Yoga & Ski Retreat in the Swiss Alps, Crans-Montana

This yoga retreat in the Swiss Alps brings five days of yoga to Chetzeron, a luxury eco-spot above Crans-Montana in Valais, Switzerland. It is for people who want to slow down, regain inner balance and breathe mountain air, and who would also like to spend time on skis or snowshoes while they are there.

The retreat is offered by the teacher behind the Formentera hatha yoga retreats and the online silent meditation weekends, whose programme sits alongside this one. The material does not name the teacher, so this description sticks to what the retreat itself offers.

What to Expect

The retreat runs for five days, built around the idea of nourishing mind, body and soul at altitude. The organizer points to the pure, high-altitude air and its benefits for the cardiovascular system, and the days are shaped around that: yoga practice to ground and refresh you, and the calm of the surrounding nature.

Yoga is combined with the mountain setting rather than set apart from it. You can pair the retreat with skiing or snowshoeing in Crans-Montana, so the programme suits both people who want to be on the slopes and people who prefer a quieter walk in the snow. The aim is to leave feeling rejuvenated, refreshed and more balanced.

The same teacher's other retreats draw on simple breathing techniques (pranayama), asana, kriyas, deep relaxation in Yoga Nidra and guided meditation. Those are the tools of this teaching approach, though the material does not list the exact daily schedule for the Alps retreat.

The Setting

Chetzeron is described as a luxury eco-spot in the Swiss Alps, in the Crans-Montana area of the canton of Valais. The emphasis is on calm and on being grounded in nature, with the mountains close at hand for skiing or snowshoeing before or after practice.

Before You Go

Crans-Montana is a ski destination, so if you plan to ski or snowshoe, think about bringing or arranging your own winter gear and clothing suited to cold, high-altitude weather. The retreat is open to anyone drawn to yoga in the mountains, and combining it with time on the snow is optional.