The story could begin as in the tales of old: there was once in St. Moritz in the year 1863 a hotelier by the name of Johannes Badrutt. Deeply in love with its mountains, he persuaded British tourists to come and spend the Christmas holidays there, going so far as to undertake to reimburse them for their trip if the good weather was not there. Johannes won his bet, launching not only the resort located in the canton of Graubünden, but also a fad: stays "in the snow" ...
More than 150 years have passed and the star of St. Moritz continues to shine in the sky of exceptional destinations.
Twice host of the Olympic Games (in 1928 and 1948), the resort very early on attracted high society: aristocrats (the Aga Khan, the Shah of Iran) and artists (Proust, Nijinski, Marlene Dietrich, Alfred Hitchcock, Karajan) have tasted its comfort and delicacies.
St. Moritz is charting a sustainable future
Today, lovers of sporting sensations also appreciate its winter infrastructures, among the most modern: 350 kilometers of slopes - including the steepest in Switzerland, on the peak of Piz Nair, offering a 100% gradient from Corviglia. !
Cross-country skiers and hikers have not been forgotten: in the surrounding area, they have a network of 200 kilometers of tracks and 150 kilometers of paths for their walks in the great outdoors.
Cradle of all snow disciplines, St. Moritz is also home to the Cresta Run the oldest natural skeleton track, a sled on which you lie face down, as well as the historic bobsleigh track at the Olympia Bob Run.
Not to mention the Funpark for snowboarding or curling.
Landscape of St. Moritz, Corviglia Switzerland Tourism / Andre Meier
Concerned about preserving its priceless natural treasure, Saint-Moritz has launched “Vision 2025”, an ambitious program… also a pioneer. The challenge ? Eliminate pumping centers transporting water from the valley to the mountains and be the first station to exclusively use recycled water for the production of snow. The environmental savings represent 280 million liters (or 500 swimming pools!) And the equivalent of the annual electricity consumption of four hundred four-person households. Added to this is "Snowsat", a revolutionary process for maintaining the snowpack of the steepest passages: thanks to the satellite readings on the condition of the slopes provided to them, groomer operators can clear snow drifts and adjust with a precision of three centimeters thelayer thickness. The use of "technical snow" thrown by the cannons into the bends at the start of the season is then more rare. Good for the resort, and especially for the future ...
To find out more about St. Moritz, a pioneer of sustainability:
myswitzerland.com
Discover winter in Switzerland:
suisse.com/hiver
Find accommodation:
suisse.com/hotels
Getting there:
TGV Lyria offers several return trips per day between France and Switzerland (tgv-lyria.com).
At an international station, a fast-paced and dense network allows you to reach your destination (cff.ch).