Top Things To Do On A Rainy Day
Near Villars & Les Diablerets
It’s easy to find things to do in Switzerland when the sun is shining, but sometimes when it’s raining you need to a Plan B ! Today we’re focussing on the beautiful and unspoilt of region around Villars and Les Diablerets and showing you some great ideas for things to do for all the family to keep them busy on rainy days! You might have read our previous article about this lovely region of Switzerland here – as it is a perfect destination for a relaxing “Staycation” in Switzerland and a wonderful place to visit anytime of year.
Here is our list of suggestions and if you have an more do feel free to leave them in the Comments section.
Bex Salt Mines
Bex Salt Mines is a perfect place to visit and there is no danger of getting wet as it is all underground. The history of the salt mines is explained and you realise how important this asset of “White Gold” was to the region. Today we take salt for granted but in days gone by it was really prized.
The tour of Bex Salt Mines is interactive, with audio and visual displays and there is lots to see and learn about. You are taken underground in a tiny little train which is also great fun. As well as being very interesting it is very educational too. You get to see various types of salt and at the end there is a gift shop where you can purchase some Bex salt or many of the innovative products made using salt. I have been regularly using my “Bex Fleur du Sel” since my visit and really appreciate it even more having learned all about the history of salt in the region. By the way, the name Bex is pronounced “Bay”!
You can read all about Bex Salt Mines in my article here or you can visit the website here.
Details:
Address: Bex Salt Mines, Route des Mines de Sel 55, 1880 Bex
Tel: +41 24 46303 30
Tickets: Tickets can be purchased online in advance (Adults CHF 20, Children CHF 12) or on the door (Adults CHF 23, Children CHF 14). Children under 5 are free. Tickets can be booked here.
Visit the Bex Salt Mines Website here
Bains de Villars
The Bains de Villars is also a great place to go when it is raining. There is re is plenty to do in this modern Wellness Centre and it’s the perfect place to have a splash around and then relax and unwind. As well as being situated in the post beautiful Swiss scenic landscape, it also offers a great range of treatments from classic massages to hot stones, to Lomi Lomi and their hot scrub uses salt from the salt mines in Bex! The swimming pool is suitable for the whole family and the the Wellness is open to everyone aged 16 and over.
Details:
Address: Bains de Villars, Centre des Sports de Villars SA- Piscine et Patinoire, Route du Village 8, CP 173, 1884 Villars-sur-Ollon
Tel : +41 24 495 12 21
You can find out more here about the baths here. For the treatments on offer take a look here.
The Thermal Baths at Les Bains de Lavey
You might also fancy a trip to Lavey-les-Bains where the thermal spa is fed by the hottest spring in Switzerland at a of temperature of 62°! You can relax in the outdoor pool , enjoy the wellness facilities and admire the stunning mountain views all around. There are two pools, one of which is a 1,000 m2 outdoor pool, at a temperature of 32 to 36°, and is equipped a jacuzzi, jets, a waterfall, amcounter current lane and bubbling water beds. The Nordic pavilion right by the pool has a sauna or snow grotto and the Serenity Lodge has a lamp relaxation or colour therapy room. Furthermore, in the Oriental Area you can find a hammam, Turkish baths and water fountains. At night the pool is lit up and it looks really beautiful! Children are admitted from the age of 4 years old in the baths.
Details:
Address: Les Bains de Lavey, Route des Bains 48, 1892 Lavey-les-Bains
Tel: +41 (0)24 486 15 15
Visit Les Bains de Lavey website here
Cheese Making Demonstration + Breakfast
You don’t need sunny weather for the next idea either – seeing a live demonstration of cheese making! L’Etivaz, an AOP Swiss Alp Cheese is made in the Col de la Croix mountain pasture according to a traditional Alpine Cheese method. At the demonstration they explain all about the traditional method for making alpine cheese and afterwards they serve you a breakfast made with local produce – including of course, the cheese you have watched being made..
You can book up to 6pm the day before you plan to go.
Details:
Address: Cheese Making Demonstration and Breakfast, Alpage du Col de la Croix Famille Mottier & Jourdain, Col de la Croix, 1884 Villars-sur-Ollon
Tel : +41 (0)24 498 11 78
Price : It costs CHF 15 per adult (over 9 years old) and Children cost CHF 12. Children under 4 are free.
