Winter and Mountain Sports in Geneva and Switzerland

Below is information on:

About 20 percent of Europe's Alps mountain range is in Switzerland. There are around 100 peaks close to or over 4000m above sea level. The highest mountain in Switzerland is Monte Rosa (Dufourspitze) on the border of Valais and Italy at 4634m.

While mountain sports are possible year round in places, the 3000 Km² of glaciers are decreasing at a rapid rate and their instability means many are closed to the public. 

Switzerland is home to some of the world's most chic winter resorts: Zermatt, Saas Fee, Klosters and Davos and the Matterhorn on the Swiss Italian border is one of the most famous peaks in the Alps. The Swiss tourist board lists 207 ski resorts in the country. These vary in altitude and facilities.

Weather & Snow Reports

• To find the snow conditions in a resort: Click here and select the region
• Snow reports and weather forecasts from Snow-Forecast
• See the AngloINFO weather for a seven day forecast

Local English radio station, WRG-FM, provides updates on state of the slopes every Thursday and Friday morning, around 08:05 and throughout the day.

• Listen live online to the Ski Season reports

As well as checking the weather forecast and snow conditions before skiing it is also important to check the UV index, the sun is very powerful at altitude and the thinness of the air and the reflection from the snow can cause skin to burn very quickly.

• Check the UV rays index with uv-index.ch

Getting There

Access to the mountain resorts is relatively easy via transport links around the country which include, cog railways, cable cars and trains. 

The Geneva Coach Station has a regular schedule of buses departing from both the airport and the Gare Routière de Genève for the Swiss and French resorts near Geneva. The website has a full, searchable timetable of all the busses, destinations and their schedules on PDF.

• Gare Routière de Genève
  At: Place Dorcière, Geneva
  Tel: +41 22 732 02 30 (from outside Switzerland) 
  Tel: 0900 320 230 (from Switzerland)
  Website
• See the AngloINFO Maps for road directions and route planning

Insurance

Not all basic health insurance covers all winter sports activities; check the exceptions on the policy, for example, some may not cover off-piste or tobogganing.

Before skiing for either a day, a season or a holiday make sure that the following are insured:

• Search and rescue
• Hospital costs
• Repatriation
• Third party liability
• Criminal and civil proceedings

Snowcare pass

Snowcare insurance provides top-up insurance cover for any accident on the slopes in Switzerland (and Italy). There are various Snowcare packages for day, or a full season's insurance and it can be bought with a ski pass at any participating resort. 

Snowcare insurance only covers on-piste accidents. In the event of an accident, an emergency rescue must be requested on the run as proof that the accident took place on a run. The claim must be submitted within 10 days. 

• Further information form the Snowcare website

Carré Neige/Licence Carte Neige (France)

The Carré Neige and Licence Carte Neige provide top-up insurance and assistance. 

The Carré Neige is short-term insurance available at the participating resorts. It can be bought from the lift pass office when buying the lift pass. It is valid as long as the pass is valid for all snow sports (by amateurs) in France and neighbouring Switzerland.  

The Carré Neige provides insurance and assistance: search and rescue, first transport, medical expenses and repatriation (as well as bad weather insurance on the cost of unusable ski passes). In the event of an accident a claim should be made within eight days. The claim should include the original lift pass and medical certificate detailing the injuries.

The Licence Carte Neige, issued by the Fédération Française de Ski (FFS), provides long-term cover and is available at participating French ski resorts. It is valid to an amateur involved in any mountain sport accident (with some minor exclusions), anywhere in the world. There are various types of Licence Carte Neige providing different degrees of cover depending on individual circumstance.

• Further information on the Carte Neige from Natives.co.uk

Piste Guidelines

Ski slopes - or pistes - are graded by difficulty:

Mini Glossary: 

• Cross-country skiing - Ski de fond 
• Snow shoes - les raquettes
• Chair lift - télésiège 
• Ski lift - téléski
• Snowboard - un surf
• Mountain Map - plan de piste

Resorts & Passes

All resorts use a lift-pass system. A ticket to use the resort's lifts and telecabins must be bought and the price of the pass will vary depending on the skier's age, competence, choice of sport and the resort. Passes can usually be bought in the resort with the minimum being a ½ day and the maximum being a season pass. They can also be bought by pedestrians and non skiers for lifts which bring passengers down the mountain.

• See The AngloFILE for Ski Resorts & Stations in France 
• See The AngloFILE for Ski Resorts & Stations in Switzerland 
• See The AngloFILE for Ski Resorts: Beginners & Family 

Ski-schools

There are ski schools in every resort and individual and group lessons are usually available. There are crèches and snow play areas for children too young to ski. Lessons can be full day or shorter.

• To find a ski school: Click here (in French)
• See The AngloFILE Ski & Snowboard Schools & Lessons

Equipment rental

Skis, snowboards boots and racquets can be hired from specialist shops in resorts. Charges are made by the standard of the equipment and the duration.

• See The AngloFILE Ski, Snowboard & Equipment Rental 

Food and drink

Swiss resorts have plenty of facilities including refreshment stops.

