Spring Vibes

Spring Vibes

Even the most avid winter enthusiast will agree that the arrival of spring in the Alps injects a new and infectious energy into mountain life. Longer and warmer days beg for you to slow down.

Freeze-thaw conditions mean that the best skiing is found after a slow and easy start to the day, once the icy overnight conditions have softened with the warmth of another glorious day. As the day progresses the snow softens more and more, and après ski beckons a little earlier.  As the season winds down, there isn’t a more perfect time to kick back and appreciate some live tunes.

The resorts of Zermatt and Verbier are each hosting musical events this April and with both line ups offering an impressive and eclectic mix of musicians, these offerings are well worth checking out.

Zermatt Unplugged is now into its tenth year and this annual festival has grown year on year in stature and popularity. A natural stage in itself, with a backdrop of staggering drama, Zermatt provides the perfect destination for an acoustic music festival.

The village itself hosts 13 venues, with the main stage seating 2,000 people and there are more venues on the mountain-side. This year sees brother and sister folk combo Angus and Julia Stone on the Marquee stage as well as the Celtically-influenced Simple Minds, and the gravelly-voiced multi-instrumentalist James Morrison. Other highlights include Colombian singer-songwriter Juanes, former frontman of Soundgarden Chris Cornell, reggae-infused Xavier Rudd, the soulful sounds of Tom Baxter, Jack Saveretti, and The Slow Show. The festival also provides a platform for emerging talent.

Running from April 5^th – 9th, Zermatt Unplugged offers an up close and personal experience and its non-electric ethos make for a unique and mellow affair. While many gigs are free, tickets for the more sought-after artists can be purchased online here.

We have two fabulous chalets still available in Zermatt for the duration of the Zermatt Unplugged Festival: Backstage Chalet and Backstage Loft. Please contact our sales team on [email protected] or telephone +41 22 534 9774 for more information on these.

Meanwhile, the Verbier Impulse Music and Ski Festival makes its debut this April. Running over two long weekends, April 8^th – 10th and April 15^th – 17^th, it’s a melodious addition to two annual ski events, the Phillipe Roux Cup and the Verbier High Five by Carlsberg which sees some of the world’s best alpine skiers battling it out at a fun end of season event.

For a festival in its birthing stage, the line-up is stellar. Everyone will recognise the unmistakable sounds of old school Glasgow pop band Texas.  Verbier Tourism has also secured Swiss folk-rock family band 77 Bombay Street, one of Switzerland’s best-selling artists in recent years, soul-singer Stefanie Heinzmann, indie-pop singer Charlie Winston, all-female ACDC cover band Dirty Chicks and the all-female Virgin Killers who cover the songs of Scorpion. The list is long and worth whetting your musical appetite over, find the programme on http://www.verbierimpulse.com/#!home/lgk4l

The six days of music will be free to those holders of a valid ski pass for Verbier or 4 Vallées.
Songs, sunshine, and ski: the hills will truly be alive this spring in the Swiss Alps – don’t miss your spot in the crowd.

We have a number of property options available for celebrating spring in the Alps – from three-bedroom luxury apartments to some of the finest luxury mega-chalets available in Verbier. Please contact our sales team to discuss ideas for a springtime break to the mountains. Contact the sales team on [email protected] or +41 22 534 9774.

22^nd March 2016