Leysin General Overview  
Leysin does not owe its fortune or fame strictly to its potential as a ski resort. It is, if you get what I mean, no one trick pony. Besides being an International educational center, the resort is big on the congress circuit. It is a heck of a place to rest and relax or to be as active as you want just about any time of year. There is a bit of a different heart beating inside the soul of this multi-tiered resort. You see, Leysin has never crashed through the portals of what might be described as the big time. This, despite the fact that it does more bed nights than many, better-known Swiss resorts.
 

But when was the last time you heard somebody from your corner of the globe say they were flying to Leysin for a ski holiday? Shame that. Besides lots of visitors, Leysin also has enough skiing to please most folks we know. And its elevation is sufficient to allow the resort to boast a decent snow record. But the place is hard to get a handle on. Know what I mean? It has a decidedly non-ski resort atmosphere.
 

I mean here skiing is not the be all and end all. Folks here, visitors and locals alike, seem to have a good time regardless of the time of year, and regardless of whether there is snow or daisies on the hills. Possibly because there are so many young people around and possibly, because they spend so much time in such delightful surroundings, their skiing is taken more as-dare-we say-it, fun.
 

This definite lack of the urgent need to roar up the slopes at the crack of dawn, regardless of the weather or conditions, breeds a sort of lay back and enjoy it attitude, which spreads like wildfire through the locals and to the visitors. It’s a contagious place; the holiday spirit (no we don't mean Christmas) is catching. Good skiing is there, it’s important, but hey, it’s not the only thing in life. Now how often do you see that in a ski resort? Lets try anyway, seeing as you are reading this story, and seeing as my job is to tell you what I can about Swiss ski resorts.
 

Leysin does have some pretty decent skiing within the confines of its own borders, and, when combined with the Alpes Vaudoises, it is most interesting. The skiing is suited to most all abilities with the slopes easily reached by modern uphill transport. Leysin is often perceived to be mostly an easy skiing destination. This, my friends, is not necessarily the case. There is a lot of challenge if you know where to find it.

The skiing in Leysin is divided mainly into two sections. Mayern and Berneuse are the most popular areas and are reachable by means of the lifts at the lower end of the village, where the ski school office is located. The other end of the town, up by the Club Vagabond, is the smaller, but very pleasant Solacyre.
 

The Mayern section features the most challenging skiing, some on piste (the Tour d'Ai) and some off. The latter, if you know how to find it, will open up some interesting and challenging terrain for the more adventurous and skilled to explore.
 

There are 20 lifts serving 80km of skiable terrain, with about 35km of cross-country skiing covered on the Leysin lift pass. As part of the Alpes Vaudoises you can ski at Les Diablerets, Villars, Chateau-d'Oex and other nearby resorts. The glacier at Diablerets pretty well guarantees skiable conditions, and is only about 20 minutes away by car. Leysin has a good selection of sporting things to do when not skiing, with a super sports center being the center of attraction. If the skiing is "user friendly" and the atmosphere easy going, the same "vibes" continue into the après ski scene. There is lots of diversion both in price and scene.

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