Time in Valais.

Dear journalists,

On Saturday in Crans-Montana, it’s all about the fastest time – notably in the women’s Downhill ski race. On Sunday, the world’s top female skiers then compete in the Alpine Combined. The same weekend, one of Switzerland’s best-loved cross-country ski races takes place in the Goms valley: the International Gommerlauf. At the end of April, ski mountaineers battle for personal bests, fastest times or even record times at the “Patrouille des Glaciers”. Valais also offers plenty of opportunities to take time for yourself, however. Enjoy some time out with top-class live music, for example: at the Rock The Pistes festival or at Zermatt Unplugged. No one is counting the time at the “Rallye du Gô” gastronomic walk in Anzère, meanwhile, or during the night-time fatbike rides in Zermatt. If you would like to see a lot in a short time, head over to the Aletsch Arena ski area and follow the Glacier Panorama Tour, which links the View Points overlooking the Great Aletsch Glacier, Europe’s longest. And if you don’t want to spend time changing trains on your journey to Valais, we recommend the new Verbier Express direct from airport to ski area.

Would you like to find out more about Valais? Don’t hesitate to contact us: we would be delighted to provide you with further information or organise interviews.

Fastest time I – Women’s FIS World Cup in Crans-Montana

After training sessions on Thursday and Friday, things get serious this coming Saturday (22 February) on the Mont Lachaux piste, when the world’s top female skiers compete in the Downhill. On the Sunday, they battle for precious hundredths of a second in the Alpine Combined, which consists of a Super-G and a Slalom. Alongside spectacular skiing, highlights of the weekend include a concert by “Oesch’s die Dritten” and an air show by the PC-7 team of the Swiss Air Force.

Fastest time II – International Gommerlauf

The 48^th International  Gommerlauf takes place on 22 and 23 February in the Goms (upper Rhone) valley. The popular cross-country ski race has a long history and is well-known beyond the country’s borders. The 2019 International Gommerlauf attracted about 2,000 competitors from 20 nations. About one quarter were women; the oldest participant was born in 1934.

Fastest time III – Patrouille des Glaciers

The iconic ski mountaineering race, held every other year, will take place from 27 April to 3 May 2020. The “patrols” of three competitors tackle either of two courses: the short version from Arolla to Verbier, or the full route from Zermatt to Verbier.

Time off – Rock The Pistes festival and Zermatt Unplugged

Without time measurement – “Rallye du Gô” and Fatbiking

Rallye du Gô
Savour a variety of dishes and produce from the region at this popular gastronomic walk. On 7 March, about a dozen stands along the way serve food and drink in a magnificent setting. Illumination by torchlight gives the event a magical atmosphere.
 

Fatbike Night Ride Zermatt
Zermatt is offering night-time fatbike rides this winter involving a three-hour excursion on snow-covered trails in the dark, riding a bike with oversized wheels and wide rims. This activity takes place from December to mid-March.

Time optimisation – Glacier Panorama Tour in the Aletsch Arena

This winter, skiers and snowboarders can discover the most beautiful slopes and impressive views the Aletsch Arena has to offer – including the Great Aletsch Glacier, Europe’s longest – on the Glacier Panorama Tour. This self-guided circuit is offered by the Aletsch Arena ski lift company in partnership with Skiline.

Direct service – Verbier Express

A new “snow train” from Geneva airport to Le Châble launched in December; it will run every Saturday and Sunday morning until the end of the season. The train makes the same stops as an IR 90 service, allowing skiers from the Lake Geneva region to travel direct to Le Châble’s new railway station, a stone’s throw from the ski lifts to Verbier and Bruson, without the need to change in Martigny.