Grand Chalet and Leysin Information Leaflet
Welcome to the Hotel Grand Chalet, this is ISM’s
base in Leysin Switzerland. The hotel is run by Lysianne and
Jacky
Bonelli. We wish you a pleasant stay at the hotel.
Hotel Information
A Carte de Sejour (holiday pass) can be obtained
from the hotel reception, this will give you discount on the
lifts and leisure centre and includes the swimming pool.
Please take your room key with you if you
intend to stay out later than 10pm as you will need
it to get back into the
hotel. If sharing a room please make appropriate arrangements.
To order drinks in the lounge please ring “160” from
the phone at the bar.
Please wear shoes in the restaurant and refrain from taking
rucksacks and climbing equipment into the restaurant.
There is a computer with internet connection and printer for
your use in the lounge. You will need to purchase a card to
activate the computer which is available from reception.
The Outdoor Jacuzzi is an excellent way to
unwind after a hard days mountain activity. Please ask at reception.
There is a
SFr 10 charge for the use of the Jacuzzi.
The ISM store can be found at the bottom of the wooden ramp
just outside the hotel entrance. This is the best place to
leave unwanted baggage when you are away in the mountains.
Please settle any bills (bar telephone etc.) before you leave
to the mountains as we need to check out from the hotel.
Breakfast is normally at 8.00am and dinner at 7.30pm. The waiter/waitress
will generally wait until you are all present before serving.
Please ask the day before if you would like to upgrade to a
la carte.
Laundry can be arranged at the hotel at a charge of SFr 10
per bag. Please ask at the reception.
If you travelled to Leysin by car please park it at the bottom
of the road as this leaves more space for loading/unloading
outside the hotel.
If you have some free time in Leysin here are
a few suggestions on things to do:
ISM Corner
This is a good place to start. We have a place at the back
of the lounge where you can find climbing guide books, magazines,
train timetables (Leysin to Geneva airport) and information.
Please feel free to read. There is also a selection of climbing
DVD’s to watch on the hotel DVD player.
Yeti bar
This is the local ‘pub’ and ISM's Friday evening
rendezvous. It can be found near the bottom of the Rue de commerce
(the steep cobbled street), just above the lift station.
ACTIVITIES IN LEYSIN
A hike around the Leysin Tours (Tour
des Cafés)
Above Leysin are the remarkable limestone peaks of the Tour
D’Ai,
Tour de Mayen, Truex, and the Tour de Famelon.
Taking the lift to the top of La Berneuse takes away a lot
of the ascent and gives great views overlooking lake Geneva
(and
many
alpine
peaks such as Mont Blanc, the Grand Combin and the Oberland).
A walk before your course is recommended and will help you
acclimatise. There are many traditional restaurants and creameries
(local cheese farms) for you to visit and sample the delights
of the local cuisine.
A local diagrammatic map of the Leysin area is available and
you should be able to get one from the ISM corner display or
from the hotel reception.
If you walk from the top of the Berneuse you will likely encounter
the restaurants in the following order
The Berneuse Restaurant is a revolving space-age
restaurant at the top of the lift.
Lac d’ Ai Buvette is a small rustic venue in the farm
buildings next to Lac D’Ai.
The Restaurant Mayen further down the road is slightly more
developed and is part of a farm which has cows, pig, and chickens
(with their own church). The ‘croute Mayen’ (cheese
on toast) is the best around!
Les Fers further across the Tours below the
Tour de Famelon is a top class mountain restaurant and a great
place to eat.
Above these restaurants one can ascend and choose to climb
any of one the Tours in about one to two hours. To walk directly
back to Leysin from the top of the Berneuse lift takes about
1 hour.
An excellent,
strenuous circuit taking a full day and linking all the Tours
is as follows: from the Berneuse
walk down to Lac d'Ai then up the marked path to the top
of Tour
d'Ai, retrace your steps down to Restaurant
Mayen then ascend the Tour de Mayen. Descend from the summit
then traverse over Truex to the
Tour
de
Famelon and climb this before dropping down to Les Fers and
taking the lower level traversing path back to Leysin village.
Via Ferrata
It is very important to be properly equipped for these trips.
Technical equipment needed for via ferratas can be hired
from Hefti Sports (opposite the lift station).
You will need:
Helmet, Harness with dynamic leashes to attach yourself to
the via ferrata.
Appropriate footwear light boots or crag approach shoes.
Warm clothes and a waterproof jacket
Food and drink
Via ferrata’s make very good lightning conductors so
please don’t climb this if there is any chance of a thunderstorm.
Thunderstorms usually happen in the afternoon and it is always
prudent to check the weather.
Hotel Grand Chalet Via Ferrata
This
excellent new via ferrata can be found by walking directly
uphill from
the parking place
just below the Hotel Grand Chalet. It takes 10 minutes to approach
and about 2 hours to climb. There are two starts to the route
which traverses its way along the top of this cliff. This also
allows you to bail out early if necessary as this is shorter
but steeper than the Tour D’Ai via ferrata. A short cows
tail (an extender) is very useful for clipping in tightly to
the cable if you get tired (the gripper clipper!). This via
ferrata has sustained and strenuous overhanging sections on
it.
The Via Ferrata on the Tour D’Ai |
Tour D’Ai Via
Ferrata
For the more adventurous and technically minded there is
a via ferrata on the Tour d’Ai. It is approached from
the Berneuse lift and takes about one hour to walk to the
start
of the via ferrata. It is best approached by taking the path
to Chaux de Mont and then walking towards the west face of
the Tour D’Ai. This via ferrata is only grade 2, but
it is extremely exposed and not for those nervous of heights.
There is an etiquette that users do not go down the via ferrata
as this obstructs people on their way up and it can be dangerous
to pass. Walk down the footpath from the summit cross.
Mountain Biking
Mountain bikes can be hired from Hefti Sports and other sport
shops in Leysin. They can be taken on the Berneuse lift. This
gives a fantastic downhill descent
back to Leysin. More information on good routes and a map of the bike trails
can be found at Hefti sports.
Tourist Information, Bouldering Wall and Swimming Pool
Leysin has a leisure centre just below the lift station on
the right after the lift parking place. There is a swimming
pool and climbing wall and this
is also the home of the tourist information in Leysin. Your Carte de Sejour
will give you discount at the pool.
Farandol Internet Café
This is an excellent café and bakery with a sun terrace,
situated in the Place du Marché in the village centre. It
has an internet connection for public use and is non
smoking on the ground floor.
Lavey les Bains
Lavey Les Bains is a luxury spa, which has thermal pools (open
air and inside), saunas, Turkish baths, message, and a ‘wellness’ centre.
It is situated in the Rhone valley between Bex and Martigny
and can be approached
by train/bus or car from Leysin in about half an hour. This would be an excellent
way to relax your body after the course activities. It costs
SFr
20 for
3 hours use.
Useful Addresses
Map of Leysin
Co-op, the local supermarket
Medical Centre, this is situated behind the Co-op
Local Chemist Shop is situated next door to Hefti Sports (the
shop).
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