Gstaad ( , ) is a town in the German-speaking section of the

Canton of Bern The canton of Bern, or Berne (; ; ; ), is one of the Canton of Switzerland, 26 cantons forming the Switzerland, Swiss Confederation. Its capital city, Bern, is also the ''de facto'' capital of Switzerland. The bear is the heraldic symbol of the c ...

in southwestern

Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...

. It is part of the municipality of Saanen and is known as a major

ski resort A ski resort is a resort developed for skiing, snowboarding, and other winter sports. In Europe, most ski resorts are towns or villages in or adjacent to a ski area–a mountainous area with pistes (ski trails) and a ski lift system. In North Am ...

and a popular destination amongst high society and the international

jet set The jet set is a social group of wealthy and fashionable people who travel the world to participate in social activities unavailable to ordinary people. The term was introduced in 1949 and replaced " café society"; it reflected a style of life ...

. The winter campus of the

Institut Le Rosey Institut Le Rosey (), commonly referred to as Le Rosey or simply Rosey, is a private school, private boarding school in Rolle, Switzerland. It was founded in 1880 by Paul-Émile Carnal on the site of the 14th-century Château du Rosey in the tow ...

is located in Gstaad. Gstaad has a population of about 9,200 and is located

above sea level Height above mean sea level is a measure of a location's vertical distance (height, elevation or altitude) in reference to a vertical datum based on a historic mean sea level. In geodesy, it is formalized as orthometric height. The zero level ...

History

During the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...

, it was part of the district of Saanen (Gessenay) belonging to the Savoyard county of Gruyère. The town core developed at the fork in the trails into the

Valais Valais ( , ; ), more formally, the Canton of Valais or Wallis, is one of the cantons of Switzerland, 26 cantons forming the Switzerland, Swiss Confederation. It is composed of thirteen districts and its capital and largest city is Sion, Switzer ...

and

Vaud Vaud ( ; , ), more formally Canton of Vaud, is one of the Cantons of Switzerland, 26 cantons forming the Switzerland, Swiss Confederation. It is composed of Subdivisions of the canton of Vaud, ten districts; its capital city is Lausanne. Its coat ...

. It had an inn, a warehouse for storing trade goods and oxen to help pull wagons over the alpine passes by the 13th-14th centuries. The St. Nicholas chapel was built in the town in 1402, while the murals are from the second half of the 15th century. The town was dominated by cattle farming and agriculture until the great fire of 1898. It was then rebuilt to support the growing tourism industry. The construction of the

Montreux–Lenk im Simmental line The Montreux–Lenk im Simmental line is a metre-gauge electric railway line in Switzerland run by the Montreux Oberland Bernois Railway (MOB) and links Montreux on Lake Geneva by way of Les Avants, Montbovon, Rossinière, Château-d'Œx, Rou ...

in 1905 and the construction of ski runs (the Ski Club of Saanen open in 1905 followed in 1907 by the Ski Club of Gstaad). The first ski school in Gstaad opened in 1923. The Eagle Ski Club opened in 1957, and was funded by Charles Greville, 7th Earl of Warwick. In a short time, there were more than 1,000 hotel beds in the region. The residents, hoteliers, shopkeepers and tourist offices helped to promote Gstaad to international attention. They supported the construction of ice rinks, tennis courts, swimming pools, ski jumps, and ski and hiking areas. The first ski lifts at Funi opened in 1934-44 and were followed by a number of gondolas, ski, and chair lifts. The Gstaad Palace opened in 1913 as Gstaad's first luxury hotel. In 1942 the Saanen-Gstaad airfield was opened for military and civil aviation. Helicopter rides were added later and in 1980 balloon flights became available as well. During the World Wars and the

Great Depression The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...

, the tourism industry suffered and many hotels closed. After World War II, many of the large hotels remained closed, but they were replaced with a number of smaller non-hotel accommodation (chalets, apartment houses, residences). Most of the modern resorts and small hotels are built out of wood and retain traditional design elements. The Gstaad Polo Club was founded in 1992, and the Gstaad Yacht Club in 1998.

Climate

According to the

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

system, Gstaad has a

humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers, and cold ...

, abbreviated ''Dfb'' on climate maps.

Tourism

Situated in the Berner Oberland, Gstaad is home to a large ski area in the

Alps The Alps () are some of the highest and most extensive mountain ranges in Europe, stretching approximately across eight Alpine countries (from west to east): Monaco, France, Switzerland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Germany, Austria and Slovenia. ...

