Switzerland, Europe
Les Diablerets
87km pistes, 1,224-2,971m elevation, Glacier 3000 access. Swiss resort in Vaud Alps near Geneva.
Season 2026 - 2027
Opens
28 Nov 2026
Closes
11 Apr 2027
Days open
134
Annual snow
4m
The Overview
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
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.
896m
Vertical
50
Runs
87 km
Piste
4m
Annual snow
The Terrain
50 runs across 87 km of piste
Les Diablerets spreads 50 runs across 87 km of piste of terrain. It leans beginner at 76%, with 38 beginner runs to find your feet and 2 advanced or expert runs when you want to push.
Terrain split
50
runs
50 runs across 4 grades
Beginner38 runs · 76%
Intermediate11 runs · 21%
Advanced2 runs · 3%
Expert0 runs · 0%
Time it right
When to visit Les Diablerets
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.
Season 2026 - 2027
28 Nov 2026
Opens
11 Apr 2027
Closes
134
Days open
4 m
Annual snow
Getting there
Getting to Les Diablerets, and where to stay
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.
Where to stay
Search all stays →Hotels and lodges near Les Diablerets, powered by Stay22.
Latest News
From the SnowStash desk
Tremblant to Add New Timber Summit Ski Sector for 2027/28 Season
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2 Sept 2026
Mount Hotham to Close for the 2026 Season on Sunday, September 6
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1 Sept 2026
Thredbo to Replace Ageing Gunbarrel Quad With New Six-Seat Chairlift for 2028
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31 Aug 2026
Aerial Tram Collides With Crane at Alpe d'Huez: 23 Injured
An aerial tram carrying around fifty passengers struck the boom of a construction crane on the route to Pic Blanc at Alpe d'Huez on Wednesday morning, injuring 23 people, three seriously. The cabin tipped on impact before the operator reversed it to right the car. Most of the injured were treated on site, with five taken to hospital in Grenoble, including a pregnant woman assessed as a precaution.
28 Aug 2026
Why Glaciers Are Collapsing - And What Happens When They Do
A deadly flood on the Nepal-China border, a decade-old tragedy on Italy's Marmolada, and an unstable glacier right now above a village near Zermatt - three very different mountain ranges, the same underlying story. Warming ice is destabilising terrain that was considered settled for generations, and the results range from catastrophic floods to slow-motion monitoring situations that could go either way.
27 Aug 2026
Pitztal Glacier Set to Reopen for the 2026/27 Ski Season on 26 September
Tyrol's highest ski area is gearing up to open a full month ahead of most of the Alps. The Pitztal Glacier is scheduled to start its 2026/27 season on Saturday 26 September, running through to 2 May 2027, with the lower-altitude Rifflsee area following in December. High-altitude terrain up to 3,440 metres gives the glacier a head start on snow, though as always, the actual opening extent will depend on how September's weather plays out. Early online ski pass bookings can save up to 30%.
26 Aug 2026
Unstable Glacier Above Randa Puts Zermatt-Area Village on Alert
A hanging glacier above the Swiss village of Randa, just south of Zermatt, has been shedding large chunks of ice for weeks, with authorities warning more break-offs are likely. A danger zone has been closed off since June, though officials say the village's 479 residents aren't at risk. It's a familiar pattern for this glacier - it's done this before, in 1819, 1972 and 1973 - but a reminder of how closely Alpine authorities now watch terrain once considered stable.
26 Aug 2026
Thredbo Is 'On the Table' as EVT Reviews Its Whole Business
Thredbo is officially 'on the table.' EVT Limited, owner of Australia's most decorated ski resort, has hired Rothschild & Co to review its entire corporate structure - and confirmed Thredbo isn't off limits, even as it books a stronger year of earnings. The resort's own valuation has nearly halved after a brutal 2026 season, and speculation is already running toward Vail Resorts, Alterra, or a New Zealand operator picking it up. Here's what EVT actually said, and who could buy it.
25 Aug 2026
Les Diablerets Lift System
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.
29lifts across 6 types
3
Gondolas
2
8-Person Chairs
4
6-Person Chairs
4
Quad Chairs
11
T-Bars
5
Surface Lifts
Les Diablerets lift system
Les Diablerets is served by 29 lifts, listed here by type. Check which lifts are turning against the live conditions before you plan your first laps - early lifts and high-speed chairs get you to the best snow fastest.
More Les Diablerets intelligence: trail map, snow report, webcams, resort overview.