Grimentz Zinal Ski Resort Switzerland
Grimentz Zinal ski resort is a sensational powder skiing destination tucked away deep in the Val d’Anniviers in Switzerland. Situated under the towering spire of the Bec de Bosson, the best resort in the valley is Grimentz Zinal. Its terrain breadth & diversity, snow quality & relaxed vibe will make you consider spending your remaining years in this wonderful place.
Gorgeous Val d’Anniviers is a lesser known (but certainly not lesser!) ski destination in the French speaking part of the Valais/Wallis south of Sierre. Wedged between the better known resorts of 4 Vallees, Crans Montana & Zermatt, the Val d’Anniviers provides a traditional Swiss ski experience without all the flashy trimmings of its afore mentioned neighbours. Smaller crowds, authentic villages & access to some truly awesome freeride terrain provide enough reasons to visit. The valley's ski resorts include the expansive Grimentz-Zinal & the smaller (a relative term!) St Luc-Chandolin & Vercorin.
Pros & Cons for Grimentz-Zinal Ski Resort
Pros
- Sensational freeride powder skiing & boarding for days after a snowfall.
- Relaxed vibe in glorious high alpine surrounds.
- Majority of terrain above 2,000m elevation - snow sure.
- Wonderful 1,500m vertical descents possible on ski routes/off-piste/sidecountry.
- No lift lines.
- Piste trails for all ski abilities.
- Traditional French speaking Swiss Valais mountain villages & culture.
- Great value lift pass price.
- Lift pass valid in St Luc - Chandolin & Vercorin.
- Good public transport access by bus from Sierre train station via Vissoie & ample car parking for day trippers (although it does cost at Zinal) right near the lifts at Zinal & Grimentz.
Cons
- Grimentz northern inbounds terrain is a series of short, interrupted fall line pitches (a quibble!).
- Several long, flat linking trails & some off-piste exits (particularly in parts of Grimentz) will create issues for snowboarders.
Pro or Con (depending on your perspective!)
- Villages are generally quiet after-hours.
- Still several older surface tows in both sectors, but it functions more readily in windy conditions!
- Mountain restaurants are few & small, plus lack traditional fare.
- The public bus from Sierre to Vissoie can be very crowded on Friday & Sunday.
- The road between Sierre/Siders and Vissoie may be challenging for some drivers. It has several extremely narrow sections with precipitous drops. Watch out for the bus!
- Accommodation expansion is occurring in both the Grimentz & Zinal villages. It will increase numbers of skiers in the resort, so go here SOONER rather than later!
Skiing & Snowboarding, Lifts & Terrain
With over 115km of marked trails & routes on a skiable vertical of over 1,300m within the ski-lifted area, Grimentz Zinal ski resort has something for all snow sliders. For the powder hounds, the real attraction was the easily accessible & huge backcountry freeride terrain. Rollicking journeys into the Vallon d'Orzival of over 1,500m vertical in perfect north-aspect alpine, tree & meadow terrain all the way into St Jean are an absolute highlight in Grimentz, as are the off-piste powder-day turns from the 2,895m Corne de Sorebous in Zinal.
In-bounds, Zinal has the pick on the fall line skiing and has been improved since the new(ish) gondola replaced the cable car from town up to 2,700m Weisshorn where it meets the cable car to Grimentz in a newly constructed (& oversized) restaurant/bar/cafe structure. Grimentz has a greater variety of terrain inbounds plus a good terrain park. Some skiers may get frustrated by the short pitch terrain in the upper alpine valleys of Grimentz, but it is what it is & what it is ....... is! The cable car linking Grimentz & Zinal is absolutely fabulous & opens up truly awesome advanced & expert off-piste underneath it, as well as the long Chamois run back into Grimentz. Just below the entry to the Chamois run at the top of Zinal, it is possible to ski the chutes/couloirs into open bowls and then comfortably traverse back into the lowest surface tow (a single J-bar)
Check out the ski trail map for Grimentz Zinal below.
Lift improvements have been gathering pace at both Grimentz & Zinal of late. In Grimentz the replacement of an old double chair & surface lift with a modern 6-seater chairlift has improved access to the upper mountain & the legendary Lona piste. The new gondola replaced the problematic cable car from Zinal up to the ski area, plus improves access to the Grimentz cable car top station. The gondola has a 'mid-station' near the novice lifts at Sorebois (2,440m), then continues up to 2,700m at Weisshorn.
Lift Pass, Val d’Anniviers & Magic Pass
All lift passes at Grimentz-Zinal are valid in the two other Val d’Anniviers ski resorts of St Luc-Chandolin & Vercorin. Regular buses (free for skiers/snowboarders) link Grimentz & Zinal to St Luc & Chandolin. Bus links to Vercorin are highly seasonal i.e. less regular!
See the Val d’Anniviers ski resorts map.
The best value season pass in the world, Magic Pass, is valid at Grimentz Zinal. We suggest if heading to Switzerland for an extended period, check out whether Magic Pass will work for you.
Where is Grimentz & Zinal Switzerland?
The Grimentz-Zinal ski resort is in the French speaking part of the Valais canton in south-west Switzerland. Made up of two separate villages, Grimentz & Zinal are located 8km apart in the Val d’Anniviers, a valley extending south of the Rhone River near the major town of Sierre (Siders). From Sierre the village of Vissoie is 16km away via a winding & often narrow road. From Vissoie, the road splits to either Grimentz (a further 7km) or Zinal (11km).
The nearest international airport is Geneva (GVA), a mere 185km (2hr) by road to Vissoie. Zurich (ZRH) airport is around 3½ to 4hr by road. From Geneva airport direct trains to Sierre/Siders run every hour. Journey time is less than 2¼hr. Buses to Grimentz or Zinal then complete the trip via Vissoie, where a bus change is required.
