Summary

Some people will find the slow pace of things here irritating – although there are some modern lifts in key spots (including a newish cable car that links two of the four ski areas for the first time), you spend a lot of your time riding draglifts and very little time riding fast chairs. But there are compensations – most of the villages have unspoiled rustic cores, with old wooden houses lining narrow lanes. Approach the area with the right attitude and you may find it all quite a refreshing change from big-name resorts with high-speed everything.

The two most compelling villages, Grimentz on one side of the valley and St Luc on the other, get their own web pages, as does Zinal.

Blogs, features and news

• Skiing a year ago today…
• One of our favourite ski resort hotels
• Two great days in Val d’Anniviers
• Short skiing breaks
• Ten resorts for secret powder