Villars is a gloriously situated resort with an under-rated ski area and a vibrant apres-ski scene.

Villars also known as Villars-sur-Ollon and Villars-Gryon sits at 1,300m on a sunny south-facing plateau above the Rhone valley that looks across towards the mountains of the Portes du Soleil ski area. It feels more like a small town than a village and offers very impressive shopping opportunities, as well as a good selection of hotels, restaurants and bars. It has a loyal British clientele, many of whom have actually bought chalets in the region. Several international schools based here give the slopes and the resort an air of youth and vitality.

An ideal weekend destination, it can be reached by car from Geneva Airport in just one hour and 20 minutes, almost an hour of that being on autoroute. Alternatively it can be reached by train in just over two hours with either one or two changes. As Villars unlike, say, Chamonix is a compact resort in which you do not need a car, the more relaxing rail option may well be preferable.