Hi all,

I did a search for Château d'Oex and found some ancient threads about living there or a car trip there from Geneva - neither of which I'm really looking for.

My boyfriend, coming from a temperate climate and having spent the last two winters in Mexico, desperately wants snow at Christmas. I've agreed to stay in Switzerland for Christmas Day and now we're looking for what to do. He wants "mountains with lots of snow. Snow on the rooves of the houses and in the streets". I thought the Gruyères region would be nice and not too far from where we live. A student of mine suggested Château d'Oex. My questions are a) is it a village where we will be guaranteed snow-covered houses and b) is there somewhere we can go and eat? We're not planning on staying over (I imagine we would be too late to book now anyway), just going for the day.

Is it a good choice or does anyone have a better suggestion within a couple of hours of Neuchâtel? Thanks!

It's a nice place perhaps more famous for its hot air balloon festival each year in about march which is genuinely good.

If your after guranteed snow I am not sure it is high enough im afraid. its 950m above. Nearby there is les mosses, a small village that really is just a small ski resort but its higher and you'd have a good chance there of snow. beyond that, I am sure there will be suggestions but I'd put yourself above about 1200 if you want to try and gurantee snow.
mike

Why not stay over for a night - in which case I'd recommend Evolène above Sion (train to Sion and bus up)- as it is a really old village à la Heidi (must try the vin chaud made with white wine) - much higher and so quintessentially Swiss.

I have friends who have a B&B there- just above at La Tour (bus goes there too, and walking distance to Evolène and Les Haudères). Patrick and Madeleine (in their early 4os) own the 'La Grande Peur dans la Montagne' (from the book by Ramuz) chalet- lots of fun and very reasonable price, but don't know if they would be opened at Christmas.

Bed and Breakfast "La Grande Peur dans la Montagne"
ROSSIER Patrick
La Tour
1984 Les Haudères

Phone ++41 27 283 10 50
GSM: ++41 79 340 11 86
gr_pm@bnb-evolene.ch
http://www.bnb-evolene.ch/

There is no such thing as Guaranteed snow, especially at Christmas, Verbier at 1500m sometimes has good snow at Christmas other times not. To be sure you need to make your plans nearer the time, or go somewhere ugly like Tignes in France where the 'village' is at 2100m

Tignes is not very romantic though, is it. Sadly many of the French resorts are ugly as sin- concrete jungles. Very few are pretty - La Clusaz as a traditional village/resort - and maybe St Foy, modern but low-rise and lots of wood.

Tignes has improved over the last 10 years, Le Lac mainly car free, old hotels knocked down & prettier ones there now.

La Clusaz is not snow sure at Christmas, even Val D'isere at 1850 was patch last year at Christmas.

I hope to God we can find some snow on Christmas Day or I will be majorly pissed off. Personally I don't understand why he absolutely has to have it on that particular day, but he says it's important to him. Thanks for the advice - will have a look when I'm a bit more clear-headed. I still think staying overnight isn't a possibility, mainly because of price.

Arosa is in CH & high enough, can't think of many really high resorts in CH.

Arosa is a heck of a long way from Neuchatel!!

Have a look at the prices for the B&B - it's 90 for a double room with breakfast.

It's about the only place with 'Guaranteed' snow! which is why I mentioned it.

why bother now? If you don;t have an overnight, then you decide last minute where to go. Then you know where's the snow. Maybe even around the corner! Who knows....

Have a look at this place for a cheap overnight stop much closer then Château d'Oex : http://www.lagrenotte.com/. It's just over the French border in the Vallée de Joux.

I spent New Year there a couple of years ago, good food and the kind of warm friendly atmosphere that you want at that time of year. Probably already fully booked, but highly recommended - as long as you don't mind all the guests sitting at the same table to eat.

I would head for the heart of the mountains and go up to Lauterbrunnen and further into the mountains.

We did a 'day trip' to Titlis from Zurich with overseas guests. They honestly did not mind at all the 3-4 hours on the train, because the scenery is awesome, and there are toilets and you can take your snacks and walk around on the train...

It's 2.5 hours from Neuchatel to Gimmelwald by public transport. Mürren is gorgeous and a complete 'tourist town'...and surely by Christmas there is snow above 1500m ?

We stayed for Christmas at Engelberg - it's much further from Neuchatel but there was plenty of accommodation for the days either side of Christmas - people tend to stay with family so 'tourist' towns are not so full - the week afterwards, they are packed with people taking their holiday vacations...

We stay in youth hostels and B&B's... around 30-40chf per adult, per night, including breakfast, and often a cheap dinner for around 10chf.

Hot air balloon festival is at the end of January, usually the last week of the month. If you go in March you'll have missed it.

Agree with what everybody says....you won't have snow there on Christmas Day unless you are very lucky.

Best chance of snow is maybe Wengen / Mürren as somebody suggested, although Gstaad is worth a try too. Snow not certain in town, but if you are lucky you can do a sleigh ride through the fields. Its easy to take a small gondola a little way up to snow (artificial) with a nice restaurant too

I wondered why we were sitting alone in a field with me saying to the wife "im sure the balloons must be here somewhere".

"About March" = approximation.

Col de Moses, nr. Chateau d'Oex is a possible, or go a bit further - south of Lac Leman, straddling Swiss/French border - several different villages/resorts:

http://en.portesdusoleil.com/winter.html