Villars-sur-Ollon, commonly referred to as Villars, is a village in Switzerland in the canton of Vaud, part of the municipality of Ollon.
Description
Geography and Skiing Network
Villars overlooks the Rhône valley from an altitude of. The peak of Mont Blanc is clearly visible from parts of the village and from the village's more elevated ski area Bretaye. That area is the center of the skiing network. It is accessible by the BVB railway, featuring a cogwheel train, and by a gondola lift to the 'Roc d'Orsay'. There are around of skiing slopes in the skiing network of Villars with Gryon, Les Diablerets, and Glacier 3000. The slopes on Glacier 3000 offer year round skiing. Furthermore, the ticketing system of Villars is part of the Magic Pass skiing area that covers 30 resorts in the larger area.
History and Culture
During the 12th and 13th centuries, a notable demographic upsurge motivated the monks from the Abbey of Saint-Maurice to assist the local peasants in conquering and clearing mountain pastures. Tourism in Villars started in 1856 when the first summer only hotel 'Chalet de Villars' was opened by a colonel who had owned a chalet since 1830. In 1901 the railway reached Villars. In 1913 it was continued by a mountain cog-train to Bretaye where the development stopped because of the war. In 1936, the first ski lift was built at the ‘Combe’ on the Chaux Ronde. This was a first in Switzerland, and skiers had to fasten themselves on with a large leather belt in order to go back up the mountain. In 1938, Villars was classified as one of the prime skiing resorts of Europe. On 13 December 1936, the Orient Express made a special stop in Aigle for a huge slalom race that took place at Bretaye. That same year a ski lift was built in the form of a sledge. This lift could transport 12 skiers to the peak of the Grand Chamossaire and was in use until 1953. During the fifties and early sixties, the was a round in the European Hill Climb championship and attracted racing drivers from all over the world. They would race of mountain road from Ollon up to Villars. In recent years a revival of the hillclimb has begun to attract race car collectors and racing enthusiasts.
Public Schools and Private Boarding Schools
Villars is known to host some of the most expensive private international boarding schools in the world, namely the Collège Alpin International Beau Soleil, , , and . in Villars are, as everywhere in Switzerland, tuition-free. The Village features a primary school that is built into the right next to a skiing and sledging slope. Older children go to the second primary school close to the or take the bus to the central school in Ollon.
Activities
Skiing Schools
Most people visit Villars for skiing during the winter months. The largest ski school is the with over 250 instructors dressed in red. The office is in the centre of town next to the . The is another well recognized school where instructors are dressed in yellow and blue. New Generation is a new ski school in Villars and is a not-for-profit association offering skiing and other activities for the disabled.
Summer Activities
The greater Villars area features more than of marked hiking trails and for biking. The , established in 1922, has a Club House and an 18-hole course set at and perched on a south-facing plateau with views of Mont-Blanc. The has 5 outdoor tennis courts and three indoor with an indoor sports hall for volleyball, badminton, and football. The second facility of the offers indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a wellness and spa area, a bowling and billiard lounge, a pumptrack skaterpark, and an all season ice skating arena. There are spas and wellness centres in and around Villars including Les Bains de Lavey in Lavey les Bains 30 minutes drive away housing the hottest thermal water baths in Switzerland.
Local Attractions & Sight Seeing
Other fun local attractions include , one of the largest water parks in Europe, which houses one of the largest permanent labyrinths in the world, and where you can zip-wire through the forest canopy. For excursions, the attractive lakeside towns of Montreux, Évian, Vevey and Rolle are all close by and boat trips around Lac Leman are easily available. The imposing Aigle Castle built in the 12th century now houses the local Wine Museum. Chillon Castle, built in the 13th century on the banks of Lake Geneva, used to serve as a residence for the noble counts during the middle ages. The closest art gallery with world class exhibitions is in Martigny.