• For a list of mountain restaurants in the Geneva area: Click here (PDF in French)

Winter Sports, Switzerland

Many snow sports are possible during the winter, the two most practised are skiing and snowboarding, and advancements in technology have seen these sports change dramatically over recent years. Carving, freestyle and off-piste have all grown in popularity and accessibility in recent years. 

The Swiss adhere to the International Ski Federation (Fédération Internationale de Ski, FIS) 10 Rules for Conduct.

Winter sports in Geneva

The International Ski Club of Geneva (SCIG) has a full programme of alpine skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing and other outings for members. The club meets at the restaurant of the Piscine de Varembé.

• International Ski Club of Geneva (SCIG) 
  At: Piscine de Varembé, Avenue Giuseppe-Motta 46, 1202 Geneva
  Tel: 022 797 38 25 
  Website

Lake Geneva regional website, GenevaLunch, has information on winter sports in Switzerland and the Lake Geneva region:

• Winter sports part 1 
• Winter sports part 2

Snowshoeing

Snowshoeing (raquettes) is becoming more popular and many resorts in the Alps and Jura have created special routes with different grades of difficulty. Technology of the shoes is advancing to make the equipment more efficient for going up and down hills and walking on the flat.

• For more information on snowshoeing in the Geneva region: Click here
• A company organising raquette tracks in the Vaud: Click here

The International Ski Club of Geneva (SCIG) has regular weekend snowshoe and Nordic ski outings for it's members (and paying non-members).

• Full details on the website: Click here

Ice skating

Ice skating is a popular winter pastime in the region with both indoor and outdoor skating rinks.

• For a list of ice skating rinks (patinoires) in the region: Click here (PDF in French) 

Night skiing

Floodlit pistes can be found in many resorts and mountain restaurants stay open into the evening so customers can ski home from dinner. (Note that Snowcare insurance does not cover accidents involving alcohol.)

• For an overview of night skiing resorts in Switzerland: Click here (PDF) 

Tobogganing

Many resorts have toboggan runs where sledges can be hired and there is a lift or train to get back to the top. Some of these runs are not suitable for young children. Check that insurance covers this activity.

• For an overview of tobogganing in Switzerland: Click here (PDF)

Snow tube is also popular. An inflated tyre or tube is used instead of a sledge.

• For a list of resorts offering snow tubes: Click here (PDF)

Dog sled and mushing

A team of mountain (Nordic) dogs pull a sledge or skier through the snow. The Musher Club Suisse (French speaking Musher Club of Switzerland) operates out of Savièse.

Disabled Skiing

Disabled athletes can register to compete through the website (in French or German). Disabled skiing is a popular sport and instructors are located in resorts around the country.

• Swiss Paralympic Committee
  At: Krattigstrasse 48, CP 274, 3700 Spiez
  Tel: +41 (0)33 654 88 30
  Fax: +41 (0)33 654 88 32
  e-mail
  Website

Environmental Awareness

The Swiss Office Fédéral de l'Environnement (OFEV) issues guidelines and warnings about the effect of snow sports on the environment. Skiers and snowboarders are destructive to the natural environment as the infrastructures required to build pistes, lift and resorts harm existing nature.

Suggestions for environmentally sensitive skiing from the OFEV:

• Stay on piste
• Respect natures limitations, for example, light fall or lack of snow
• Follow the signs on the mountain, if a piste is closed do not try it
• In woodland and forests do not leave the marked tracks to ski in the powder
• Use public transport to get to and from the ski areas

One of the most harmful effects to nature is back country or off piste skiing. Making tracks through powder has a high risk of causing an avalanche and land slip, damaging flora and fauna beneath the snow. Marked pistes are specifically designed to leave areas of the mountain for animals to live in their natural habitat; skiers and boarders disturb the fauna during the winter which is often an important time for hibernation.

The greatest disruption to the environment is caused by the volume of traffic transporting tourists to their destination.

• The full article from the OFEV: Click here  (in French)

In its report on the threat of climate change to Alpine ski areas the OECD states that a 10 percent decline in the number of snow reliable areas in Switzerland is anticipated that in the next 20 years.

• Swiss Federal Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research Davos
  At: Flüelastr. 11, CH-7260 Davos Dorf
  Tel: +41 81 417 01 11
  Fax: +41 81 417 01 10
  Website

Further Information

Swiss-Ski: the official ski and snow sport national association in Switzerland is recognised by the FIS, Swiss-Ski has offers for members and a list of affiliated clubs is available.

• At: Worbstrasse 52, CH-3074 Muri b. Bern
  Tel: +41 (31) 950 61 11
  Fax: +41 (31) 950 61 10
  e-mail
  Website

Swiss Snow Sports: governing body representing various sporting disciplines. It regulates and represents ski schools and instructors across Switzerland.

• At: Hühnerhubelstrasse 95, Case postale 182, CH-3123 Belp
  Tel: +41 (0)31 810 41 11
  Fax: +41 (0)31 810 41 12
  Website

Remontées Mécaniques Suisses: organisation which brings together the 650 different ski lift operators in Switzerland to work towards a safe and modern lift infrastructure.

• At: Dählhölzliweg 12, 3000 Berne 6
  Tel: +41 (0)31 359 23 33
  Fax: +41 (0)31 359 23 10
  e-mail
  Website