10 Things to Do in Lovely Nendaz, Switzerland in Summer

Nendaz, Switzerland is famous for its ski resorts — but I’m of the opinion that it makes the perfect off the beaten path Switzerland getaway, even in the summer off-season.

With quirky traditional Swiss festivals, beautiful mountain views, and outdoor activities in abundance, Nendaz is Swiss perfection pretty much any time of year, and made my top scenic places in Switzerland list quite easily.

🇨🇭Planning your trip to Nendaz at the last minute? Here are my quick picks!

⛰️Where to Stay in Nendaz
#1 Recommended: 4 Vallées Hotel & Spa
(incredible spa in the heart of Nendaz)
2. MAD Mount Hotel & Spa (another excellent spa hotel choice!)
3. Chalet Le Joyau (chalet-style accommodations with 3 bedrooms, sleeps 6)

🚞 Best Way to Get Around: Swiss Travel Pass (unlimited regular train, bus, & boat travel) if you plan to travel around a lot of Switzerland by train
Note: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission if you purchase something after clicking. Thank you for supporting the free content on this independent site! For more information on affiliate links and cookies, see my disclosure page for more details.
Peace in Nendaz near the lakes of Tracouet with Allison looking out at the scenery
One of the views at Tracouet
A beautiful rainbow in Nendaz, Valais, Switzerland with cows on a mountainside
Beautiful Swiss countryside with cows

But if you’re not planning on skiing, what else is there to do, you may ask?

I’ve written this post to share some of my favorite things to do in Nendaz so you can plan an epic summer trip.

Things to Do in Nendaz, Switzerland

Attend a cheesemaking workshop in Nendaz

cheesemaking in Nendaz Switzerland in brine
Fresh cheese soaking for one day before beginning the aging process

For many, Switzerland is synonymous with cheese and chocolate. While outside of Switzerland, we often think of “Swiss cheese” as a mild white cheese with holes sliced for sandwiches.

But the reality is that cheese-making in Switzerland is so much more varied and interesting than just Emmental cheese.

The most beloved cheese in Switzerland is perhaps raclette – which is often served heated until bubbling and scraped off onto potatoes, cornichons, pearl onions, or pretty much whatever your cheese-loving heart desires.

Allison wearing a purple jacket while in a cheese cellar
The look of love… is in her eyes

We woke up bright and early to attend a cheesemaking workshop. After catcalling a number of disinterested cows (sorry ladies, no disrespect meant) we went into the cheese room to see the magic of how cheese is created in the Valais region.

This is most certainly not the case in Switzerland, where the cows enjoy countless acres to roam and are treated lovingly by a small group of dedicated cheesemakers.

Hike around the Tracouet near Nendaz

Allison facing the background of Nendaz below with a view from the telecabine
A view from the télécabine over Nendaz

Tracouet is the small mountain right in Nendaz’s backyard, easily accessible by all.

With a simple lift ticket, you can be swept up the télécabine to a height of over 2,000 meters in a matter of minutes.

On top of Tracouet, there’s a number of hiking and mountain biking trails with stunning views. You can see down below to Nendaz and even as far as the nearby town of Sion on one side.

On another, there’s a stunning lake with mountain views. You can hike or bike to nearby towns such as Siviez or just enjoy the peace and quiet of a nature walk.

Hike along one of Nendaz’s historic bisse channels

channel in the meadow with trees and wildflowers
Views like this? Pretty much everywhere you walk.

If true mountain hiking is a bit too demanding for you, Nendaz has a number of “bisses” – stunning water channels alongside easy hikes.

There are 98 kilometers of bisse walks which are well mapped out and marked throughout the Nendaz region. For more information and maps, read here.

Attend one of Nendaz’s many summer festivals

At the Nendaz alphorn festival with people at the water of a lake in the
Alphorn musicians prepare for a performance

In addition to some beautiful music and fascinating traditional costumes, there was also tons of festival food options to keep my heart (and belly) content.

If you’re lucky, you’ll be in Nendaz during one of the famous summer festivals. We were there just in time to see the Alphorn Festival, where traditional Swiss musicians play alphorn melodies in, well, the Alps!

The Drink Pure festival was also on while we were there, so we could sample plenty of delicious local wines and even attend a local pop-up market with tons of food and wine to be had — a great atmosphere and tons of fun!

Raclette in Nendaz with potato and cornichon and pearl onions
The beautiful, the one, the only: raclette <3 and at only 4 CHF, you won’t feel bad going back for seconds, or thirds…
Crepes on a table with rose wine
A raclette break with a delicious chocolate crepe – pairs perfectly with local rosé

I especially love Swiss rosé – which rivals that of Provence – and sadly is not exported out of the country that often.

In fact, 90% of Swiss wine is consumed in country, and a mere 10% is exported! Once you taste it, you’ll know why — they want it all for themselves (who can blame them?)

Conquer your fears and go mountain biking

Allison in a purple jacket wearing a helmet and biking trails
And the clumsiness begins in 5, 4, 3….

We went mountain biking with Neige Aventure and it was perhaps my favorite day in Nendaz… even though I’m a totally uncoordinated fraidy-cat on a bike who managed to eat it not once but twice.

If you’re  not super physically fit (i.e., me) you even have the option of renting an e-bike with motor assistance.

Allison in a purple jacket and red shoes sitting on a bike looking over her shoulder

I highly recommend renting an e-bike if you’re not an experienced mountain biker because some of the hills in and around Nendaz are intense, even for an experienced urban cyclist.

