Chateau D'Oex:
is a delightful traditional village with many amenities in the French-speaking part of Switzerland. There is an excellent supermarket and traditional food shops. There is a wide selection of restaurants and cafes, together with car hire, sports equipment rental, video rental and daily international newspapers. There are banks, a tourist office, cinema and museum. All denominational churches including Anglican. Year round concerts, recitals and traditional alpine events. The excellent Swiss rail service gives easy access throughout Switzerland and Europe. Pick-up facilities for guests are available from the station and Geneva by arrangement. Train from Geneva airport to Chateau D'Oex is straightforward with a change in Montreux. Chateau D'Oex is a world-renowned centre for hot air ballooning and every January there is an international hot air Balloon Week.
Winter Activities:
include downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, snow-shoeing, winter Wonderweg walks, tobogganing, hot air ballooning, winter ice-skating, curling and tenpin bowling. Concerts and recitals in Chateau D'Oex and neighbouring villages - check with Tourist Office.
Summer Activities:
Cable cars are open June to September, giving access to well signed networks of summer walks and mountain biking. Also skiing at Les Diableret glacier, cycle routes, horse-riding, hot air ballooning, white water rafting, canoeing, fishing, archery, via ferrata, tenpin bowling, tennis. Golf at Gstaad, La Gruyere, Villars and Aigle. The Gstaad Swiss Tennis Open (July), Montreux Jazz Festival (July), Menuhin Music Festival. Chillon and Aigle castles, spa towns of Ovronnaz and Yverdon-les-Bains.
Ski:
Chateau D'Oex is part of the Gstaad Superski region, with 250 kilometres of pistes, 66 lifts and 6 ski areas with fabulous scenery and summer skiing on Les Diablerets Glacier at 3000 metres. Suitable for all standards - two hour, four hour, daily or weekly ski passes available. Ski school in the village with nursery and snow park in Chateau D'Oex for children. Cable car in the centre of the village. Excellent cross-country skiing at La Lecherette 15 minutes away. There are many designated snow shoeing and winter walking paths in the area.
Golf:
The Gstaad golf club at Saanenmoser, a charming alpine course welcomes non-members. It also has clubs for hire. There are other golf courses at Villars, Gruyere and Aigle.
Other Activities:
ice-skating, tenpin bowling, crazy golf, children's playground, canoeing, hot air ballooning, curling, white-water rafting, archery, via ferrata.