St Luc, Switzerland

St Luc and neighbouring Chandolin are just two of the five resorts which make up the beautiful area known as the Val d'Anniviers. Both resorts are easily reached from Geneva in 2 hours (by car) or 2.5 hours by train. The resorts lie above the town of Sierre deep in the Swiss Alps and remain very much undiscovered gems.

The larger known resort of Crans Montana is on the other side of the Rhone valley. St Luc is a charming, picture postcard Swiss mountain village largely made up of with traditional mazots, century old chalets, a couple of luxury chalets as well as a lovely 4 star hotel, the Bella Tola. Built in 1859, and beautifully renovated since, the hotel offers a great getaway for anyone seeking a luxury ski holiday; the spa, sun terrace and fantastic restaurant ensure your stay will be luxurious throughout.

It is true that the St Luc nightlife is quiet. However, if all you really look for are a few beers in a local bar after a hard day's skiing then you'll be absolutely fine.

Valaisan food is world renowned and it is a delight to sample the raclette and fondues with plenty of choice among the local restaurants of which there are many. The village is also blessed with a variety of shops from traditional patisserie to supermarkets. There are also sports shops catering for skiers and snow boarders with all the latest ski and snow boarding equipment.

The whole area has 220km of piste so there is plenty to ski and board. The St Luc/Chandolin area offers 75km of pisted terrain but also some fantastic North facing free ride off piste areas with couloirs and powder fields. To reach the other areas you would need to have a car or hop on the shuttle bus which goes to each resort every 20 minutes (free with lift pass).

The skiing in the St Luc area will suit both families with young children, beginner and low intermediate adults and those who like their off-piste un-tracked all week! With the top station at just under 3,000 metres altitude and over 1,400 metres of vertical there is plenty of everything and the North and East facing slopes keep their snow in good condition.