Quite stunning!
Recently, I visited Leysin, Switzerland. Actually, this is my second time here. Granted, it’s not Zermatt where you get a view of the glorious Matterhorn. Nope. Instead, you get to view more. From atop Leysin, you can visibly enjoy a view of the Jura Mountains, the Rhone Valley, Lac Léman, the incredible peaks of Les Dents du Midi, Aiguille du Midi, Mont Blanc oh oh, and yes, of course, the Matterhorn. Isn’t that amazing?
This is a quaint little town that caters to everybody. It’s great to go with your friends, enjoy a family retreat with the kiddos, and relax. Don’t forget to bring “man’s best friend”. Believe me! They’ll have as much fun as you in the snow. Plus, there’s a Toboggan Park! You must do the tobbogan. Do it, do it!
AANNND…
GREAT SKIING WITHOUT THE HASSLE!
You know what I’m talking about. Have you skied before in Vail, Colorado? How about Breckenridge? Ok. Stay with me on this.
Different arrival times at the main cable car (Peak 9) in Breck:
- Arrival at 8AM: (Yay! Time) “Groomed snow! We’ll be the first ones on peak 10. It’s gonna be empty up there! Can’t wait! Snow powder!”
- Arrival at 8:15: “Hurry! It’s starting to get crowded. Let’s split the group. Do two in two. It’s faster!”
- Arrival at 8:30: “*&^%$#, look at the crowded lines. I’m going on the solo line. See you guys at the top!”
- Arrival at 8:45: “This is insane! Oh sorry, my bad, I’m stepping on your skis, oops sorry, again. Too crowded here! Kid down!”
- Arrival at 9AM: Oh, now what? It’s not running. Someone’s down again. Oh, wait. That’s me. Great. “Hey, it was our turn! (…dumb !@#&)”
- Arrival at 9:30: “Forget this! I told you we had to be here at YAY time!”
- Arrival at 10:00: That just happened! I’ll ski in the afternoon. “We’ll catch up with you guys later!” Yeah, I’ll come back later. “Hey, who wants a beer?”
- Arrival at 11:00: Really?
Luckly, that didn’t happen to us. Unlike in the USA, the schools in Switzerland have a 2 week winter break during the months of January-February. This break is called the “Sport Ferien” or “vacances sportives”. They do this so that the kids can practice or learn a winter sport during the winter season. It’s for this reason that I believe the families here practically take 1-2-3 weeks off when this “Sport Ferien” time comes along. And it works! No hassle. Everyone takes their time to ski. It’s pure leisure.
Ok, you gotta admit, the views here are amazing, Still, I prefer skiing in Colorado. Why? The runs. There are lots to choose from. The food. Many restaurants among the peaks where you can have a nice break without having to leave the peak. Access to the neighboring ski resorts are better than here too. It’s just that I’m in Switzerland right now. I must enjoy the Alps while I can. Colorado, we’ll meet again. Someday.
Clear and sunny days are the best…
But some days are just…
Sunny or not, you’ll have fun.
Just wanted to tell you a little bit about Leysin. If you would like to know more, please check out their official website at Leysin Oxygène des Alpes.
