Gstaad Valley

Famously home to Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, Gstaad Valley is one of the most exclusive resorts in Switzerland. Gstaad town is home to a number of five star hotels, including the striking Gstaad Palace, superb restaurants and high-end shops. It's a little more low key than St Moritz, and the cute, chocolate box centre of the town is very popular amongst non-skiers. 

The pretty valley is surrounded by deceptively gentle looking mountains, and the towns and villages are attractive and well connected. The villages that surround Gstaad town are picturesque, making good stops for hikers and cyclists exploring the valley during the summer months and an adventure to reach on skis in the winter. While Gstaad itself is the choice of celebrities and royalty, the surrounding villages are great for families.

Chateau d'Oex is one of the best options outside of Gstaad itself; it shares a ski area, and is the largest of the surrounding towns and villages. The architecture in the town is quintessentially Swiss and the town is built around a medieval centre established in the 12th Century. 
 

The Gstaad Valley is home to one of the largest ski areas in Switzerland, and Glacier 3000 is the only  glacial ski area in the Bernese-Oberland. The area covers 220km of piste, with skiing that suits beginner and intermediate skiers best. Although the resort is quite low, the season on the glacier can start as early as mid-October and typically ends in mid-May. . 

Over half of the ski area is taken up by blue runs, which will suit casual skiers looking for fast, gentle, well-groomed slopes. There are plenty of red and black runs for more advanced skiers, and the high, glacier skiing and the lower, wooded slopes have plenty of interesting off-piste terrain. The ski area isn't as well connected as some other resorts in Europe, but there is more than enough skiing to occupy even the fastest skiers.

There are a number of high, cross-country trails, largely in the plateau of Les Mosses-La Lecherette, with trails through snowy fields and forests. The rolling hills in the area make it more accessible for cross-country skiing than steeper, rockier mountains elsewhere in the Alps. 

The Gstaad Valley is primarily known for its superb scenery and walking routes. The largest nature reserve in western Switzerland is just south of Chateau d'Oex, and the valley is has over 300km of excellent hiking trails ranging in difficulty from easy walks to demanding climbs. There are many marked trails to explore on a mountain bike, or hire an electric bike if you want to keep to the roads and take it easy. 

There are a number of high Alpine lakes in the area, which are picturesque and make a great place to stop for a picnic and on hot days even a quick dip. The area has white water rafting, canoeing, kayaking and canyoning on the River Saane, all of which make a superb summer day out for all the family. 

The Gstaad-Saanenland golf course first opened in 1961, and is one of the most scenic courses in the Alps. The 18-hole course boasts the beautiful backdrop of the Bernese-Oberland mountains, and the course adjoins a nature reserve.

Property in Gstaad is as exclusive as its reputation suggests, and it doesn't come cheap. Many sellers in Gstaad don't advertise their property on the open market and they rarely disclose asking prices. So while there are a number of luxury chalets available in the town and the surrounding villages, you'll need to contact us directly if you're interested in buying there. 

The most reasonable prices in Gstaad can be found in Chateau d'Oex, the furthest resort in the area from Gstaad itself, with super new build apartments available. Prices get higher as you get closer to Gstaad, with those in the centre of Gstaad itself matching the prices in glitzy St Moritz.