Villars Gryon Diablerets Ski Resort Switzerland
Villars-Gryon-Diablerets ski resort in the Vaud Alps combines several villages to form a broad skiing area near Glacier 3000. Wonderful access by train direct to the ski slopes & lifts from the Rhone Valley is so typically Swiss.
Skiing & Snowboarding, Lift & Terrain
The Villars-Gryon-Diablerets skiing & snowboarding terrain is a sprawling collection of lifts and trails. The interconnected resort has a useful 900m of skiable vertical across 84km of groomed trails split evenly between beginner & intermediate rated.
The ski lifts at Villars-Gryon-Diablerets include the cog railway from Villars township up the high pass in Bretaye (1,810m). The alternative uphill option at Villars is and 8-seat gondola. Disappointingly the lifts in the Isenau sector above Les Diablerets village, & previously linking into Col du Pillon - Glacier 3000, ceased operation in 2017. There are plans to replace them, but don’t hold your breath!
Check out the ski trail map for Villars-Gryon-Diablerets below.
Where is Villars-Gryon-Diablerets Switzerland?
The Villars-Gryon-Diablerets ski resort is in the canton of Vaud in south-west Switzerland. The resort is in the mountains north of the Rhône River valley, and Villars-sur-Ollon is its major centre. Villars is only 121km (1½hr drive) east of Geneva airport (GVA), and 30km south of Montreux.
The base villages are wonderfully linked into the Swiss train system and provide the recommended mode of transport to the area. From the Rhone River valley, a mountain railway links the major transport hub of Aigle to the lifts at Les Diablerets & Vers l’Eglise. Another train line links Bex to the ski lifts near Gryon at La Barboleuse, Villars-sur-Ollon (from the Roches Grises station) & higher up at Col de Bretaye.
Interestingly, the quickest way to Villars is via train to Aigle, then the route 144 bus (not the train!), which takes only 30min to get up to the village.
Les Diablerets can also be efficiently accessed from the north via Gstaad & the Col du Pillon, but the recommended route to the region is from the south via Aigle or Bex.
Search & book here for train tickets to Villars-Gryon-Diablerets.
For hints, tips & warnings about getting to Swiss ski resorts in winter, see our Travel in Switzerland page.
Villars-Gryon-Diablerets Accommodation
As the name suggests, Villars-Gryon-Diablerets is made up of three different villages in the canton Vaud. However, in reality, the ski accommodation locations are a little more complex than that! Away from the main village smaller clusters of lodgings are scattered throughout the ski area, most in the higher alpine zones near the ski lifts & slopes.
The largest of the villages is Villars, or as it is known by its full name, Villars-sur-Ollon. It sprawls along the mountainside A full range of 2 to 5-star hotels & apartments can be found in the village, including the likes of the upscale Chalet RoyAlp Hotel & Hotel Villars Palace, plus the most affordable VIU Hotel Villars and centrally located Hotel Villars Lodge. Several piste trails and ski routes end on the upper fringes of the village allowing relatively easy access back to the local lodging. Away from the Villars-sur-Ollon centre, a multitude of apartments (available for rent) line the slopes under the main gondola into the resort. High above Villars, ski-in ski-out accommodations can be found at the Col de Bretaye (accessible by train), including the excellent, affordable Hotel du Lac.
Search & book here for all Villars sur Ollon ski accommodation.
A short distance south of Villars, Gryon is the lowest elevation village and is spread across and up the mountainside. Gryon’s main centre is not linked to the ski area; the lifts start further up the hill at Barboleuse. Above Barboleuse, apartments & chalets are available near the ski lifts & slopes of Alpe des Chaux.
Search & book here for all Gryon & Barboleuse ski accommodation.
At the opposite end of the resort is the significantly smaller, but charming, Les Diablerets. Conveniently accessible by train, the village is in a splendid location. Ski lifts extending from near the centre of town link into the varied Villars-Gryon ski terrain. A free ski bus links the town to the Glacier 3000 ski area at Col du Pillon. There are plans to re-establish a gondola up to Isenau, allowing for lift-assisted skiing down into Col du Pillon, but time and money may be against it!
In the centre of town, near the Diablerets gondola, the Auberge de la Poste guesthouse, the 4-star Eurotel Victoria & Residences Ermitage apartments cover the full gamut of lodging styles. A short distance down the valley at Les Bovets, the historic Hotel Grand Chalet des Bovets has a sunny location & oozes old world charm without the price tag!
Search & book here for Les Diablerets ski accommodation.
Also close to Les Diablerets, the ski lift base at Vers l'Eglise adds yet another lodging location to this sprawling ski area. The Auberge de L'Ours guesthouse is right next to the ski lift.
Ski Rentals, Lessons & Guiding
Ski rentals are available throughout each of the resort villages via our local partners. Receive a discount when you search & book via our Villars Gryon Diablerets Ski & Snowboard Rental page.
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Activities
Typically for Swiss ski areas, numerous non-ski winter activities are on offer for visitors. Sledging (sledding, tobogganing et al) is possible. The best trail is the 7.2km long slide down in Les Diablerets village from the gondola top station on Le Mazots. Night-time descents are possible 3 nights a week. A new ‘fat bike’ trail has between established between Bretaye and Villars. Winter walking trails are throughout the region. Dog-sledding is possible in Les Diablerets, Gryon & up on Glacier 3000. Paragliding is a great way to experience the mountains. Pilots are throughout the region. Scenic train rides to Leysin, Les Diablerets, Villars, Bretaye, Champery or Montreux are part & parcel of experiencing the area. Horse-riding & Skijoring are possible near Gryon. Outdoor & indoor ice-skating rinks are at Villars, Gryon & Les Diablerets villages. Then there are a host of indoor possibilities including bowling & climbing. Suffice to say, the excuse of ‘I won’t like it because I can’t ski’ doesn’t apply here (or indeed at most Swiss ski resorts!).
Review
The Powderhounds will review Villars Gryon Diablerets next season. More information about this European ski resort will come after our visit. Stay tuned for our sparkling repartee, new photos & insights.
See how the European ski resorts compare on the Europe ski resort ratings page.
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