Les Crosets is a village and ski resort in the Canton of Valais, Switzerland. It is part of the Val-d'Illiez municipality, and

Portes du Soleil Les Portes du Soleil (literally "The Doors of the Sun") is a major skisports destination in the Alps, encompassing thirteen resorts between Mont Blanc in France and Lake Geneva in Switzerland. With more than 650 km of marked pistes (claimed ...

ski area.

Location and access

At , Les Crosets is the highest altitude of any resort of the Swiss side of the

. It is, however, one of the smallest as well. It is easily reached by skis from Champery, Châtel and Avoriaz. It has a sunny, snowy microclimate and allows splendid views of the Dents Du Midi. Les Crosets is approximately two hours by car from

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. The final approach to the village is a winding, unmarked road, which is open year-round. There is no public transport within the village, however, a

Post Bus A postbus is a public bus service that is operated as part of local mail delivery as a means of providing public transport in rural areas with lower levels of patronage, where a normal bus service would be uneconomic or inefficient. Postbus ser ...

connects to the cogwheel train in Val-d'Illiez.

Population

Around 60 people live in Les Crosets year-round. This number swells significantly during the winter ski season, as the village hosts as many as 650 visitors. There are a number of hotels in the village, and some private apartments are available on

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. The full-time population largely work in the tourism industry, supporting the hotels, restaurants and ski infrastructure.

Tourism and sports

Winter sports

Les Crosets is famous for its winter sports. As the highest resort in the Swiss side of Portes du Soleil, it receives a great deal of snow, often early in the season. Les Crosets has an average snowfall of 48cm. Les Crosets offers

alpine skiing Alpine skiing, or downhill skiing, is the pastime of sliding down snow-covered slopes on skis with fixed-heel bindings, unlike other types of skiing ( cross-country, Telemark, or ski jumping), which use skis with free-heel bindings. Whether for ...

snowboarding Snowboarding is a recreational and competitive activity that involves descending a snow-covered surface while standing on a snowboard that is almost always attached to a rider's feet. It features in the Winter Olympic Games and Winter Paralympi ...

sledding Sledding, sledging or sleighing is a winter sport typically carried out in a prone or seated position on a vehicle generically known as a sled (North American), a sledge (British), or a sleigh. It is the basis of three Olympic sports: luge, skele ...

and

snowshoeing Snowshoes are specialized outdoor gear for walking over snow. Their large footprint spreads the user's weight out and allows them to travel largely on top of rather than through snow. Adjustable bindings attach them to appropriate winter footwe ...

. The village is located in the center of the Portes du Soleil ski resort, which contains 650km of piste. From Les Crosets, a good skier can reach the French Avoriz resort in 20 minutes. Les Crosets encompasses the famous Swiss Wall - a mogul run which is considered one of the ten hardest ski runs in the world. A

snowpark A terrain park or snow park is an outdoor recreation area containing terrain that allows skiers, snowboarders and snowbikers to perform tricks. Terrain parks have their roots in skateparks and many of the features are common to both. From their ...

offers jumps and freestyle skiing and snowboarding, and chairlifts transport as many as 4,000 people per hour. While nightlife in the traditional sense (clubs and bars) is notably absent, Les Crosets offers

night skiing Night skiing is the sport of skiing or snowboarding after sundown, offered at many ski resorts and mountains. There are usually floodlights – including LED lamps – along the piste which allow for better visibility. It typically begins afte ...

regularly. Two ski stores offer rental equipment, and a number of ski schools operate in the area.

Summer sports

Mountain biking Mountain biking is a sport of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, usually using specially designed mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and pe ...

, ebiking and

hiking Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A Histor ...

are popular summer sports in Les Crosets. Fishing in Lac Vert is also possible.

Notable inhabitants

Swiss ski racer

Corinne Rey-Bellet Corinne Rey-Bellet (2 August 1972 – 30 April 2006) was a Swiss alpine skier. Rey-Bellet shared a World Championship silver medal in the downhill event in St. Moritz in 2003 (in a tie with Alexandra Meissnitzer) and won a total of five W ...

, was born, raised and violently killed in Les Crosets.

References

External links

Official website
* Ski areas and resorts in Switzerland {{Valais-geo-stub