight, unbundling yourself of your ski gear and then relaxing with friends whilst tucking into platters of local meats, cheeses, a few glasses of wine and of course the ubiquitous round of Schnapps before departing into the moonlight; can’t be beaten. Unless it’s by the thrill of the race back to the chalet with the whizz of the powdery snow in your face, accompanied by lots of laughter and snowy falls.
In Verbier; La Marmotte offers some very good rustic food with a gentle sledge down. Or Chez Dany is a bit more upmarket with very good quality restaurant food and a Snow Taxi from Carrefour bus stop if you would rather not sledge. Easy sledging down a tree lined road and then a blue piste with a steeper bit at the finish as you arrive back at Medran. Stay in Apartment Sophia just below the Medran lift with an experienced Chef from £6,900 for 8 people.
In Grindelwald; The Bergrestaurant at Bussalp offers an all you can eat cheese fondue for 28 chf per person. The bus takes you up and you can sledge back down the snowy road. This is quite famous and worth pre-booking in peak weeks. Or try the Eiger Run from Berghaus Alpiglen for a cheese fondue party, across to Brandegg and then to Grindelwald Grund on a lit sledge run. The Belvedere Hotel is a wonderful family friendly hotel with spa facilities and right at the bottom of the Bussalp sledge run. From £590 pp for a Standard Twin Room with breakfast or £945 pp for a Standard Twin Room with Half Board and ski pass.
In La Tzoumaz; the sledge run from Savoleyres to La Tzoumaz is 10 km and great fun. Easy to use with the children in the day or if you’re lucky enough to stay in La Tzoumaz at the right time, the Full Moon sledge run from the top is once a month on a Friday and Saturday. We recommend Chalet Janluke and you can sledge or ski back to the door then straight into the Jacuzzi. From £6,000 for 10 people.
But remember to take your own head torch along with you on holiday and dress up in your ski gear over some casual clothes to keep you warm on the descent . Goggles also advisable for the thrill of the chase back down the mountain. Have fun and the shot of schnapps is highly recommended!
