A family favourite in the heart of the 4 Valleys
Nendaz is a family-friendly resort in the heart of the 4 Valleys, the largest interlinked ski area in Switzerland. Its proximity and easy access to its chic and world-famous neighbour Verbier, makes it an affordable alternative both for house buyers and visitors. With a good variety of pisted slopes and off piste skiing, Nendaz has something for everyone. Sitting on a sunny ledge, the resort is a true dual season centre and offers a wealth of summer activities and a large variety of cafes, bars, restaurants and accommodation to suit all budgets.
Property in Nendaz
Like Villars in neighbouring canton Vaud, Nendaz grew in the 1970s and 1980s from a sleepy farming village into a sprawling resort with apartment buildings and chalets hugging the sides of the mountain. A more developed resort than its near-neighbour Veysonnaz, it commands slightly higher prices, yet it is significantly cheaper to buy a property here than in Verbier on the other side of the mountain. Prices rose 2.6% in 2022 (UBS) with an average price of CHF 7,700 per sqm. Larger chalets can command up to CHF 16,000 per sqm. Following Lex Weber there is a limited amount of two and three bedroom new build ski property, though buyers can take advantage of resale stock due to the resort's large number of second homes.
Also, read our recent blog: Ski Property in Switzerland and the effects of negative interest rates.
Check out our blog: Insights on the property market in the 4 vallées
A guide to Nendaz
Nendaz is situated in the heart of the 4 Vallées in Valais, the largest interlinked ski area in Switzerland with 410km of pistes. Two hours from Geneva and just 20 minutes up the mountain from Sion’s train station, the resort spreads up the mountain from the original old village of Basse-Nendaz to the current ski resort of Haute Nendaz. Developed in the 1960s and 1970s Nendaz has been popular with Belgian, Dutch and British holidaymakers since.
Nendaz provides a quieter alternative to its more famous 4 Vallées neighbour Verbier, and its family-friendly appeal has been recognised by the Swiss Tourist Board. The busy resort centre consists of restaurants, bakeries, coffee shops, bars and two supermarkets. There are a few hotels, the largest the 4 Vallées Hotel & Spa, and numerous apartment buildings and chalets sprawl around the mountain. The views north over the Rhône valley to the craggy range of the Vaudois and Bernese Alps are spectacular.
Nendaz ski area
The beauty of being in the middle of the 4 Vallées is that you have choices. The starting point is the gondola from the centre up to Tracouet at 2200 from where short button lifts serve some easy blue runs around the lake, as well as a return run to the resort. This holds its snow well due to the north facing orientation. From Tracouet ski westwards and down to Prarion where, new in the 2019/2020 season, a gondola has replaced the former cable car and chairlift up to Plan-de-Fou at 2430 metres. This is the starting point into the wider 4 Vallées network with a long red run down to Siviez in the valley at 1700 metres. From here you can either take a chairlift up the other side to Combatseline at 2240 metres and into the Veysonnaz/Thyon section or choose the cable car up and over to Verbier. The Printze ski pass covers Nendaz, Siviez, Veysonnaz and Thyon and offers 220km of skiing and 50 lifts, making it more than enough of a challenge for beginners and intermediates.
Those looking for more adventure can purchase the 4 Vallées ski pass, which includes the Printze sector as well as the wider La Tzoumaz, Verbier and Bruson ski areas. From Siviez take the languid chairlift up the valley to Tortin. From here a gondola whisks you up to Chassoure at 2740 metres and then down to Lac des Vaux and the Verbier section. Alternatively, a cable car from Tortin takes you up to the Col des Gentianes at 2906 metres. From here a further cable car to Mont Fort (3330 metres) rewards you with stunning views to Mont Blanc in the West and the Matterhorn in the East. The seven famous itinerary runs are marked and avalanche controlled but not pisted. Mont Fort, Mont Gélé, Eteygeon and Chassoure are a fun challenge for intermediates and expert skiers. Boarders will enjoy the two snow parks; the Nendaz Snowpark for beginners has kickers, boxes and rails and the Burton Progression Park is ideal for those wishing to take it to the next level with an airbag.
The frozen lake at Tracouet makes the perfect childrens’ snow play area with plenty of inflatable toys. For non-skiers there are 12km of cross-country ski trails, 100km of winter walking trails and 40km of fantastic snowshoe walking around the Siviez valley.
Après ski in Nendaz
You do not have to go far from the foot of the return piste to start the fun. The terraces at the Hotel Les Etagnes and Lime It Up are perfect for sunny late afternoons. For the colder evenings sit by the log fire at Tchin Tchin, a sophisticated piano bar. There are plenty of friendly themed bars including Cactus, a Mexican styled saloon, the Canadian Pub and the Moroccan-themed Le Malabar. L’Oxygene nightclub has free entry and much friendlier drinks prices than over in Verbier.
Eating out in Nendaz
On the mountain there are some excellent places to eat, such as the Chalet des Alpes at Prarion which serves traditional Swiss dishes with amazing views. The self-service restaurants at Tracouet and Tortin are sun traps and there is a good selection of restaurants by the ski lift at Siviez. The Cabane Mont Fort is a must-visit, either for lunch or a vin chaud, with majestic views.
The resort itself has a choice of over 20 restaurants from Chinese to Mexican, as well as some excellent traditional Swiss restaurants serving seasonal dishes. Head to the Mont Rouge for gastronomic food, L’Arom’Antique for wood-fired pizzas or La Cabane and Chant du Torrent for traditional local specialities.
Summer in Nendaz
Nendaz is a superb destination in summer and a good base from which to explore further afield. Walkers have a huge choice with 250km of signposted hiking trails up into the high mountains and along the medieval irrigation channels (bisses). Mountain bikers have 200km of mountain biking trails and in August Nendaz is one of the starting stages for the famous Grand Raid bike race. Paragliding is very popular with fabulous 360-degree views from Tracouet down to Basse-Nendaz. Golfers can choose courses in Sion and Crans Montana (both flat) or Villars and Verbier (alpine).
For more details on Mountain Biking in Nendaz, check out our blog: Where to go Mountain Biking in the Alps.
Other Destinations in the Swiss Alps:
Andermatt Champéry Crans-Montana Grimentz Flims Laax Falera Grindelwald Gstaad La Tzoumaz Nendaz Saas Fee Verbier Veysonnaz Villars