At the very end of the Lake Geneva, the Vaudois Alps form a mineral and sparkling barrier, especially when they are snow-covered. You can admire them in winter from Lausanne, Montreux, Evian les bains or Thonon les Bains.

Halfway between the Lake Geneva region and the great glaciers of Valais or the Bernese Oberland, the Vaud Alps are easily accessible and offer areas of discovery and adventure for all levels. Each valley and each resort has its own specificity, it will be easy to find the spot for the best mountain stay.

They are home to several mountain villages that are quite different from each other but share regular snow cover to enjoy the joys of winter and are at a sufficient altitude to also enjoy the coolness of summer. While some of these resorts are real villages that have gradually integrated tourism into their genes, others have benefited from a boom thanks to outdoor tourism.

All are well exposed, on the sunny slopes of their respective valleys or hillsides.

Villages to discover in the Vaud Alps

Château d'Oex surprises you with the rough and authentic side of the village center, but especially with its tradition centered around hot air balloons. It is a real village, which has grown with the development of tourism but which has not lost its soul of the Pays d'Enhaut. Further up the valley and before crossing a pass that goes back down to Gstaad, the well-known and magical landscapes of theBernese Oberland, you can stop at Rougemont, one of the most beautiful villages in Switzerland. The environment is hilly and gentle. The mountains have not yet taken on their rocky and impassable appearance. This is the land of mountain pastures, farm life, and gentle mountain practices.

Leysin et Villars-sur-Ollon spread their large chalets and luxurious hotels on sunny terraces surrounded by forest. Here, skiing is family-friendly, on forest slopes, and the views are breathtaking. The balcony position above the Rhone Valley and facing the Alps of Valaisgives you the impression of flying, even gliding… Easily accessible by train and bus from Aigle, these resorts provide a gentle introduction to the Alpine landscapes. Here you will enjoy sunsets, snow that is lacking in the Rhone Valley, and the freshness of the Alpine plateaus. The refined and luxurious atmosphere gives a perfect small village feel to these village resorts in the Vaudois Alps.

The Diablerets, a village that takes its ease in a wide valley at the foot of the homonymous glacier, gives you the opportunity to discover the intoxication of the summits at an altitude of 3000m at the arrival of the cable car. From up there, you admire the extraordinary panorama of the Alps! Not to be missed! And lovers of dizzying footbridges will be won over by an incredible suspension bridge. You can also walk on a glacier or enjoy a summer toboggan run in a high mountain setting. The evening fondue will be well deserved! The village of Les Diablerets, mainly composed of wooden chalets of varying sizes, is located on the road that connects Aigle to Gstaad via the Col du Pillon. It is near the pass that you will find the departure of the ski lift that serves the Diablerets glacier.

The lifts from the village serve the ski area shared with that of Villars sur Ollon: a beautiful area which allows you to discover the beauty of the Vaud Alps.

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The canton of Vaud of the plains, on the edge of the Rhône, at the foot of the Vaud Alps

But the Vaud Alps are not limited to high-altitude sites. The Rhone Valley also offers its share of curiosities. For lovers of old stones, the castles of Aigle and the castle of La Roche in Ollon are open to visitors, the first housing the Museum of Vine, Wine and Labels, which finds its place in the middle of the many vineyards of Chablais.

Cycling enthusiasts will find many cycling routes through magnificent landscapes, such as the climb and crossing of the Col des Mosses. But those familiar with two wheels already know that this region is very welcoming to them, if only because it is home to the headquarters of the UCI, the International Cycling Union, the organizing body of professional cycling, in Aigle.

The region, wedged between Lake Geneva and its mildness and the glaciers that surround the peaks at over 3000m, allows you to really enjoy the different altitude levels of the mountain. Swimming, walks in the vineyards in the plains and the valley, hiking or snowshoeing in winter on the trails in the forests at medium altitude, and ski slopes to descend or trek and mountaineering at altitude.

Very accessible villages and resorts, most often by train, from Lausanne or Montreux for a holiday that is both relaxing and exotic. To combine in summer with a stay at the lake, or as a main destination in winter! The choice is yours!

Activities not to be missed in the Vaudois Alps

  • Go up to Glacier 3000 from the Diablerets resort, and enjoy the panorama of the Alps, or take a tour privatized glacier
  • Go down the toboggan runs at Les Diablerets or at Tobogganing Park from Leysin
  • Visit theSpace Balloon in Chateau d'Oex
  • Do disc golf (with frisbees) at Château d'Oex
  • Ride in sled pulled by Husky dogs at the Col des Mosses

Discovering the Vaud Alps on video

The best webcams in the Vaud Alps

(click on the name of the village)

  • Chateau d'Oex: very nice introduction to the Vaud Alps with this webcam which offers you a view of the village and the mountains.
  • Leysin: very beautiful view of the Vaud Alps, Chablais and Lake Geneva from this high altitude webcam above Leysin.
  • Les Diablerets: a panoramic view of the Swiss Alps from the Diablerets Glacier at an altitude of almost 3000m.
  • Villars-sur-Ollon: the village and its landscape facing Chablais and overlooking the Rhône valley.

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