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Wengen is a traditional alpine village set near Interlaken in the west of Switzerland. Virtually a traffic-free ski resort, the access to the resort is by cogwheel train which contributes to the overall chocolate-box alpine experience. Views from the village such as the view down the Lauterbrunnen valley from the little church in Wengen are spectacular and some of the best in the Alps.
The skiing consists of a reasonable 213km of pistes - two thirds of which are red runs, making this an intermediate's heaven. That said the nursery slopes here are in the village so learners don't have to trek up the main slopes unless the snow is sketchy. Advanced skiers should try the Lauberhorn World Cup Downhill run or head over towards Murren.
The resort unfortunately sits at a low altitude of 1274m facing the sun, so although the village is sunnier and warmer than some, it does mean that the local slopes (including the nursery slopes) lose their snow quickly. The ski area is also quite fragmented and in some places it is necessary to take a train or bus into the next area. It is advisable to pick up a copy of the times of these trains and buses from the train station or the tourist office.
| Resort altitude | 1274m - 1275m |
|---|---|
| Highest lift | 945m |
| Lowest lift | 2970m |
| Kms of piste | 213kms |
| No of lifts | 41 |
| Black pistes | 14% |
| Red pistes | 61% |
| Blue pistes | 25% |
| Green pistes | 0% |
| Snow parks | 1 |
| Glacier | No |
| Snowmaking | 60 |
There is some great food to be had in Switzerland (albeit mostly of the cheese variety!) so don't hesitate to try a variety of things off the menu. We'd recommend the Assiette Valaisanne - a sort of Swiss ploughman's lunch - dried and cured meats served with local cheeses, gherkins, pickled onions and homemade bread. Rosti is also worth a try; grated potato that is gently fried or baked, and served either as a side order or main course with various additions including eggs, ham or bacon.
• Heading to the top of the Lauverhorn lift for runs to Kleine Scheidegg or Wixi
• Booking kids in at The Playhouse for an array of activities
• Having a go at the popular Swiss sport of curling
• Sampling one of the delicious strawberry daiquiri’s at Tanne
• Eating at the Jungfrau hotel (the rosti is excellent!)
| Nearest airports | Type of resort | Stay in | Go for a |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basel Geneva Zurich | Small alpine village | Hotels Independent Travel Tour operator | Week Week+ Weekend |
| Good for | Children | Food and drink | Other |
| Off-piste | Creches Babysitting Ski schools | Apres-ski Evening drinking Resort dining Vegetarian Family friendly Live music Late drinking Mountain dining | Internet access Churches |
| Other activities | |||
| Adrenaline fuelled Sightseeing Relaxation Shopping |
| Report date: | 30 Apr 2008 |
|---|---|
| Last snowed: | na |
| Fresh snow: | cm |
| Lifts open: | na out of 19 |
Snow depth | |
| Lower slopes: | 0cm |
| Upper slopes: | 0cm |
Piste information | |
| On-piste: | na |
| Off-piste: | na |
| Resort runs: | na |
