What's the STW experience of Lenzerheide as a summer resort?
The biking yes, but also the rest of the area, other activities as well, where did you stay etc. good for families?
We went in the Summer of 2023. Biking was good but not as good as Leogang and Livigno which was part of the trip.
Town was dead with not many about and most stuff closed.
Walking was the only option to biking
We stayed on a campsite that was dated but the only alternative was the area designated for campers which was very remote and didn't fancy leaving the van unattended for the day
We were there this summer. Busy bike park vibes....we found loads of great riding, but didn't ride the bike park.
It's in a lovely setting with nice lake, would be plenty of nice walks too. Not sure on anything else.
We stayed in Chur for our few days in the area at the campsite. Chur is ok but forgettable, the campsite wasn't great.
Not sure if that's any help!!
It's Switzerland. Everything is expensive.
Davos is very good for natural trail riding with lift support.
Surprisingly down beat reviews there 🤔 🤣
Was thinking about heading there for a few days then working way back through Switzerland over the course of a few days then back into France as part of a summer road trip. Not really considered it before, but Google threw it up earlier on. There's not a great deal of info jumping out at me.
Did a similar trip last year, stayed at a campsite in Bad Ragaz for a few days. Nice site in a small/quiet town (which suited us).
Free access to a swimming pool. 20-min drive to the Chur lift and 45-min to Lenzeheide. Plenty of parking. Huge bike shop.The lifts weren't busy, despite being their in the height of summer.
The Bike Kingdom app. is really good. Shows all of the trails and makes it easy to connect everything up.
There is an Alps summer thread on STW which has some advice/info.
Didn't ride enough of the trails. Would go back, but only for a couple of days. Did prefer Leogang / Saalbach.
Folks are not wrong above, most Swiss Alpine towns have a different vibe to others, lacking a defined ‘centre’ and hub of life and activity. Stuff tends to be a bit less obvious. Note, Swiss as a people are not the… warmest, and it is all arseshudderingly expensive. Only way to get over that is to just accept that no one is trying to rip you off, everything is expensive, so just get on with it.
Lived in CH for 13yrs, went to Lenzerheide a few times with the fam in summer (and Davos) and winter and frequently for biking. We did a lot of lift accessed walks in between biking, using the various mountain cafes as fabulous refreshment stops or taking sausages etc and using many of the official ‘Grillplatz’ to have a fire in amazing locations.
The outdoor pool at the sports centre is fab, as is the Lido and watersports centre.
Rhodelbahn in Churwalden just down the valley is fab, and the rope park etc also good. No doubt there will be via Ferrata all over the place too, if that’s your bag.
In Lenzerheide, we stayed twice in summer at very nice apartment complex a short walk/ride from Rothorn base station. Davos is good too, much bigger, we went there every year multiple times and there are loads of apartment rental options.
Note in both places, if you stay at official ‘bike hotels’ (which can often be apartments too), you are usually well looked after in terms of storage, facilities etc for fixing/washing bikes, and also usually include a lift pass.
https://arosalenzerheide.swiss/en/Lenzerheide/Summer
https://www.davos.ch/en/experience/guest-programmes/summer-guest-programme
I think you already know, but for me, Biking in Graubunden is the best in the world.
TBF, the Swiss, or particularly Graubünden, are well in the ball when it comes to MTB access. Many of the general walking signs/way markers have extra info for riders on them even away from the parks.
We did Davos years ago for a long weekend. The place we stayed gave us a packed lunch and Luffy tickets were included in the price. Mate took his mini stove and a Bialetti on rides so that we could have a coffee that didn't cost 8CHF.
Lenzerheide trails and lifts are fantastic. I'm not a big fan of ski resorts in summer, I stayed in Chur which has a nice pedestrianized old town and lots of restaurants, lots of non-biking tourists who I think are there to go on the Berninia Express. Great train access to other parts of Switzerland. Can't really comment on family activities. But I'm planning on heading back this summer for biking.
Thanks for the further info. I won't take it off the list just yet then!
It was our first euro trip earlier this year, we did Interlaken for a few days which was ace and would very much like to see more of Switzerland.
As much as my daughter and I would love to just go back Les gets as a base and see more of the PDS, i know mrskennerley would prefer a bit more variety (she a none biker.)
So I'm thinking of skirting back along the bottom of Switzerland, a stop in the Alps somewhere then make a few more stops on the way back up through France. Need some easy access, good blue level trails and some good family time stuff thrown in.
I thought Big Scot Nanny would be along with some good info....
As above, Lenzerheide is very good for biking in and around Bike Kingdom. Van park is close to town and all lifts are easy to get to. From Chur in the valley, Flims Laxx is just around the corner with some good walking / biking options too.
Also round the corner is Flumsaberg with loads of walking and kids stuff https://www.flumserberg.ch/en/Experience-summer
We have done a couple of these: https://www.bahnentour.bike/de
As BSN suggests, bike hotels, reasonable (for Ch) prices and lift pass and brekki included. Youth hostels in Ch are also fine, there is a good one in Lenzerheide. Simple, clean accommodation. https://www.unterkunft.ch/startseite
Jugenherbergen (youth hostels) with doubles and ensuite, comfy and often come with a tourist free bus pass. https://www.youthhostel.ch/en
Finally, Switzerland is expensive but can be reasonable... buy food and cook on the free grillplatz where wood is provided, or eat in teh supermarket at the COOP. It is expensive and most of these places are tourist and ski spots so that doesn't help but it's just how it is. They are not trying to rip you off at all...