Haute-Nendaz
Encyclopedia
The resort/commune of Haute-Nendaz is located in the Swiss
canton of Valais
, comprising the villages of Nendaz, Siviez, and Basse-Nendaz.
Haute-Nendaz is situated on a plateau at an altitude between 1300m and 1500m. In winter it forms part of the Four Valleys
and is one of the most extensive ski areas in Europe
.
back to 985. Until the 19th century, the Nendaz community was largely based on agriculture. When traces of gold were found, the region went through a brief gold rush. The main source of mineral wealth remains carbon extracted from Aproz.
When Switzerland's tourism industry blossomed again after World War II, Nendaz started their first cablecart lift and the start of Télénendaz. Nendaz went into rapid expansion afterwards. Large chalets were rapidly being built on previously forested areas, and more ski resorts were added, namely in Siviez (then named Super-Nendaz).
By the 1970s, the resort was already struggling to cope with large queues at the ticket offices, and the mountain cablecars were barely able to manage the crowds during the winter holidays.
Construction of chalets continues apace in Haute Nendaz, though the infrastructure of lifts and buses remains unable to cope at peak times. A couple of years ago TeleVerbier put in a bid for Telenendaz, though some notable Nendaz businessmen, fearing that their power base would be eroded blocked the bid. TeleVerbier is widely regarded as providing an excellent service for their paying customers, and many workers in Nendaz wish that their bid had been successful. It is a shame that the necessary development of Nendaz is stifled by the interests of just a few rich local men. With just a few basic improvements - such as running more frequent buses to Siviez - the long queues would be reduced.
The area near to the Telecabine is being relentlessly developed with large areas of trees being felled to accommodate the extensive building of the so-called 'hamlet' of Mer du Glace. These apartments will be sold from CHF975,000 for the smallest one - an immense amount of money for an area that claims to be unable to afford to make any improvements, particularly considering the benefactors from this development are allegedly the very people who blocked the Televerbier bid.
The resort itself is terrific and the vast majority of local people would prefer to see it thrive. It's a great shame that the interests of a very few people are preventing the continued enjoyment of the resort by the many.
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
canton of Valais
Valais
The Valais is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland in the southwestern part of the country, around the valley of the Rhône from its headwaters to Lake Geneva, separating the Pennine Alps from the Bernese Alps. The canton is one of the drier parts of Switzerland in its central Rhône valley...
, comprising the villages of Nendaz, Siviez, and Basse-Nendaz.
Haute-Nendaz is situated on a plateau at an altitude between 1300m and 1500m. In winter it forms part of the Four Valleys
Four valleys
The term Four Valleys may refer to several things:*Quatre-Vallées is a small province of France located in the southwest of France.*The Four Valleys is a book written by Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith....
and is one of the most extensive ski areas in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.
History
Earliest documents date NendazNendaz
Nendaz is a municipality in the district of Conthey in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.-History:Nendaz is first mentioned in 984 as Nenda. It was also known under its German name Neind though that name is no longer used.-Geography:...
back to 985. Until the 19th century, the Nendaz community was largely based on agriculture. When traces of gold were found, the region went through a brief gold rush. The main source of mineral wealth remains carbon extracted from Aproz.
When Switzerland's tourism industry blossomed again after World War II, Nendaz started their first cablecart lift and the start of Télénendaz. Nendaz went into rapid expansion afterwards. Large chalets were rapidly being built on previously forested areas, and more ski resorts were added, namely in Siviez (then named Super-Nendaz).
By the 1970s, the resort was already struggling to cope with large queues at the ticket offices, and the mountain cablecars were barely able to manage the crowds during the winter holidays.
Construction of chalets continues apace in Haute Nendaz, though the infrastructure of lifts and buses remains unable to cope at peak times. A couple of years ago TeleVerbier put in a bid for Telenendaz, though some notable Nendaz businessmen, fearing that their power base would be eroded blocked the bid. TeleVerbier is widely regarded as providing an excellent service for their paying customers, and many workers in Nendaz wish that their bid had been successful. It is a shame that the necessary development of Nendaz is stifled by the interests of just a few rich local men. With just a few basic improvements - such as running more frequent buses to Siviez - the long queues would be reduced.
The area near to the Telecabine is being relentlessly developed with large areas of trees being felled to accommodate the extensive building of the so-called 'hamlet' of Mer du Glace. These apartments will be sold from CHF975,000 for the smallest one - an immense amount of money for an area that claims to be unable to afford to make any improvements, particularly considering the benefactors from this development are allegedly the very people who blocked the Televerbier bid.
The resort itself is terrific and the vast majority of local people would prefer to see it thrive. It's a great shame that the interests of a very few people are preventing the continued enjoyment of the resort by the many.