Things to Do in the Alps if You Don’t Like Skiing

The Alps can boast of the highest peaks in Europe and excellent ski infrastructure. However, you do not need to be keen of skiing or snowboarding to have a good time here. Here we suggest some resorts where you can find much more than just skiing on the slopes.

Courchevel

Do you think you are missing something important since you cannot ski? Go to Courchevel to prove the opposite. Walking or snowshoeing is a wonderful alternative to skiing. Here there are 17 km of hiking trails and 9 km of paths for snowshoeing. However, if you want to see the places that ordinary people can only dream of, find a guide. Good guides can be found either at ski schools or at Rent-a-Ski centers.

Tired of exploring the mountains on foot? Try glacial adventure in the Vanoise National Park. Choose your own way: having an excursion or taking ice climbing course. There is an alternative for all these “snowy” activities – Forum sports center (Courchevel 1850). There is a million of things to do here: fitness equipment, skating rink, bowling, billiards, tennis grounds, a swimming pool, etc. You can try hand at surfing on the artificial waves at the superb Aquamotion spa centre.

If you want to impressed your children, go to Courchevel 1650 or 1850 to enjoy horse-drawn sleigh ride. Change horses to a dog sled in Le Plantin and have a “gold rush hero” adventure trip. Finish your program with a hot-air balloon flight and get a bird’s-eye view of the adorable Alps.

Another adventure is only for adults. I mean luge. Not a kind of children’s sleigh but real speed luge: there is a special luge track in Courchevel. You can choose either: a toboggan (a sleigh without runners) or an airboard (a rubber sled) that people ride on their stomachs headfirst.

It’s fascinating to drive a car, but there is something more interesting. An airplane, for example. Not a Boeing 787, of course. Something much smaller but still a plane. Did you know that the only mountain airport in Europe called Courchevel Altiport is located in Courchevel 1850. Here you can take a helicopter tour and see Mont Blanc from every conceivable angle. Or you can take the wheel by yourself. The airport suggests classes of airmanship, hang-gliding, paragliding, and parachuting. Love to “fly” not across the sky but on the ground? Then learn to drive a ratrack. Don’t forget your driving license as you will have to show it to have the lessons. Why not get a shot of adrenaline in the center of La Grande Combe, where they have skidoo races?  What about increasing the “dose” strength on a snowmobile?

While your friends are busy with skiing, you can wait for them wrapping yourself in a cozy fur blanket at the open terrace of Le Bouc Blanc La Tania restaurant. Another option is to visit Le Farcon fine dining restaurant. If you just left the piste, you can come for lunch in ski equipment. Be sure your ski-loving friends will like this idea as well as French cuisine, great service, and the opportunity to take pictures with the chef. (переклад вище) An important detail: the restaurant is located not in Courchevel but in a nearby La Tania village. Another excellent “waiting room” is called New Space Pub just on the way from Courchevel 1650 to Courchevel 1850: live music and the possibility to hang out here until one o’clock in the morning. Finally, the best place for a grand party. No apre-ski in Courchevel may go without Le Kalico with its all-right parties. (переклад вище) Don’t forget about it!

Verbier

Had enough of snow fun? Try the museum program. The resort suggests a great choice. Verbier has a rich history where the Celts, the Romans, and even the Napoleon’s army contributed to. So it’s time to make a museum schedule: visit the Museum of Glass today, the Art Museum tomorrow, and the Alpine Museum the day after tomorrow. To get more pictures for your Instagram, go to the XIXth century Verbier castle. If you travel with children, visit the XVIIth century Forge Oreiller. Be sure your child will be delighted!

Whenever you come to Verbier, there is always some celebration or competition. An event called 24 hours Freeride takes place at the end of January. The event aims to bring together teams of skiers and snowboarders who should go as many kilometers as possible, which at the end are converted into money at the rate of 1 km = 1 Swiss franc. The most spectacular Verbier Ride free-riding competition, where you cant be not only a looker but a participant, is scheduled for March.

At weekends, quiet and calm Verbier turns into a fancy place where Swiss youth likes partying. Unlike other resorts, nightclubs here are open until 4 am, and that’s the beauty of Verbier. This small village offers you hundreds of pubs, bars and discos, among which you will find the right place to spend the evening. Perhaps the most popular place is Le Farinet located on the square near the ski lift. Young people occupy the bar and the terrace and more respectable tourists take armchairs at the tables. Casbah, yet another popular hotspot where famous DJs play wakes up around the midnight. Offshore is the most common place to warm up before non-stop dancing. And the best place for such non-stop dances is the famous Farm Club.

A little bit of statistics: there are 45 restaurants in Verbier, 10 of which are right on the slopes. Every second restaurant serves national Raclette and fondue. However, there are fine dining restaurants as well. Those who appreciate tasty and beautifully designed food love Le Dahu. Moreover, you can get there by a gondola, which makes it easy for non-skiers to come. You will find another popular place, La Vache, at the top station of Les Attelas chair lift. La Vache was founded by celebrities: English singer James Blunt and motorcycle racer Carl Fogarty. You need to reserve a table here in advance. Le Namaste is located in a historic XIXth century building and serves the appropriate dishes cooked according to old Valais recipes. However, the trick is that you will have to go back on sleigh. Finally, we can’t but mention Chez Dany, which is worth a visit just to try the local specialty, pierrade (meat cooked on a hot stone).