Bookings required up to 6 pm the day before, by telephone.
For more infromation please visit the website here.
Bouldering – The Poub’bloc Climbing Hall in Villars
Photo credit Olivier Fatzer
For the more adventurous amongst you, how about a spot of Bouldering? For those of you who have never tried it, its a form of rock climbing and it is said to help with to exercise balance, strength and concentration. Right in the centre of Villars there is a Sports Centre which has a new 45 m3 “Poub’bloc” bouldering room and what’s more it’s open every day of the week all year round! Do make sure that you wear indoor shoes for this activity and one great piece of news is that this is included with the Free Access Card.
Details:
Address: Bouldering in Villars, Centre des Sports de Villars SA Tennis, Les Rochegrises, 1884 Villars-sur-Ollon
Tel : +41 (0)24 495 30 30
Open daily (Monday – Friday) from 9am to 9pm
Open on Saturday & Sunday from 9am to 8pm
To find out more please visit the Centre des Sports de Villars website here.
Horizon-T-HalleClimbing Room in Diablerets
Photo credit Christophe Racat
There is also a great new indoor Climbing Room in Les Diablerets too. Located next to the railway station at the entrance to the village, it offers more than 150m2 of climbing surface. The walls are of different inclinations and it is suitable for climbers of all levels and for all ages. You con’t need any special equipment and there are safety mats in place for protection. The “Horizon’t’halle” is open all year round and there is also a quiet zone where you can have a break, a drink or a picnic.
The climbing room is included in the Free Access Card allowing you to use the wall for free during the Summer Season.
Details:
Address: Horizon’t’halle, A côté de la Gare, 1865 Les Diablerets
You can find out all about it here.
Wine Tasting – for the adults!
This is not suitable for all the family but it is very popular with adults! The whole region around Villars and Les Diablerets if well known for its wine and as you are probably aware the Swiss don’t export much wine as they tend to drink it! So wine not visit one of the local vineyards in the region to do some tasting and maybe bring home a bottle or two for later. You can see a list of the wine producers here.
Guided Tour of Ollon with Vineyard Visit
Every Wednesday there is a guided tour of Ollon with a visit to a vineyard from 21stAugust to 20th October – see details here. If you are really interested in trying different wines, the guide wine tour might be for you – but it does take 8 hours to complete and goes from Yvorne – Aigle – Verschiez – Ollon – Antagnes – le Bouillet – le Bévieux – Bex – Lavey. You can find out all about the wine trail here.
Musée des Ormonts, Vers-L’Église
Running from Les Diablerets to Aigle in the Vaudois Alps, the Vallée des Ormonts is a region with a rich heritage and lots of traditions. The Musée des Ormonts is located in the pretty little village of Vers-l’Eglise, near Les Diablerets and it serves as a showcase to this rich ad interesting past.
The museum is open from Wednesday to Sunday and organises temporary exhibitions showcasing different aspects of the valley and the traditions from the area. You can find out all about the “White Gold of Les Ormonts”, the hero electrical power of the valley of Les Ormontsthrough images, models and films. You can even arrange a visit to an authentic, water-powered sawmill that is still in use near the village of Vers-L’Eglise.
Details:
Address: Musée des Ormonts, Route de Vers L’Eglise 5, 1864 Vers-l’Eglise
Tel: +41 (0)24 492 17 71
Visit the Musée des Ormonts website here.
The Bowling Sports Bar in Villars
The Bowling Sports Bar in Villars has 6 bowling lanes, 4 pool tables, a darts board and video games. It is the ideal place to have fun playing games and relaxing and is located next to the Villars Skating Rink. The Bowling Sports Bar is open all year round but check the website to see the current opening hours as they change frequently. You can also enjoy delicious snacks and drinks there too.
Details:
Address: Bowling Sports Bar, Route du Village 8, 1884 Villars-sur-Ollon
Tel: +41 (0)24 495 30 40
Hotel and Accommodation Deals
For hotel and other accommodation please note that there are many special offers available at the moment so do visit the Villars Diablerets website to find out more here.
Map Showing Villars (blue marker) and Diablerets:
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