Melbourne-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)
Les Diablerets operates between 1,224 and 2,971 metres across 87 kilometres of marked runs and 29 lifts, with the Meilleret sector connecting directly to Villars and Gryon for access to over 100 kilometres of combined terrain. The resort's 2,020 Winter Youth Olympics pedigree shows on the Willy Favre piste, which hosted downhill events. Glacier 3000 extends season access from early November to late April with year-round glacier skiing at Scex Rouge.
The terrain splits heavily towards learning progression, with 76 per cent beginner runs, 21 per cent intermediate, and 3 per cent advanced. The Meilleret area features predominantly blues and reds connecting through to Villars via chairlift. Glacier 3000's Combe d'Audon descends 10 kilometres with 1,000 metres vertical, whilst the Isenau sector remains closed since 2017 pending lift replacement.
The village sits at 1,200 metres in the Ormont Valley, built from traditional wooden chalets beneath the 3,210-metre Diablerets massif. Free ski buses link to Col du Pillon for Glacier 3000 access. The Musée des Ormonts and 14th-century chapel at Vers l'Eglise preserve valley heritage three kilometres from the main village.
Multi-day passes include the Alpes Vaudoises network covering Leysin and Les Mosses, whilst three-day-plus tickets allow Glacier 3000 access. Magic Pass holders ski free across the Villars-Gryon-Diablerets domain. The resort suits families and intermediates seeking uncrowded pistes with glacier reliability, though expert terrain remains limited outside Glacier 3000's off-piste zones.
Total Runs
50
Total Area
87km
54.1 miles
The resort operates 29 lifts across the Meilleret and linked Villars-Gryon sectors: 3 gondolas, 2 eight-seat chairs, 4 six-seat chairs, 4 quad chairs, 5 surface lifts, and 11 t-bars. Separate Glacier 3000 infrastructure comprises 10 lifts serving 28 kilometres. Combined uphill capacity reaches 16,200 skiers per hour across local terrain.
The Diablerets Express 10-seat gondola replaced the Vioz-Mazots quad in 2018, running 2,318 metres from village edge at 1,170 metres to Mazots at 1,710 metres in seven minutes with 2,500 hourly capacity. Laouissalet-Meilleret six-seat chair accesses snowpark terrain and links towards Villars. Col du Pillon cable car ascends Glacier 3000 in two stages via Cabane des Diablerets to Scex Rouge at 2,971 metres.
The Meilleret gondola base sits 500 metres from village centre with free parking. Chairlifts Conche Mi Laouissalet and Sodoleuvre-La Croix form the critical connection to Villars terrain, whilst Croix des Chaux provides onward links to Gryon. Surface lifts and t-bars serve beginner zones and upper-mountain terrain across both sectors.
Infrastructure investment focused on replacing dated fixed-grip chairs with detachable models through the 2010s. The BVB cog railway from Bex to Bretaye via Villars provides alternative mountain access. Glacier 3000's Ice Express chairlift and Scex Rouge quad serve high-altitude terrain, with first lifts at 9am and last descent at 4.30pm winter.
Total Lifts
29
Lift Types
6
The 2025-26 season runs from 7 December 2025 to 6 April 2026 across the Villars-Gryon-Diablerets domain, with Glacier 3000 opening from early November through 30 April dependent on conditions. Typical season length spans 18 weeks valley-side, extending to 26 weeks including glacier access. Operating hours run 8.30am to 4.30pm daily.
Annual snowfall averages 430 centimetres at village elevation, rising to 618 centimetres at glacier altitudes. Current base depth sits at 135 centimetres with 41 centimetres recorded over seven days. Glacier 3000's elevation between 2,525 and 2,971 metres guarantees reliable coverage from November through spring, whilst Meilleret's tree-lined runs between 1,224 and 1,949 metres benefit from natural snowfall patterns.
January and February deliver peak powder conditions with consistent cold temperatures and regular fresh snow cycles. March offers warmer spring skiing with extended daylight hours. December and early January can feel cold at glacier elevations. Late March through April provides corn snow conditions on south-facing Meilleret runs whilst maintaining powder at altitude.
Thursday night skiing operates on the floodlit Jorasse piste from 25 December to 19 March 2026, conditions permitting. The resort hosts FIS giant slalom events at the Diablerets Alpine Centre. Summer activities include the Alpine Coaster and Peak Walk by Tissot suspension bridge. The Les Diablerets Film Festival runs annually since 1969.
Current Season
2025 - 2026
Opening Day
12/7/2025
Closing Day
4/6/2026
Days Open
121
Les Diablerets occupies the Ormont Valley in the canton of Vaud at 1,200 metres elevation, beneath the north face of the 3,210-metre Diablerets massif. The municipality of Ormont-Dessus spans 61.65 square kilometres with 1,467 residents. The village sits in Switzerland's French-speaking Alpes Vaudoises region, 40 kilometres from Lake Geneva.
Montreux lies 40 kilometres north via the Rhône Valley, whilst Gstaad sits 30 kilometres east over Col du Pillon at 1,546 metres. The satellite hamlet Vers l'Eglise dates from the 13th century and sits three kilometres west. Aigle, 20 kilometres northwest in the valley, serves as the main rail junction. The village preserves traditional chalet architecture with 20 restaurants and five bars along the pedestrianised main street.
Geneva Airport lies 120 kilometres west via the A9 autoroute. Exit Junction 19 at Bex, then follow signs through Gryon to Les Diablerets - total drive time approximately 90 minutes. The A9 motorway parallels Lake Geneva before turning south through the Rhône Valley. Col de la Croix provides summer access east towards Château-d'Oex when open June through October.
The Aigle-Sépey-Diablerets narrow-gauge railway reaches the village in 50 minutes from Aigle station, which connects to Geneva in 90 minutes total via SBB mainline services with one change. Trains from Geneva Airport require transfer at Aigle. Sion Airport sits 70 minutes southeast but operates limited scheduled services. Free ski buses run between village and Col du Pillon for Glacier 3000 access throughout winter.
