Saas-Fee, Switzerland

* One of the most snow-sure resorts in the Alps...

* Magnificent glacial scenery...

* Charming, traffic-free Swiss village - the "pearl of the Alps"...

Saas-Fee is one of our favourite resorts. Its slopes may not be the most extensive in the Alps, but they are among the highest and most spectacular, with soaring peaks and dramatic glacial scenery everywhere you look.

What's more, the area is ultra-reliable for snow, with slopes that reach 3500m and an average skiing altitude that is unmatched anywhere in the Alps.

Saas-Fee at a glance...

Resort height:	1800m
Slopes:	1800-3500m
Pistes:	100km
Snow rating:	☆☆☆☆☆

Suitability		Skiing
Beginners	☆☆☆☆☆	Blue runs	●	25%
Intermediate	☆☆☆☆☆	Red runs	●	50%
Advanced	☆☆☆☆☆	Black runs	●	25%

Resort		Transfer time
Charm	☆☆☆☆☆	Sion	1hr
Convenience	☆☆☆☆☆	Zurich	3hr30
Après-ski	☆☆☆☆☆	Geneva	3hr30
Family	☆☆☆☆☆
Non-skiers	☆☆☆☆☆

Snow reliability

General snow cover	5/5
Snow quality – upper	5/5
Snow quality – lower	3.5/5
Resort level snow	5/5
Powder potential	2.5/5

The skiing

Saas-Fee has skiing on two main mountains.

The smaller Plattjen area is served by a gondola at the southern end of the village and offers long un-crowded runs of some 800m vertical, best suited to confident intermediates. This area has the only wooded terrain in Saas-Fee.

The main Felskinn-Allalin-Langfluh area is accessed by a choice of two gondolas departing from different ends of town, or a cable car at the top of the (excellent) nursery slopes. Further lifts then whisk you up to the glacial areas where the slopes reach an impressive 3500m. It's this high altitude terrain that makes Saas-Fee so special - most of the pistes are wide and gentle allowing even early intermediates to get up close and personal with the magnificent mountain scenery.

For more advanced skiers there are some challenges dotted around, particularly on the lower half of the mountain, but this is not a resort for off-piste fanatics due to the rocky glacial terrain.

The resort

Traffic-free Saas-Fee is a classic Swiss charmer with cowsheds and hay barns still in evidence among the pretty wooden chalets that line its narrow streets.

Despite its rustic feel, the village is very animated with plenty of cafés, bars and a lively après scene. Saas-Fee also has plenty to do off the slopes with an entire lift-served mountain (Hannig) dedicated to non-skiing activities such as winter walking, snowshoeing and tobogganing.