Chamonix

One cannot describe in words the emotions you have when looking down from a high peak. It is a kind of mixture of pride, delight, ecstasy and victory, something like that. Mont Blanc, the highest peak in the Alps, attracts people from all over the world. You can admire it out of the windows of your chalet, from the city center or from the Les Houches open-air skating rink. The mountain will be sharply white in the daytime and at the end of the day the sun will colour it in pale pink. You can catch the best angles (and emotions) at Aiguille du Midi viewing platforms, just 20 minutes away by the cable car. The first one is located 3,777 m high and suggests the all-around view of the Swiss, French, and Italian Alps; the second one is at the 3,842 m mark.  There is something more extreme – a glass cube over the steep with the self-explanatory name “Step into the Void”. Make this step and then take a breath at a café.

Chamonix with its forests is just a dream of nature and hiking lovers. Snowshoeing is the perfect option to discover the local flora and fauna for those who prefer leisurely walks to speed. The slow pace will set your heartbeat to the rhythm of nature and your eyes to the perception of the new and the beautiful. There are many signed routes but it is always better to find an experienced guide who will be happy to show you gorgeous spots. Plan Praz is the starting point for long excursions, including trips to Lake Cornu. If you want to feel like a bird hovering in the sky, there is a paragliding take-off area. Take an excursion to the Ice Cave (Grotte de Glace) to have almost mystical experiences. You can get to the very heart of the glacier in 20 minutes along the footpath or by a special train.

Not everyone likes quiet walks. Some people need adrenaline to popple in blood like a cocktail. There is great news for them! Take a ride on the Luge Alpine Coaster sleigh ride right in the center of Chamonix – you will definitely not regret enjoying steep ascents and descents as well as more than adrenaline rush. (переклад вище)

There are thousands of activities for non-skiers: Chamonix-Mont-Blanc casino, Amnesia disco, shopping, bars, restaurants, etc. You can call the chef right to the chalet to surprise you with exquisite French dishes or order his services for the whole stay. Despite of having plenty of fantastically interesting activities, find time to visit the Galerie Café des Aiguilles – a symbiosis of an art café, gallery, and a hobby club. Here you will have the opportunity to see artworks, eat good food, and communicate with connoisseurs of the beautiful. By the way, the Café des Aiguilles gallery holds exhibitions, the topic of which changes every two months. [/q]

[q]There are thousands of activities for non-skiers: Chamonix-Mont-Blanc casino, Amnesia disco, shopping, bars, restaurants, etc.[/q]

[p] It is no secret that mountain spas are famous for healthful air, breathtaking views directly from the jacuzzi and warm open pools, such as at the Clarins Spa at Mont-Blanc hotel. The famous name of this beauty center tells us about the flawlessness of cosmetic procedures. A wonderful relaxing massage with alpine aroma oils and peeling with Himalayan salts at Spa Pure Altitude at Cristal de Jade will complete the treatment.

Zermatt

They don’t call this peak mysterious, magical, and hypnotizing for nothing. It is just a magnet for climbers with its unique proportions: no one can resist the charm of Matterhorn. It is completely logical that Zermatt and the famous Matterhorn mountain are the priority for non-skiers. The resort, which started as a camp for climbers has now become a glamorous village. You do not need special equipment to climb the mountain: the highest cable car in Europe will take you to the viewpoint.

Zermatt is literally crammed with first-class restaurants.  For example, the cliff restaurant at The Omnia hotel mentioned by Michelin’s guide. Or the Zum See restaurant where you can try incredible seafood. Love the fine Italian cuisine? You will find all its hits in Le Chalet da Giuseppe. Or maybe you prefer Swiss classics like rösti, fondue, and Raclette? Find it in DuPont, the oldest city restaurant. If you trust experienced gourmets, do not pass by Sonnmatten, which is justly called a small precious stone.

You can take and interesting and informative tour of the Matterhorn Museum. The very name Zermatlantis (which means Atlantis of Zermatt) hints at the mystery. Both children and adults will enjoy going back in time with the fascinating guide’s story. It will be interesting to find out how people lived in Zermatt when there were no railways and cable cars and only rare climbers knew about the village. After the excursion, get the Matterhorn glacier paradise, the highest cable car in the Alps, which brings you to a height of 3,883 meters. Have a snack at the restaurant on the top, watch a film about the glaciers, and then enjoy the view of majestic mountain peaks. When the weather is fine, you can see the peaks of Switzerland, France, and Italy. Do not forget to capture yourself against the background of Matterhorn.

How exciting it is to go nuts in the place full of like-minded people after sport. You will have plenty of options: over 100 restaurants, 60 bars, and nightclubs. You can wander from one place to another or settle in one of them. We recommend having fun in the highest Alpine igloo village on Rotenboden, at an altitude of 2,727 m. There is something we can say for sure: if you had not danced on a barrel at Broken, you have never been to Zermatt. The famous bar under the Post hotel is well-know among both locals and visitors.