Champéry

There are over 800 km of walks to choose from here. There is a 40 km long trekking circuit round the Dents-du-Midi - the wild limestone massif between the Val du Trient and Val d'Illiez - which takes three to four days to complete, well away from all roads and villages. The bike park has over 300 km of marked tracks to suit all abilities. The tourist facilities also include a horse-riding centre, tennis courts, indoor and outdoor swimming pools etc.

On the high plateau of Barme at 1500 m, young and old can practise climbing. In this enchanting place, which is also ideal for family outings, woodland walks or mushroom gathering, there is a 40 m high limestone cliff with marked climbing routes of varying degrees of difficulty. The via ferrata (fixed-cable climb) up from Tière, between Champéry and Val d'Illiez, offers an activity mid-way between hiking and mountaineering, enjoyed by adults and children alike.

Cable-cars and chair-lifts lead from Champéry into the skiing area of "Portes du Soleil", one of the world's largest continuous skiing areas. Within it, there are 14 different areas for skiers and snowboarders – 6 in Switzerland and 8 in France – with 209 lifts and 650 km of prepared slopes available to them. There is also a snowpark to meet the needs of freestylers. Not only that, but the adventurous can also try their hand at ice-climbing, snow-shoe walking or paragliding, or prove themselves on skiing tours or sledging runs. The village also has an indoor ice rink and a curling hall which are open all year round.

The ski slope at Pas de Chavanette – often simply called "Le Mur Suisse" (the Swiss Wall) – is one of the steepest in the world. Although it is only a kilometre long, the descent covers a difference in altitude of nearly 400 metres, with gradients of up to 50 degrees.