( of slopes). The middle of the village features a picturesque

promenade An esplanade or promenade is a long, open, level area, usually next to a river or large body of water, where people may walk. The historical definition of ''esplanade'' was a large, open, level area outside fortification, fortress or city walls ...

bounded by numerous shops, restaurants, art galleries, and hotels. This car-free promenade enhances the village’s tranquil atmosphere, allowing visitors to leisurely explore its traditional wooden chalets and upscale boutiques without vehicular interruptions. Designer labels including

Louis Vuitton Louis Vuitton Malletier SAS, commonly known as Louis Vuitton (, ), is a French Luxury goods, luxury fashion house and company founded in 1854 by Louis Vuitton (designer), Louis Vuitton. The label's LV monogram appears on most of its products, ...

Hermès Hermès International S.A. ( , ) is a French Luxury goods, luxury fashion house established in 1837. It specializes in leather goods, silk goods, lifestyle accessories, home furnishings, perfumery, jewelry, watches and ready-to-wear. Since the ...

, Chopard, Brunello Cucinelli (company), Prada,

Moncler Moncler S.p.A. is an Italian luxury fashion brand specialized in ready-to-wear outerwear headquartered in Milan, Italy. Its core branding includes the Rooster#Terminology, cockerel, "M" monogram, felt appliqué badge, crossed skis and cartoon duc ...

, Ralph Lauren, and Cartier all have stores in Gstaad, while many smaller boutiques stock labels such as Chloe, Dolce & Gabbana, Tod’s,

Burberry Burberry Group plc is a British luxury fashion house established in 1856 by Thomas Burberry and headquartered in London, England. It designs and distributes ready to wear, including trench coats, leather accessories, and footwear. It is l ...

, Dior, Oscar de la Renta, and

Marc Jacobs Marc Jacobs (born April 9, 1963) is an American fashion designer. He is the head designer for his own fashion label, Marc Jacobs, and formerly Marc by Marc Jacobs, a diffusion line, which was produced for approximately 15 years, before it was d ...

Long known for its walking and hiking trails of varying degrees of difficulty, the mountain air and ambiance attract guests year-round from around the world. Gstaad is also known for its ski and cross-country slopes and winter hiking trails. Glacier 3000 is a major attraction, offering guaranteed snow from December to March and unique high-altitude experiences, including the world’s first summit-to-summit suspension footbridge with views of the Matterhorn and Mont Blanc. Gstaad also offers distinctive culinary experiences, such as the ‘Fondueland Gstaad,’ where visitors can enjoy fondue in oversized outdoor caquelon pots set amidst scenic Alpine landscapes. To facilitate this, fondue backpacks contain all the necessary ingredients and equipment that can be rented from local dairies, allowing for a dining experience in nature. Gstaad, named "The Place" by ''

Time Time is the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...

'' magazine in the 1960s, is widely known for its famous part-time residents and vacationers. Famous regular visitors to Gstaad have included

Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone ( ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Referred to as the "Queen of Pop", she has been recognized for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, ...

Charles III Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. Charles was born at Buckingham Palace during the reign of his maternal grandfather, King George VI, and ...

and

Princess Diana Diana, Princess of Wales (born Diana Frances Spencer; 1 July 1961 – 31 August 1997), was a member of the British royal family. She was the first wife of Charles III (then Prince of Wales) and mother of Princes William ...

, former UN Secretary-General

Kofi Annan Kofi Atta Annan (8 April 193818 August 2018) was a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh secretary-general of the United Nations from 1997 to 2006. Annan and the UN were the co-recipients of the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize. He was the founder a ...

, haute couture designer Valentino Garavani, writer William F. Buckley, Jr., and various members of the Cavendish family. Many British bands and musicians would play at L'Atelier, a club in Gstaad, in the 1960s and 1970s; one such band was Merlin 'Q' (later Edison Lighthouse), who stayed a whole winter. The town has been coined “The Swiss Alps’ Best-Kept Secret,” by Los Angeles magazine.

Hotels

Gstaad is known for its

luxury hotel A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. Facilities provided inside a hotel room may range from a modest-quality mattress in a small room to large suite (hotel), suites with bigger, higher-quality beds, a d ...

s, among them the Grand Hotel Park, the Alpina Gstaad, the Gstaad Palace, the Grand Hotel Bellevue, the Hotel Olden, and the Arc En Ciel. In July 2019, the Arc En Ciel came under fire for discrimination and later apologized after issuing a notice of rules directly addressed to its Indian guests.

