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There has been a lot of talk over the last few years about Grimentz. The Val d’Anniviers was one of the first ski areas to embrace freeriding, and the powder in the area has gained quite a reputation. It’s also one of the cutest of a number of small, cute Swiss ski villages, with more traditional Swiss charm than you can shake a stick at.
Once upon a time, Grimentz was a cult resort; it was small and poorly connected, with tricky pistes and huge areas of off-piste better suited to experts than anyone else.
In recent years, all that has changed.
The arrival of the huge linking cable car that runs between Grimentz and Zinal in 2013 has made the area a lot more accessible for beginner and intermediate skiers. No longer is this resort a haven for powder skiers, instead whether you’re there for the groomed piste or the huge freeride area, you’ll have a great time.
If the skiing has become more accessible over the last few years, it certainly hasn’t become a walk in the park, with several long drag lifts leading to some of the most interesting skiing. The high altitude village and snow sure slopes mean that Grimentz is becoming an increasingly attractive prospect for potential property buyers.
The village itself is all Swiss chalets, some of which date back as early as 1200, blackened with age. The central square is small and quaint and there is a vaguely timeless feel in the resort; it doesn’t feel inconceivable to say that the centre of the resort has barely changed over the years.
From the local specialty wine, Vin du Glacier, to the local council meetings and the traditional bars and restaurants, Grimentz isn’t your average ski resort. It’s not bustling and lively like Verbier, or even small in quite the same way as some of the other resorts in the area. Beyond being snow sure and chocolate box pretty, Grimentz wins people over because it’s quite unlike anywhere else; it is, as our Managing Director Simon Malster says, skiing as it used to be.
