| Saas Fee, Switzerland » Location In S Switzerland; Zermatt is 30 mls SW (by road). 145 mls E of Geneva and its international airport; 139 mls SE of Berne and its international airport. » Position Towards the end of a valley, against a dramatic, scenic backdrop of peaks and glaciers. » Description At 1 mls long and just over ml wide, Saas-Fee retains a village feel, the narrow winding streets and traditional chalet-style architecture helping to maintain its original charm as a Valaisian farming community. It calls itself the "pearl of the Alps", and it certainly is something of a gem, with exceptional mountain vistas, a wide range of activities year-round, a mellow ambience and high-standard facilities. Partly because of its size, it is a quiet place; shops close for 2 hrs at lunchtime, and it would be difficult to find many places to party 'till dawn. A friendly, family atmosphere prevails (as there are no huge developments, and many places have been owned and run by the same families since they opened), although this is tempered by the brusque, no-nonsense attitude of the locals. Like Zermatt, the centre is kept free of cars, although in Saas-Fee the parking is close to the centre. Only electric carts and taxis operate within the town. » Suitable for Skiing for all grades; it also provides some of the highest glacier skiing in Europe. Popular too with nonskiers, as the Hannig lift is reserved for walkers and tobogganers, giving access to woodland paths. It's an expensive place, and the quality of accommodation is high. Popular with families, it has a good choice of facilities for children of all ages. » Accommodation A mix of high-quality and expensive traditional hotels and apartments spread throughout the resort, but all close to the centre, car park and lifts. » Shopping A limited selection of shops, mainly food and ski-wear, with a smattering of very expensive jewellery and clothes shops offering all the choicest brands. » Entertainment Daytime: skiing and snowboarding. Hiking; dog-sledding; cross-country skiing; ice climbing; tubing; skating; curling; paragliding; hang-gliding; and tobogganing. Ice cave. Arguably the world's largest ice pavilion. Well-equipped fitness/sports centre, offering tennis, swimming, solarium, sauna and whirlpool. The village has its own history museum. Summer: skiing; snowboarding; hiking; horse riding; football; volleyball; basketball; mountain biking; golf; glacier hikes; canyoning; minigolf. Nightlife: low-key apres-ski; 10 bars/pubs; 4 (fairly small) discos. » Eating Many cafes and simple restaurants specialising in traditional fare, such as fondue and raclette. Pizzerias are popular. Most upmarket restaurants tend to be in the 4-star hotels. Possibly the world's highest revolving restaurant (11,510 ft), reached by way of a cable car and the world's highest underground railway. » Public Transport Electric carts/taxis operate in the village area. Most hotels provide transport between the bus station and car park for arriving/departing guests. Some 4-star hotels will take their guests to the lift stations. » Excursions Fairly limited, although there is a daily private excursion to Zermatt, about an hour away. » Skiing Descsription There are 3 main ski-areas; Felskinn, Langfluh and Plattjen; 2 areas are interlinked. Care must be taken to keep to marked pistes, owing to hidden crevasses in the glaciers. A total of 21 lifts comprising 6 gondolas, 2 chair-lifts and 13 drag-lifts. The main lift is the Alpin Express high-capacity gondola system, which connects to numerous drag-lifts. The nursery slopes are close to the village centre. There is one ski-school, located in the centre of town; English-speaking instructors available. Beginners' classes start on Mondays; no group tuition at weekends. » Statistics Village: 5,900 ft. Highest lifts: 11,484 ft. Season: all year, with summer skiing on some glacier slopes. 35 runs, comprising 12 beginners' runs, 16 for intermediates and 7 for advanced skiers; also 3 off-piste runs. Good snow record, as most slopes face N, and 50 snow cannons ensure that the nursery slopes and main descents to village level remain skiable Nov to Apr. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Hotels in Saas Fee, Switzerland |
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