Winter Sports in Les Avants

L

es Avants, where Hemingway reputedly learnt to ski , although he devoted most of his energies to tobogganing, is very popular with locals for the 2.5km toboggan run that is created every year along the road between Orgevaux/Sonloup and Les Avants. The resort is on the Goldenpass line between Montreux, Gstaad and Zweisimmen, whilst a rack railway out of Les Avants to Sonloup gives access to the toboggan run. Of the run Hemingway's advice was: "Buy an all-day ticket then spend the day sliding gloriously down the long icy mountain road… You get on the sled, lean far back and the luge commences to move down the long, icy mountain road... The sled goes fast from the start and soon it is rushing faster than anything you have ever felt. You are sitting absolutely unsupported, only ten inches above the ice, and the road is feeding past you like a movie film. " Hemingway based much of the latter part of "A Farewell to Arms" in Vaud and at one point an official opines that "At Les Avants above Montreux there is excellent winter sport of every sort", against his colleague's advice to visit the Engadin or Mürren.

The now defunct Ice Hockey European Championships first took place in 1910 in Les Avants, with Great Britain the gold medal winners.

Getting There

By Public Transport

The best destination to access the downhill slopes by public transport in this ski area is Sonloup.

• From Basel the least travel time is 3 hrs 17 mins with as few as 3 changes going via Lausanne / Montreux / Les Avants.
• From Lausanne the least travel time is 1 hr with as few as 2 changes going via Montreux / Les Avants.

By Road

Please refer to a map and check local conditions for accurate routing information.

• The road distance from Basel is around 189 km and the journey time is roughly 2 hrs.
• The road distance from Geneva is around 96 km and the journey time is roughly 1hr 10 mins.

Get road directions at Google Maps

Weather Outlook

View detailed snow forecast for Rochers-de-Naye - Caux at: snow-forecast.com

Latest Resort Report

MySwitzerland report for Les Avants

Map