Claudia Dudman finds that in the super-chic resort of Gstaad, a plethora of alpine activities goes hand-in-hand with a down-to-earth charm
It is said that schools like Institut Le Rosey, The John F Kennedy and the Gstaad International Schools laid the foundations that established the Swiss resort of Gstaad as a luxury holiday destination. With fees at Le Rosey coming in at a whopping £80,000 per year, this elite boarding school has educated everyone from Prince Rainier III of Monaco, to his Highness the Aga Khan.
As a result, Gstaad has welcomed its fair share of the rich and famous, who have collectively made it a popular hotspot for high society and the jet set. Indeed, the likes of Roger Moore, Sophia Loren, Elizabeth Taylor, Bernie Ecclestone, Valentino and Madonna have all visited or made it for a time, their home. And yet, in spite of all of this, it has remained unspoilt, genuinely alpine and down-to-earth. Something for everyone
The town, which is ringed by mountains, sits at an altitude of between 1,000 to 1,400 metres in the municipality of Saanen, within the German-speaking canton of Bern in south-western Switzerland.
Thirty per cent of visitors to the resort are families, and with such a vast and diverse range of leisure activities on offer all year round, just about every interest is or can be catered for. And what?s more, over a thousand cultural and sporting events take place each year.
A home-away-from-home
The village has a handful of five-star hotels. I...