Going downhill? Equal parts terrifying and exciting. No, I lied, mostly just terrifying.

It was raining nearly our entire bike ride, but thanks to the enthusiastic spirit of our guides, we didn’t mind it.

A plate of charcuterie and fruit and bread and other snacks at a mountain lodge
An epic meal break
Red fondue pot with bubbly cheese with cubes of bread
yassss

Plus, it made our fondue, meat plate, and tea break all the more special!

Swim in the world’s most beautiful public pool

Allison looking over the ledge at the. mountains and a public pool
Those views are too beautiful for me to even pun about

Guys… I used to live in New York City, and let me tell you, you couldn’t pay me enough money to get back in the water of one of those public (cess)pools.

Thank god Nendaz’s public pool is literally one of the most beautiful pools I’ve ever had the pleasure of swimming in.

I mean, come on, look at those views. Plus, entrance is only 6 CHF (about $6 USD) — a steal if I ever heard one.

Have a spa day at 4 Vallées

Sitting on the edge of an infinity pool in a spa in 4 Vallees
At the spa at 4 Vallées

The best way to recover from a rough day of hiking or mountain biking? A spa day in one of Switzerland’s most scenic towns, naturally.

The spa at the hotel 4 Vallées has a dizzingly large number of options to choose from!

There is a Turkish style hammam steam room, a Finnish pine sauna, a traditional sauna, a salt room, an ice room, a stone room, a saltwater pool, a hot tub, an outdoor pool, and indoor pool…. and I’ve probably already missed something.

Eat at Nendaz’s absurdly amazing restaurants

Allison holding a glass of white wine with a view of the mountains in the background
Swiss wine, you slay me

While eating out in Switzerland is undoubtedly an expensive experience, I think it’s worth experiencing Swiss cuisine.

I found that often, the price between an average meal was not much different than an outstanding meal. So do your research and pick some of the best places to go, and you will be rewarded in kind.

Two places stand out in my mind in Nendaz: one in Basse-Nendaz, the other in Haute-Nendaz.

Menus at the cafe with white wine in Cafe du Sapin Blanc
The menu at Café du Sapin Blanc, with plenty of omnivorous and vegetarian options!

Café du Sapin Blanc has a beautiful terrace and a cozy interior which was actually built all the way back in 1795: perfect atmosphere for either kind of weather.

We enjoyed a couple glasses of delicious white wine (Fendant is a traditional Swiss varietal that I highly recommend!) before getting too chilly to enjoy the terrace.

Inside, we had some amazing starters: my favorites with the traditional assiette valaisanne (Valais plate) which is piled high with delicious, perfectly sliced meats and cheeses.

Plate of charcuterie and cornichons and pearl onions
Come to mama
Beef carpaccio and parmesan shavings
Beef carpaccio with flakes of crystallized aged parmesan and an accent of homemade pesto.

The mains were similarly delicious, particularly the fish dishes and the alpine macaroni!

Another favorite was La Lanterne et Le Vieux Chaletlocated in Haute Nendaz. The owner, Alex, is amazingly passionate about the food he cooks.

Heed his advice when ordering for the best possible meal — he’ll give you a selection of outrageously delicious salads, appetizers, mains, and of course, dessert for a supremely reasonable price.

Round table with five chairs and shag rugs
Food with white wine and salad

The wines there are similarly fantastic, with lots of options including biodynamic local wines!

He will also gladly accommodate special diets if you contact him in advance!

We accidentally forgot to tell him we had a vegan in our midst. Even put on the spot,  Alex went above and beyond to create a fabulous, vegan-friendly meal with literally no advance notice, paced perfectly so that our friend never felt left out or hungry.

Catch the sunrise (or at least try to) on Mont-Fort

A cable car ride in Nendaz with mountains in the background
How epic are those mountains in the background?

I won’t lie – we had bad luck trying to see the sunrise on Mont-Fort, and I can’t say it’s anything less than a gamble to try to see it. (The above photo is not of Mont-Fort, because that photo would just be a gray blur). Since Mont-Fort is at an altitude of 3328 meters, you’re likely to get stuck in a cloud.

The good news is that the trip up to Mont-Fort in the dark is still one of the most interesting and disembodying experiences I’ve ever had. Imagine riding up a chair-lift in the absolute pitch black, sleep-deprived, confused, and giggling up a storm with your friends.

Then, the cup of cocoa, coffee, or tea you get included with your trip to Mont-Fort is the most welcome surprise. Hang out in “The Igloo” while waiting for the sun to hopefully make an appearance!

Where to Stay in Nendaz

Chalet in the mountains of Switzerland with a big couch and view of the mountains

There are so many outstanding chalets in Nendaz – the one we stayed in could have quite literally slept 15 people comfortably.

The living room and kitchen were fabulous, and our views were truly unbeatable. I definitely highly recommend this particular chalet, especially for large groups – it’d be fantastic in both winter and summer.

If you’re traveling in a smaller group and are just looking for a hotel, 4 Vallées comes highly recommended. While I didn’t stay in the hotel itself, if the spa is any indication, this is one classy place!

4 Comments

  1. Hey awesum travel stories well done
    I have been to Interlaken Lucerne and Zurich with my fly
    But this time it’s my parents too spending moms milestone bday in May all the way from India
    Would be lovely if you could advise on what’s a good town to stay in besides Zurich and Montreux and great access for senior citizens
    Tx

    1. Hi Radhika, my article on the 9 best places in Switzerland should help you, and everything is pretty accessible for seniors as Switzerland is really a leader in providing accessibility 🙂

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *