Since the holiday region around Gstaad nurtures its landscapes just as much as its image, guests find perfect conditions here for every conceivable winter pleasure. 61 skilifts access 250 km of piste of exceptional variety: from young and trendy (with terrific snowparks) to stylishly racy (with the steepest runs). The backdrop to all this is picture-book mountain scenery with vast snowy slopes that leave freeriders and ski tourers simply lost for words.

Husky sleds, horse-drawn sleighs

Various unusual activities appear on the visitor programme. You can explore the Lauenen nature reserve in a horse-drawn sleigh, for example, brave a tandem paraglider flight, ride on a sled pulled by huskies – or simply watch the dog teams from one of the cross-country ski trails. Talking of which – the Gstaad region is one of the three finest cross-country ski areas in Switzerland, with 180 km of trails through this idyllic landscape.

On the “Rinderberg Ronda” circuit, skiers and snowboarders cover three mountains and three valleys in the Simmental and Saanenland without ever repeating a lift or piste. The full circuit takes about two hours.