Resort guides
Switzerland
Chateau d'Oex
Located at 960m in the heart of the Gstaad valley, Chateau d’Oex, in Canton Vaud is a major destination for the Swiss both in the summer and winter. A huge array of year round holiday experiences and sporting activities, make this a truly 4 season resort. Part of the Pays-d'Enhaut holiday region where the old chalets are still decorated and linked to the Lake Geneva region by the Col des Mosses and Montreux – Bernese Oberland Railway, access to this wonderful place is simple.
Chateau d’Oex has the families welcome quality mark, with events and facilities catering for the whole family. A wide and varied selection of restaurants, cafe’s and bars offering different styles of cuisine are available to choose from. Thanks to it’s unique micro-climate, the resort is famed for the birth of Alpine hot-air ballooning. Flights are available throughout the year and the international competition held every January, is world renowned.
The ski region of Chateau d’Oex known as La Braye has seven ski lifts and 40 km of pistes located just outside the centre of the resort. It also forms part of the Gstaad Super Ski Region with over 250km of pistes available on one ski pass. The Videmanette cableway at Rougemont allows a direct connection to the ski area of Gstaad, while the resorts of Leysin/Les Mosses and Les Diablerets with its Glacier skiing and links to Villars offers 225km of piste. Moving around between these resorts is painless using the efficient bus or local train service that doesn’t just stop when the lifts close for the day.
The ski school offering both private and group skiing and snowboarding tuition, caters from beginners to those looking to take on a bigger challenge as well as for youngsters. Other activities and facilities include cross country skiing (35km) snow-shoe treks, toboggan runs and winter walking trails.
In the summer, the 300km of marked trails is simply stunning with magnificent views, amazing landscapes, fresh mountain air and fascinating traditions still practiced today. The beautiful pre-Alpine area south of Château-d'Oex - La Pierreuse is the largest nature conservation area in western Switzerland which contains forests, abundant flora rock areas, and flat moors. For Mountain biking fans a broad network of marked out courses including the 1997 World Championship course. The 5km “World Centre of Cycling” course comes complete with time stations, allowing you to time yourself like the professionals.
In addition the resort boasts an Olympic sized heated swimming pool (24 degrees) with a wide open expanse of lawn and terrace for visitors to relax and soak up the summer sunshine, bowling alley with 12 lanes open all year round complete with pool tables and video games, miniature golf, four tennis courts, two beach volleyball courts, horse riding for the beginner and more experienced rider, 4km adventure course, rafting under the control of a qualified guide and canyoning, while more serene activities such as Kayaking and canoeing can be done on the lake. Rock climbing is also available with two common routes of a 500m or 380m climb. Open to the public and ages from 7—77 a third 400m difficult route starts at an altitude of 2,130m
Getting to Chateau d’Oex cannot be simpler. Just 90 minutes from Geneva airport by car or by train. Connections from the international airport of Zürich by train, is also simple. Should you wish to visit any of the Chateau d’Oex properties being marketed, we would be happy to assist you with arrangements including hotel recommendations in the area. Please contact us for more information.