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 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.
- 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 right near the lifts at 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- Still some old & outdated ski lift infrastructure (but this is changing!).
- 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 from Sierre up to Vissoie may be challenging for some drivers!
- Accommodation expansion is occurring in both the Grimentz & Zinal villages. It will increase numbers of skiers in the resort, so go here SOON!
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 were an absolute highlight.
In-bounds, Zinal has the pick on the fall line skiing but is let down by its cable car only access from the village - a small price to pay. 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.
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. New gondolas replaced the problematic cable car from Zinal up to the ski area, plus improve access to the Grimentz cable car top station.
Lift Pass Valid in Val d’Anniviers
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.
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 tickets to Grimentz or Zinal. Purchase bus tickets from the driver.
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. In addition to post COVID-19 safety, 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.
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, but both are poles apart when it comes to ambiance & accommodation. The hamlet of St Jean & central Vissoie provide alternatives.
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 not as unseemly as at Zinal, the construction doesn’t bode well for the future ambiance of this piece of paradise.
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 is a different kettle of fish. Whilst it arguably has the better ski terrain, the cable car from Grimentz gets across to the upper reaches of the resort quicker than the cable car from Zinal itself, so no advantage there! Visibly, the old village at Zinal retains some of its attractive original attributes with gorgeous timber hay barns & chalets. However, its broader valley location has allowed the spawning of numerous high-rise apartment buildings that do little justice to the surroundings & traditions. There are some newer developments close to the cable car valley station that are worth a look (such as the gorgeous apartments at the Swisspeak Resort Zinal) or try & get one of the many authentic chalets that are for rent or a pension. Avoid the older style apartment blocks on the upper fringes of the village.
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.
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, found it to be sensational & would go back in a heartbeat and probably will next season! 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 European ski resorts on the Europe ski resort ratings page.
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