Apres Ski in Villars

There’s not much apres-ski on the mountain, but Villars itself has several good bars and plenty of restaurants including hotel restaurants and some, such as La Renardiere serve exceptional food.

Apres Ski Bars in Villars

Don’t go looking for action up on the mountain in Villars – it’s just not that kind of place, but in town, there are several bars and a handful of nightclubs. The first refreshment after the pistes should be taken at L’Arrivee bar in the road behind the Eurotel. Run for many years by the distinguished ice hockey player of yore Roger Chappot and his wife serve a fine selection of wines.  Sadly, L’Arrivee is not always open on Mondays and Tuesdays.

For drinks try Charlie’s Bar, in the centre of town, which has pool tables and a trendy vibe; Le Blues Bar at Rotisserie des Alpes next to the train station, Le Green at Hotel Golf for a pleasant in-hotel bar or Murphy’s Bar which is a bit further up the road near the Hotel Bristol.  Murphys is distinguished by its panoramic views over the valley. A fusion of ancient and modern design, the Moon Boot is ideal for the more mature tippler.

L’Arrivee – Tel: +41 79 402 35 71
Le Blues Bar / Rotisserie des Alpes – Tel: +41 24 495 21 26
Bowling Snack-Bar – Tel:  +41 24 495 20 30
Charlie’s Bar – Tel:  +41 24 495 75 95
Le Central Cafe – Tel: +41 24 495 24 51
Le Green / Hotel Golf – Tel:  +41 24 496 38 38
Le Horizon / Hotel Le Bristol – Tel: +41 24 496 36 36
The Moon Boot – Tel:  +41 24 495 19 63
Murphy’s Bar – Tel: +41 24 495 69 71

Restaurants in Villars

The best Villars hotels have restaurants of appropriate quality; try the 4-star Hotel La Renardiere’s restaurant for an exceptional meal though naturally not cheap. At the other end of the scale, for pizza, Le Francis in the centre of town is good.

Outside the main hotel restaurants La Cantina del Toro, La Pizzeria and La Toscana restaurants are recommended and all three are conveniently situated in the centre of Villars, adjacent to Charlie’s Bar and the El Gringo disco – a few drinks in Charlie’s, then choose any of these restaurants for good Mexican or Italian food before dancing the night away at El Gringo.

The Vieux Villars is an interesting mix of excellent traditional Swiss cuisine, take your fondue here perhaps, and Chinese cooking if you have a taste for the more exotic. Another option in the centre of Villars next to the railway station is the La Rotisserie des Alpes with two restaurants – Le Petit Chalet and Le Bistrot Cafe Bar – and Le Blues Bar.  Sit outside if the weather is good or you’re particularly hardy.

La Cantina del Toro – Tel:  +41 24 495 24 25
La Pizzeria – Tel: +41 24 495 79 19
La Rotisserie des Alpes – Tel:  +41 24 495 21 26
La Toscana – Tel:  +41 24 495 79 21
Restaurant Vieux-Villars – Tel:  +41 24 495 25 25

The Village of Villars 

Villars’ charming wooden chalets are set between trees on a sunny, south-facing mountainside and the main street through the village centre maintains the unhurried dignity that you would expect of a senior Swiss ski resort.

Though it has grown over the years into rather more than a quaint, traditional Swiss mountain village, the still-small town of Villars has charm in plenty. The wooden chalets set between trees, a sunny, south-facing aspect and the dominating but magnificent Club Med all hark back to the turn of the century. The gondola above the village to the west is still within easy reach of the village centre and everything else, including the local nursery slopes and the mountain railway, is unlikely to be more than a 10-minute walk from wherever you are.

The centre has a street lined with shops, bars and restaurants; though there’s no pedestrianised zone (much as the village would like one), the town is pleasant to stroll through in the evenings. There are terraced and indoor cafes, bars and restaurants but much of the dining in Villars takes place in-hotel.

The sense of security in Villars is palpable.  There is no hint of graffiti, there’s a friendly “bonjour” from everyone you pass and the police knock off at 7 pm.  

Other Activities in Villars

Family-friendly Villars has many other activities on offer, with mountain walking and cross-country skiing among the favourites in addition to skiing.

In keeping with its family-friendly status, there are good alternatives to skiing. Walking paths and extensive cross-country skiing through wooded valleys are the highlights.

Bowling – Tel: +41 (0) 24 495 20 30
Indoor Tennis – Tel: +41 (0) 24 495 30 30
Paragliding – Tel: +41 (0) 24 495 41 41
Dimension 3 – Tel: +41 (0) 24 495 76 55
Swimming – Tel: +41 (0) 24 495 12 21

Villars Tourist Information

For more information contact the Tourist Office in Villars:

Villars Tourist Office
Phone: +41 24 495 32 32
Web: www.villars.ch