Search & book train & bus tickets to Grimentz or Zinal.
Due to the nature of public transport to the Grimentz Zinal (2 public buses from the nearest train station), many will prefer a private transfer to the resort villages. For reasons of value & efficiency, we recommend a private transfer from Sierre/Siders train station, particularly if in a group of 3 or more people.
Search & book all private transfers to Grimentz Zinal.
We don't recommend driving a rental car here unless one is an experienced, confident mountain driver. If you drive up for a day, there is adequate car parking near the main lift bases at both Grimentz & Zinal. On our recent visit to Zinal, we noted the day car parking required payment of a small fee.
Grimentz Zinal Accommodation
The name Grimentz Zinal gives a clear indication that this is two separate ski resorts more recently joined. The amazing cable car connection brings the two locations together for skiing, and both have their merits when comes to ambiance, convenience & accommodation. Aside from the major villages of Grimentz & Zinal, the hamlets of St Jean & Ayer plus centrally located Vissoie provide alternatives. Deciding between Zinal & Grimentz is a case of flipping a coin. Whilst Zinal arguably has the better ski terrain, the cable car from Grimentz gets across to the upper reaches of the sector just as quick (but not as comfortably) as the gondola from Zinal itself, so no real advantage there! However, on stormy days the Grimentz-Weisshorn cable car often does not run until later in the day, so anyone wanting to harvest the delicious Corne de Sorebois powder should stay in ........ Zinal. Zinal does provide more affordable lodgings than Grimentz.
Search & book Grimentz Zinal ski accommodation.
Grimentz & nearby St Jean offer a traditional ski village atmosphere which has retained much of its original (& beautiful) architecture, probably partly as a result of its hillside location. There is a clear change underway in the resort though with apartment development away from the original village occurring at a pace. Whilst perhaps not as unseemly as in the higher parts of Zinal village, the construction doesn’t bode well for the future ambiance of this piece of paradise. One of Grimentz's downfalls is its spread across the mountain side, rather than like Zinal, which nestles conveniently in a valley.
The hamlet of St Jean has a few lodging options amongst its blissfully quiet laneways. Without a kitchen or a car though, eating out at night can be difficult in St Jean. Only one, albeit excellent, option is available ……. most, but not all nights. You may well get sick of eating cheese too as the La Gougra specialises in fondues, nearly to the exclusion of all else (did have a delicious & very cheesy lasagna & lovely salad there too). Grimentz has a wider selection of everything & is the best location if planning on skiing the resort over a few days. Note that Grimentz does spend a fair amount of time in the shade during winter. You will be pleased to get up into the sunny upper slopes every day.
Zinal nestles beautifully in a surprisingly broad valley that ends with a backdrop of peaks including Besso, Pointe de Zinal & Mont Durand. Visibly, the old village at Zinal retains much of its attractive original attributes with gorgeous timber hay barns & chalets, plus traditional hotels & pensions. However, its broader valley location has allowed the spawning of numerous high-rise apartment buildings that do little justice to the surroundings & traditions. Thankfully, the worst of the architectural monstrosities are hidden away out of sight uphill of the village. Similarly the shopping strip lacks authenticity, but has everything one requires for a comfortable stay, including numerous restaurant & bar options, a large supermarket, bakery and other services. As to where to stay, any of the fabulous accommodations along the main Route des Cinque 4000 will ensure a pleasant visit. All are within a 5-minute (or less) stroll from the gondola base, are opposite the shops and bars, plus each has its own fabulous restaurant. Of the traditional lodgings, the affordable Hotel le Besso is close to everything, including the main bus stop and the end of the valley ski trail. In the absolute town centre, Hotel Pointe de Zinal is a standout. One level up above the main street, Pension de la Poste has superb rooms & food, whilst next door, Hôtel - Restaurant Le Trift has simple , affordable lodgings in an atmospheric setting. Of the newer developments between the main bus stop and the end of the valley ski trail, the gorgeous apartments at the Swisspeak Resort Zinal) step down the slope to the river, but come at a price. Atop the supermarket, is convenient Hotel Europe. Avoid the older style apartment blocks on the upper fringes of the village, but there are numerous old & new chalets dotted across the upper reaches of the village that would be quite pleasant if seeking self-contained lodgings.
The pretty Val d’Anniviers village of Vissoie (pronounced Vis-wa!) is a lynchpin in the valley. If planning on skiing all the valley’s ski resorts, Vissoie is the place to be, particularly if utilising the free ski buses to get around.
Between Vissoie & Zinal the hamlet of Ayer is a collection of beautiful chalets & authentic farm buildings in a sunny location on the side of the mountain. The well regarded Qi-Lin Hotel is convenient on the main road next to the bus stop, otherwise several chalets are available for holiday rental as well.
Ski Rentals, Lessons & Guiding
Ski rentals are available from our partners in Grimentz & Zinal, close to the ski lift base in the centre of town. Receive a discount when you search & book via our Grimentz-Zinal Ski & Snowboard Rentals page.
If wanting to explore the immense off-piste freeride terrain off the backside of Grimentz, or between it & Zinal, some off-piste ski lessons & guiding could make all the difference to your day (or week!). For more information & booking, see our Grimentz-Zinal Ski Lessons & Guiding page.
Review
The Powderhounds reviewed Grimentz Zinal in 2019 & recently in January 2024. Having stayed and skied in both sectors, we found it to be sensational on each occasion and would go back in a heartbeat (and probably will because we have a Magic Pass!). Click on the review link in the left column (or top of the page if on a mobile) to read its perfect prose!
See how Grimentz-Zinal compares to the rest of the Swiss ski resorts on the Switzerland ski resort ratings page, or compare to the rest of Europe on the European ski resort ratings page.
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