We have been to this picturesque promenade a number of times and in this post, I will share the many things to do around Gstaad. These include hiking, skiing, staying in a traditional Swiss Chalet, as well as some of the must-visit lakes near Gstaad and the famous Peak Walk.
Known to be the most exclusive Alpine town where the rich and famous go to for Christmas, the municipality of Saanen where Gstaad is situated, swells from 7’445 residents to more than 30’000 as 17’000 temporary workers are brought in to cater to around 6’000 of the world’s most famous VIPs and billionaires during this period.
Things to Do Around Gstaad:
Hiking
No visit to the Alps is complete without some hiking. I recently did the Panoramic Trail from Schönried to Gstaad, but you could start from Saanenmöser, and even continue on to any destination. I walked a total of 18km from Schönried to Kesselmatte, further on from Gsteig bei Gstaad.
Saanenmöser – Schönried – Gstaad
Statistics:
Length: 6.97 km
Duration: 2 hours
Ascend: 9m
Descend: 225m
This beautiful panoramic downhill trail from Saanenmöser via Schönried to Gstaad is an easy hike offering unrivalled views of towering mountain peaks, into the little charming ski resort Gstaad that attracts international jet setters.
Crossing the Moos plateau with views of the towering Le Rubli, you will most likely also see the Golden Pass Panoramic train with its famous panorama cars full of tourists traveling from near and far to get a first-hand view of the majestic Swiss Alps.
This idyllic landscape is made even more special with the art installation called “Mirage Gstaad” by Doug Aitken that will remain till January 2021.
“Mirage Gstaad presents a continually changing encounter in which subject and object, inside and outside are in constant flux. With every available surface clad in mirror, it both absorbs and reflects the landscape around in such ways that the exterior will seemingly disappear just as the interior draws the viewer into a never-ending kaleidoscope of light and reflection.”
Situated against the backdrop of Videmanette in Gstaad, this art installation is like nothing I have ever seen before and was surely the highlight of this hike.
Col du Pillon – Lac Retaud
Lac Retaud is a gorgeous green lake located in the Vaud Alps. Just 19km and a 25 minutes’ drive from Gstaad, it is a popular excursion destination in the area.
Spot our two year old son in the picture below.
You can opt to drive all the way up or do the easy 30 minutes hike from Col du Pillon.
Located at the foot of the Diablerets massif, this inviting lake awaits nature lovers looking for an idyllic and unique panorama.
Once at the top, looking down onto Lac Retaud, we just had fun spotting ants, walking around and had some fun with the backdrop of the mountains behind us.
You can spot the Peak Walk (read on to find out more about it) easily throughout this trip.
Skiing
We finally took our kids skiing for the first time this recent winter in Saanenmöser.
The picture below would be me at the top of the cable car station before one of my downhill skiing trips.
Although there was much buzz and we were recommended by friends to stay in this particular hotel which looked amazing but wasn’t cheap, in the end, it was not at all a good experience as the dinner service every night truly let us down.
The kids actually did very well at ski school with the backdrop of the surrounding mountains. We also took them sledging before classes would start at 10am.
For adults, the ski pass was CHF 80 per day.
Stay in a traditional Swiss Chalet
It seemed that the highlight of our trip this time for the kids was to stay in a traditional Swiss chalet.
Can you spot our second kid’s (half) head looking out the top window in the picture below?
Just like the time when the kids completely fell in love with the Airbnb we stayed at in Palau, Sardinia, this was no different.
We had the loveliest time here. Having breakfast on the front porch with the view of the Alps was truly an unforgettable experience.
When it rained outdoors, we equally had fun staying indoors and kept busy by playing board games such as snake and ladders – the St. Moritz skiing version where you fall from helicopters, ski slopes and parachutes.
Arnensee
Just 12km and a 20 minutes’ drive from Gstaad, Arnensee, the jewel of Saanenland, is not to be missed. Located in the Gsteig district, this lake surrounded by the impressive mountain landscape is a sight to behold.
Arnensee in particular invites those who love fishing as you can purchase fishing permits from the restaurant Huus am Arnensee. We also hired a pedalo for CHF 20 for an hour to explore the waterfalls along the lake.
The peace and tranquility of the area is interrupted by the sounds of children’s laughter when you get close to the playground under the restaurant.
The boys in particular enjoyed spotting the many trouts swimming in the lake from the shore and while on the pedalo.
Be sure to spot the Peak Walk while you are here.
Peak Walk by Tissot
Open all year round, the Peak Walk by Tissot is the first and only suspension bridge to connect two mountain peaks at a height of 3000m above sea level.
We visited this bridge back in 2016 and you can read more about our trip here.
Sharing some interesting facts relayed to us by the person operating the cable car on the way down:
- Once or twice a year, an explosion is made to create an artificial avalanche. The last one left 1.2m of snow at the bottom of the mountain and the powder from the snow went all the way to the village across causing roads to be closed for 3 days.
- 1 to 2 people die a year from speed riding, getting trapped in an avalanche. Speed riding is a winter sport done on skis where after skiing off a steep slope, the speed wing is launched and the person would paraglide and descend.
- The glacier is 140m thick and when it is 22 C at the top of the mountain, 10cm of ice would melt.
- 1m of glacial ice needs 10m of regular snow.
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Have you been to Gstaad and any of the places above? Leave a comment below and share this post with your friends and family!
Do check out this short video I made of our weekend in May 2020 around Gstaad below:
If visiting the area in January, make sure you try and combine your trip with a visit to the International Hot Air Balloon Festival in Chateau d’Oex which we managed to visit in 2016.
