Wengen

If you are obsessed with skiing in the Three Valleys then Wengen may not appeal. If you are a little more broad minded and have a sense of adventure then you will love it. The Three valleys is a huge machine of ski convenience where as Wengen has far more charm, quaintness, and scenery. Whilst the village isn't huge and can be hilly in parts it is one of the most charming in the Alps with many Victorian grandoise hotels and small chalet styled shops lining the pedestriansied central area. The locals are very friendly and you really get the feel of being a welcomed guest.

The resort sits at 1275m with slopes arriving into the village itself. Here here you can take the fantastic mountain cog railway past the famous Eiger on to the Jungfrau up at 4160m (although skiing is not possible here). The top ski station is at 2971m at Murren on the Schilthorn. Overall there is 160km of piste which incorporates the Grindelwald plus the aforementioned Murren (famed for the filming of the James Bond film, On Her Majesty's Secret Service).  

Beginners have a good nursery facility in the village with a further two on the mountain, one above Grindelwald and the other at Wengernalp to the far right of the piste map. The latter offers blue runs to ski back into the village on. The friendliness of the instructors and locals means that this is an excellent area for families and novices alike.

Intermediates that aren't focussed on how many km of piste they have skied will really love the area. There are some long runs and good pitches too. The Lauberhorn is a stiff challenge and journeys across to the neighbouring resorts on the ski map will excite most. The one thing with skiing here is that you get a feeling of traveling from village to village with wonderful mountain huts and a more rural feel rather than the motorway pistes of some of the French ski factories.

Experts will wish to head for the off-piste under the north face of the Eiger with some great challenges as well as dropping into the Kleine Scheidegg area for some of the more difficult piste skiing. The blacks off the Lauberhorn are also good stiff runs and depending on conditions can either be fast and flat or moguled. Murren has some good freeriding terrain and is worthy of at least a days visit. 

Boarders will like Wengen but there are some flats and a few drag lifts too. There are only two fun parks in this ski area, one at Murren and the other at Grindelwald.