Villars-sur-Ollon | |
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 Panorama of Villars-sur-Ollon | |
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 Location of Villars-sur-Ollon | |
  Villars-sur-Ollon  Villars-sur-Ollon | |
| Coordinates:46°17′44″N7°03′20″E / 46.29556°N 7.05556°E /46.29556; 7.05556 | |
| Country | Switzerland |
| Canton | Vaud |
| District | Aigle |
| Elevation | 1,258 m (4,127 ft) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| Postal code | 1884 |
| ISO 3166 code | CH-VD |
| Surrounded by | Gryon,Ormont-Dessus,Ollon,Aigle |
| Website | www.ollon.ch |
Villars-sur-Ollon, commonly referred to asVillars, is a village inSwitzerland in the canton ofVaud, part of the municipality ofOllon.
Villars overlooks theRhône valley from an altitude of 1,258 metres (4,130 ft). The peak ofMont Blanc is clearly visible from parts of the village and from the village's more elevated ski areaBretaye (1,806 metres (5,930 ft)). That area is the center of the skiing network. It is accessible by the BVB railway (Chemin de fer Bex-Villars-Bretaye), featuring acogwheel train, and by agondola lift to the 'Roc d'Orsay' (1,952 metres (6,400 ft)). There are around 112 kilometres (70 miles) of skiing slopes in the skiing network of Villars withGryon,Les Diablerets, andGlacier 3000.[1]
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.[2]
During the 12th and 13th centuries, a notable demographic upsurge motivated the monks from the Abbey ofSaint-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.[3]
In 1901 the railway reached Villars.[3] In 1913 it was continued by a mountain cog-train toBretaye where the development stopped because of the war.[3] In 1936, the first ski lift was built at the ‘Combe’ on theChaux 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, theOrient Express made a special stop inAigle for a slalom race that took place atBretaye. That same year a ski lift was built in the form of a sledge. This lift could transport 12 skiers to the peak of theGrand Chamossaire and was in use until 1953.
During the fifties and early sixties, the Ollon-Villars Hillclimb was a round in the European Hill Climb championship and attracted racing drivers from all over the world. They would race 8 kilometres (5.0 miles) 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.
Villars is known to host some of the most expensive private international boarding schools in the world, the industry having started in the early post-WWII years. Four such schools remain nowadays: theCollège Alpin International Beau Soleil,[4]Aiglon College,[5] La Garenne School, and Préfleuri.
The village also features a public primary school (Collège d'En-Haut) that is built into the Villars Sports Center right next to a skiing and sledging slope. Older children go to the second primary school (Collège d'En-Bas) close to the Ice Skating Rink or take the bus to the central school in Ollon.
Villars is also known to host theVillars Institute, a nonprofit foundation dedicated to accelerate the transition to a net zero and nature positive economy.
Many people visit Villars for skiing during the winter months.
The greater Villars area features more than 300 kilometres (190 miles) of marked hiking trails and 130 kilometres (81 miles) for mountain biking.
The Villars Golf Club, established in 1922, has a clubhouse and an 18-hole course set at 1,600 metres (5,200 ft) and perched on a south-facing plateau with views ofMont Blanc.
The Villars Sports Centre has 5 outdoor tennis courts and three indoor with an indoor sports hall for volleyball, badminton, and football. The facility also houses indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a wellness and spa area, a bowling and billiard lounge, a pumptrackskatepark, and an all season ice skating arena.
There are spas and wellness centres in and around Villars, includingLavey-les-Bains, the hottest thermal water baths in Switzerland.
For excursions, the attractive lakeside towns ofMontreux,Évian, andVevey are all close by and boat trips around Lac Leman are easily available. The imposingAigle Castle built in the 12th century now houses the local Wine Museum.Chillon Castle, built in the 13th century on the banks ofLake Geneva, used to serve as a residence for the noble counts during the Middle Ages. TheGruyère-Pays d'Enhaut National park is also nearby.
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