The alpine 'village' of Les Diablerets
1. You arrive on a very cute train Geneva is 130 kilometers from there. So many companies fly there from Spain (Iberia, Air Europa, Swiss Air and Easyjet) that it is not difficult to find a ticket just two weeks in advance. Especially from Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao either Malaga . Then, all you have to do is take the train that runs along the lake from the airport to Eagle (sit on the right side to a postcard trip ) and there, a small one painted sky blue that takes you to the very center of Les Diablerets . In two hours you are surrounded by snow.
two. has a story to tell The typical product here for centuries were the avalanches . One after another, they buried the town and villages on the other side of the mountains. Some medieval skier with too much sun on his head he found the only logical explanation: the mountains were infested with Devils who were dedicated to throwing stones at the rocks of the peaks. If they give you a little respect avalanches , don't worry, they have a lot of security measures so that nothing happens to you (mandatory pagers, meters, preventive closures...) . And avalanches do not reach your hotel: all the accommodation is located in the center of the town, which in turn rises in the center of the ormont valley , far enough from the slopes. The last major avalanche was experienced in 1999. And of the devils, only the memory remains in the Night of the Devils , the summer party that fills the town with shows and music in July.
3. has its own drink For two centuries, the people of Diableretense have had their own drinkable gasoline to provide internal heat during snowy days. One might expect a strong pomace, but no. The bitter Les Diablerets It is an aperitif drink similar to Jagermeister , but it's good. It is smooth, herbal and if you mix it with cola it also resembles the red Martini. In the neighboring village of Vers-l'Eglise They have dedicated a small museum to it, but with good ideas. not to be missed advertising signage of the drink, full of rather unfriendly red devils who shocked the good swiss society of the 19th and 20th centuries.
The charming and 'maderil' hotel Les Lilas
Four. It's cheaper the more you breed Children under the age of nine ski for free and sleep for free in the town's hotels. In addition, all hotel guests here receive the card Free Access that gives them access to 23 free activities in Les Diablerets and the neighbors Villars Y Gryon . If you want to turn the tables and wear the kids out rather than the other way around, there's an skating rink, miniature golf, curling rink, soccer field, snowshoe trails, 4.5 miles of toboggan run and 250 kilometers of paths for excursions.
5. You stand in the center and choose a track From the town center you only have to choose one of the three ski possibilities taking into account what your body asks for. Glacier 3,000 is the most spectacular station, with heights that exceed 3,200 meters . It also has the track where the devil himself must have skied in his time: The Combe d'Odon , a challenge for the most expert skiers. Meilleret , towards Villars, has something for all levels and offers the chance to eat a fondue at the top and go down by sled (it is organized by Julie from Mountain Evasion for about 30 euros). And finally, Isenau It's a family-friendly, uncrowded station with some charming '60s booths. Best for taking the kids.
6. It has the largest Christmas market in Switzerland next door Montreux is 35 kilometers from Les Diablerets and has the largest Christmas market and the best views of Swiss . Most of its more than 120 stalls are located on the back of the lake and offer a continuous panorama of the mountains of the Italian shore while you shop. the market has five different environments , located in places like Chillon Castle or around the energizing statue of Freddy Mercury . From the wooden huts they offer you the same oysters as churros, meringues as balls to decorate the tree.
The spectacular Glacier 3,000, the highest station in Les Diablerets
7. You finish skiing and take a swim in the open air You take off your boots, shake off the cold and have a Thermal bath outdoors with the mountains so in view that it seems that you could touch them if you dared to put your arm out of the swimming pool . The hot springs, which boast of having the hottest water in Swiss , are in Les Baines de Lavey and have three outdoor pools, two indoor pools, saunas and plenty of warm jets that are more enjoyable if you you bathe while it snows.
8. you ski longer In Glacier 3,000 , the highest station of Les Diablerets , you can ski from November to May. And if you don't ski, you can always eat at the glacier restaurant on its summit, designed by Swiss architect mario botta and with panoramic views more than long.
9. The wine for the fondue is brought to you directly from the vine the journey between Montreux either Eagle Y Les Diablerets you do it surrounded by vineyards. Reds and whites are produced here, especially from the resistant pinot noir grape and very specially destined to accompany a fondue or a raclette. In restaurants such as Auberge de la Poste (managed for two hundred years by the same family) or the Les Lilas hotel (with traditional home cooking and loving staff) they have menus with wines that come from estates that are not far from there. .
10. A small town full of lovely people There is nothing that works better to round off a love story in the snow than finding yourself all the time surrounded by smiles.
The hundred-year-old Auberge de la Poste restaurant