One of the best places to ski with kids
Imagine a ski area that not only offers first-class freeriding and challenging backcountry terrain for experts, but also gentle slopes with perfectly groomed beginner slopes. Sounds too good to be true? Well, not in Nendaz.
Located in the heart of the massif 4 valleys Ski area, the largest in Switzerland, the Nendaz ski area offers more than 2,000 meters of altitude from the highest peak to the deepest slope.
The town of Nendaz is between Verbier and Veysonnaz and is 8 km down the mountain from the nearby resorts of Siviez and Thyon. The modern resort – a mix of mostly chalets, apartments and small hotels – is just up the road from the old village of Haute Nendaz, a rustic hamlet with traditional wooden houses and a beautiful baroque chapel.
Nendaz offers a spectacular view over the Rhone Valley and offers easy access to more than 400 km of slopes. The pistes of the 4 Vallées range from gentle beginner pistes (33% of the pistes) to red pistes (53%), black pistes (14%) and, in addition, lots of powdery backcountry. Combine this incomparable skiing with the incredible range of off-piste activities and you have one of the best all-round resorts in the Alps. And with guaranteed snow from December to April, Nendaz welcomes all winter guests to the snow.
On the slopes in Nendaz
With more than 130 km of family-friendly, relaxed slopes with green and blue embossing, Nendaz is the perfect place to gain a foothold on skis – or to enable the children to reach their first snow sport speeds.
Many families and beginners prefer to go local Ski pass for the Printse sector. It connects Nendaz, Veysonnaz and Thyon with its 220 km of ski slopes and is the ideal choice for beginners who want to improve their technique on a wide variety of runs.
There are three dedicated beginner areas accessible from Nendaz, with slopes designed like stepping stones to help you build your confidence. Instructor from the Ecole de Ski Suisse (ESS) and a large number of independent companies offer private and group ski courses for all ages and ability levels.
It is even possible to introduce your children to skiing free of charge in the heart of the ski area, where a magic carpet ski escalator makes the way back to the starting point easier!
The 6-day Printse sector ski passes cost CHF 160 for a child, CHF 271 for a young person or CHF 319 for an adult.
Off the slopes in Nendaz
Of course, skiing is just part of the fun of a winter family ski holiday. especially for the kids. The wide variety of non-skiing activities in Nendaz will entertain even the most unruly young people. From guided snowshoe safaris with a breathtaking view of the Rhone Valley, to forest walks through wintry wonderlands, snow tubing, tobogganing and an open-air ice rink, there is plenty to do for the day after skiing.
If you’re feeling brave, die Tortin toboggan run is a challenging toboggan run. Separated from the ski area, the Tortin toboggan run, which is over three kilometers long, offers a fun and exciting ride for young and old.
Older kids can try their hand at snowmobiling, and if the family is particularly brave, why not try the world’s tallest zipline? From the summit of Mont Fort to the Col des Gentianes, the Mont4Zipline takes you over the Tortinger Glacier at up to 100 km / h. It is not a vacation experience that you will soon forget.
Do not miss the opportunity to relax and recharge your batteries in the fantastic surroundings Spa of the bite. The spa offers various saunas, a salt grotto, an ice grotto, a children’s area with water games and playhouse, a swimming pool, a counter-current pool, an indoor whirlpool, an outdoor pool, a fitness center, seven treatment rooms and two private spas.
Excellent child care in Nendaz
Nendaz is one of a few dozen ski areas in Switzerland that have received the “Families Welcome” status from the Swiss Tourism Association, making them one of the best family ski areas. And if your offspring are still too young to go on the slopes, babysitters and day-care centers will look after them in the dedicated, family-friendly accommodations of Nendaz so that mum and dad can enjoy the snow.
Family-friendly accommodation in Nendaz
Nendaz offers several family-friendly accommodations. Enjoy the comfort of a family apartment, luxury chalet or B&B by booking child-friendly accommodation.
These accommodations offer a range of services for families: family rooms, childcare rental, playground, children’s entertainment, friendly environment, etc. Everything is done to ensure you have a great family vacation!
Restaurants for every taste in Nendaz
From child-friendly restaurants and pizzerias to fine-dining gourmet restaurants and traditional hearty winter dishes such as fondues and raclettes, there is a large selection in the Nendaz, including many vegetarian dishes and many other delicious dishes. Or why not combine a delicious evening with a snowshoe hike? Discover the quiet nocturnal beauty of nature and enjoy the notorious Valais raclette cheese over a wood fire in a magical place in the middle of the larch forest.
The excursion is open to everyone, the participants do not have to be particularly sporty. After the snowshoe hike, the raclette is served by the fire, on a slice of bread, in the middle of the forest. The return journey then takes place in the light of a headlamp and brings you back to the starting point.
How to contact Nendaz
The central location of Nendaz in the heart of the Swiss Valais enables easy access by road, train and plane. Although there is an airport in Sion only 30 minutes away, it is much easier to fly in and out of Geneva. The road transfer from Geneva Airport to Nendaz takes approx. 2 hours 30 minutes or you can take the train to Sion, a journey of approx. 1 hour 45 minutes.