Grimentz/Zinal
Resort Overview
Michael Fulton
50+ resortsMelbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
Skiing for 15 years and visited resorts in:
🇦🇺 Australia (6) • 🇺🇸 USA (15) • 🇯🇵 Japan (5) • 🇪🇺 Europe (10)
Grimentz/Zinal spans 1,570 to 2,900 metres across 115 kilometres of piste served by 22 lifts, with a vertical drop of 1,330 metres linking two authentic Valais villages 8 kilometres apart. The ski area opened in its current form in winter 2013/14 when a 3-kilometre aerial tramway connected the formerly separate sectors of Grimentz and Zinal. Terrain splits 23% beginner, 51% intermediate and 26% advanced across 40 runs, with northeast-facing slopes ensuring reliable snow coverage from early December through late April. Five 4,000-metre peaks form the Imperial Crown backdrop - Weisshorn at 4,505 metres, Zinalrothorn, Obergabelhorn, Dent Blanche and Bishorn.
Beginner slopes cluster around Bendolla on the Grimentz side and Sorebois at Zinal, whilst intermediates spread across both sectors on wide, groomed bowls between 2,000 and 2,900 metres. Advanced terrain includes the 1,300-metre Lona black run at Grimentz and the 7-kilometre Chamois descent linking Zinal to Grimentz village. The Gardes de Bordon freeride zone at Zinal covers 100 hectares and includes Switzerland's first avalanche training centre, opened in 2014. Off-piste routes into Vallon d'Orzival drop 1,500 vertical metres to the hamlet of St Jean.
Grimentz village sits at 1,572 metres with dark timber chalets dating from the 15th century, whilst Zinal at 1,675 metres retains a quieter mountain character beneath the Imperial Crown cirque. Lift queues remain rare even during February half-term, and seven mountain restaurants serve the ski area including Espace Weisshorn at 2,700 metres. Snowmaking covers 30% of terrain with 250 cannons ensuring coverage on lower sections. The area attracts freeride skiers seeking untracked powder days after storms.
Daily lift passes cost CHF 72, rising to CHF 82 at peak periods, with the Val d'Anniviers pass adding St-Luc-Chandolin and Vercorin for CHF 89. Magic Pass holders access the resort as part of a CHF 459 season ticket covering 80 Swiss areas. Free ski buses link Grimentz, Zinal and neighbouring valleys throughout winter. The resort suits confident intermediates, advanced skiers and powder seekers, though limited mellow terrain restricts absolute beginners.
Trails & Terrain
Trails
Total Runs
40
Total Area
115km
71.5 miles
Grimentz/Zinal Lift System
The 22-lift network comprises 1 aerial tramway, 3 gondolas, 6 chairlifts and 12 surface lifts, delivering a combined uphill capacity of 24,145 riders per hour. Three gondolas access the mountain from valley level - the 12-seater Grimentz-Bendolla built in 1988, the 10-seater Zinal-Sorebois-Espace Weisshorn installed for winter 2020/21 with 1,800 persons per hour capacity, and the Grimentz-Bendolla mid-station link. The 125-person Grimentz-Espace Weisshorn aerial tramway spans 3 kilometres in 7 minutes, making it the third-longest cable car in Switzerland since opening in January 2014. Chairlifts include two six-seaters - Col du Pouce with heated seats and weather bubbles, and Tsarva serving the snowpark.
Signature installations include the Grimentz-Sorebois cable car connecting both sectors at 2,700 metres, carrying 125 passengers in cabins that cross the valley between peaks. The Zinal gondola reaches Espace Weisshorn via a mid-station at Sorebois in 10 minutes, with the intermediate stop accessing beginner terrain at 2,440 metres. Four quad chairlifts operate across both sectors - Grands Plans links Bendolla to upper Grimentz slopes, whilst Le Chiesso and Corne de Sorebois serve the Zinal bowl. Surface infrastructure includes nine T-bars and three magic carpets at learning areas.
From Grimentz village, skiers choose between the Bendolla gondola reaching 2,109 metres or the Espace Weisshorn cable car rising directly to 2,700 metres. Zinal's 10-seater gondola replaced a 1966 cable car, tripling capacity from 700 to 1,800 per hour. Upper mountain access relies on T-bars including Lona 2, Becs de Bosson and Roc d'Orzival reaching the highest skiable points above 2,800 metres. The Combe Durand T-bar makes a notable turn mid-route. Connection between sectors takes 30 minutes via lifts or uses the black Chamois piste.
Recent upgrades include the 2019 replacement of an old double chair with a six-seater accessing Lona, and the 2020 Zinal gondola with D-Line cabins featuring individual seating. A glass-floored panoramic cabin operates on the Grimentz-Espace Weisshorn cable car since June 2024. Infrastructure investments totalled several million francs between 2014 and 2021, modernising base access whilst retaining T-bar networks serving expert terrain. Lift operating hours run 8:30am to 4pm, with Bendolla sector descents possible until 4:30pm.
Lifts
Total Lifts
22
Lift Types
7
Lift Breakdown
Season Info
The 2025/26 season runs 7 December 2025 through 21 April 2026, with weekend operations potentially starting mid-November in favourable snow conditions. Bendolla and Sorebois sectors typically open weekends from 15 November, transitioning to daily operations by early December. The season extends 19-20 weeks depending on snowpack, closing in mid-to-late April as spring temperatures rise. Altitude between 1,570 and 2,900 metres provides a 5-month operating window, longer than many mid-sized Swiss resorts.
Annual snowfall averages 430 centimetres across the ski area, with the resort recording 150-200 centimetres base depth each winter according to 10-year records. February delivers the heaviest precipitation with 30-plus centimetre storms occurring 3-4 times monthly from December through April. Northeast-facing terrain holds snow quality through spring, whilst 250 snowmaking units cover lower runs to Grimentz and Zinal villages. Base depths fluctuate from 20 centimetres early season to 60-165 centimetres by mid-winter, with summit zones retaining coverage into late April.
Optimal timing spans mid-January through mid-March when base depths exceed 100 centimetres and powder remains untracked for days after storms. February offers peak conditions but attracts school holiday crowds, whilst March balances snow quality with longer daylight and warmer temperatures. December and early January suit early-season enthusiasts, though coverage remains variable below 2,000 metres. April delivers spring corn snow on sunny slopes, with softer afternoon conditions. Quieter periods include early December, January outside holidays, and post-Easter April.
No major events disrupt normal operations, though the Sierre-Zinal mountain race passes through the valley each August. Night skiing does not operate at Grimentz/Zinal. The resort maintains a low-key calendar focused on daily operations rather than special programming. Avalanche training sessions run regularly at the Gardes de Bordon centre throughout winter for groups and ski schools.
Season Info
Current Season
2025 - 2026
Opening Day
12/7/2025
Closing Day
4/21/2026
Days Open
136
Location & Getting There
Grimentz/Zinal occupies the upper Val d'Anniviers, a side valley branching south from the Rhône near Sierre in canton Valais, southwest Switzerland. Grimentz sits at 1,572 metres on the western fork, whilst Zinal at 1,675 metres lies 11 kilometres southeast up the main valley beneath the Imperial Crown massif. The valley extends 30 kilometres from the Rhône, narrowing as it climbs through traditional Valaisan hamlets including Vissoie at 1,200 metres, where the road splits toward both resort villages. Surrounding peaks include five 4,000-metre summits forming an alpine amphitheatre above Zinal.
Sierre lies 27 kilometres north via winding mountain roads, serving as the valley's transport hub at 533 metres in the Rhône corridor. From Sierre, the route climbs 16 kilometres to Vissoie through switchbacks and narrow sections carved into steep valley walls. Beyond Vissoie, roads diverge - 7 kilometres west to Grimentz or 11 kilometres south to Zinal. The journey from Sierre takes 35-45 minutes by car or PostBus, with road conditions requiring winter tyres November through April. Other Val d'Anniviers villages include St-Luc, Chandolin and Vercorin, accessible via separate forks from the main valley road.
Road access from Geneva follows the A9 motorway east through the Rhône valley to the Sierre-Ouest exit, then Route 9 into Val d'Anniviers. The 185-kilometre drive takes 2 hours to Vissoie under normal conditions, adding 15-20 minutes to reach either village. From Zurich, the 260-kilometre route via Bern and the Lötschberg takes 3.5-4 hours. Roads narrow considerably above Sierre, with buses using both lanes on tight switchbacks. Parking exists at both village lift stations, with Zinal charging daily fees whilst Grimentz offers free spaces near the Bendolla gondola.
Geneva Airport sits 185 kilometres west, with hourly direct trains to Sierre/Siders taking 2 hours 15 minutes. Zurich Airport lies 260 kilometres northeast, requiring train changes via Bern for a 3.5-hour journey. From Sierre station, PostBus route 451 serves Vissoie every hour, requiring a change to routes toward Grimentz or Zinal with journey times totalling 45-60 minutes. Free ski buses circulate between Val d'Anniviers resorts during winter, though services to outer villages run infrequently. Private transfer operators including Taxi Anniviers serve both airports, whilst car rental desks operate at Geneva and Zurich terminals.