Regular events

In Gstaad, the following regular events are held: * the New Year Music Festival of Gstaad, held by the Princess Caroline Murat * the Sommets Musicaux de Gstaad classical music winter series * the Snow Bike Festival, a winter snow biking event * the FIVB Beach Volleyball SWATCH World Tour - 1to1 energy Grand Slam,

beach volleyball Beach volleyball is a team sport played by two teams of two to four players each on a sand court divided by a net. Similar to indoor volleyball, the objective of the game is to send the ball over the net and to ground it on the opponent's side o ...

tournament * the Swiss Open, tennis tournament * the Ladies Championship Gstaad, tennis tournament * the Menuhin Festival Gstaad, classical music * the Hublot Polo Gold Cup, polo tournament * the Country Night Gstaad * the Gstaad Promenade Party in September * the Christmas Market Circus in December * the International Week - Hot Air Ballooning in January * the Gstaad Mountain Rides Open in January

Education

Several boarding schools are located in or have a campus in Gstaad: *

* John F. Kennedy International School * Gstaad International School, formerly in Gstaad, closed in June, 2014. It is scheduled to be redeveloped into an all-boys' school, Surval Gstaad.Switzerland gets only all-boys boarding school

Archive
. ''

The Local ''The Local'' is a multi-regional, European digital news publisher targeting expats, labour migrants and second home owners. It has nine local editions: The Local Austria, The Local Denmark, The Local France, The Local Germany, The Local Italy, ...

''. June 13, 2014. Retrieved on April 17, 2016.

Sport

Gstaad was the start and finishing point of the 2025 Tour de Suisse Women Stage One.The winner was Swiss rider Marlen Reusser

Notable residents

Current and former residents of Gstaad include: ;Royalty *

Grace Kelly Grace Patricia Kelly (November 12, 1929 – September 14, 1982), also known as Grace of Monaco, was an American actress and Princess of Monaco as the wife of Prince Rainier III from their marriage on April 18, 1956, until her death in 1982. ...

(1929–1982), American film actress and Princess of Monaco *

Mohammad Reza Pahlavi Mohammad Reza Pahlavi (26 October 1919 – 27 July 1980) was the last List of monarchs of Iran, Shah of Iran, ruling from 1941 to 1979. He succeeded his father Reza Shah and ruled the Imperial State of Iran until he was overthrown by the ...

(1919–1980), the last Shah of Iran * Prince Rainier (1923–2005), Prince of Monaco ;The Arts * Balthus (1908–2001), Polish-French modern artist * Olivier Berggruen (born 1963), German-American art historian and curator. * William F. Buckley Jr. (1925–2008), American conservative commentator, author and columnist. * Friedrich Christian Flick (born 1944), German-Swiss art collector * Andrew Grima (1921–2007), Anglo-Italian designer and doyen of modern jewelry design in Britain *

Johnny Hallyday Jean-Philippe Léo Smet (; 15 June 1943 – 5 December 2017), better known by his stage name Johnny Hallyday, was a French rock and roll and Pop music, pop singer and actor, credited with having brought rock and roll to France. During a career ...

(1943–2017), French rock and roll and pop singer. * Maja Hoffmann (born 1956), art collector & founder of the LUMA Foundation. *

Yehudi Menuhin Yehudi Menuhin, Baron Menuhin (22 April 191612 March 1999), was an American-born British violinist and conductor who spent most of his performing career in Britain. He is widely considered one of the greatest violinists of the 20th century. ...

(1916–1999), American-born violinist and conductor * Richard Scarry (1919–1994), American children's author and illustrator * Justin Thannhauser (1892–1976), German art dealer, disseminated Modern art in Europe * Taki Theodoracopulos (born 1936), a Greek journalist, writer and columnist. *

(born 1958), American pop singer. *

Robbie Williams Robert Peter Williams (born 13 February 1974) is an English singer and songwriter. He found fame as a member of the pop group Take That from 1990 to 1995, launching a solo career in 1996. His debut studio album, ''Life thru a Lens'', was re ...

(born 1974) English singer and songwriter, former member of pop group

Take That Take That are an English pop group formed in Manchester in 1990. The group currently consists of Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Mark Owen. The original line-up also featured Jason Orange and Robbie Williams. Barlow is the group's lead singer ...

. ;Acting * Dame

Julie Andrews Dame Julie Andrews (born Julia Elizabeth Wells; 1 October 1935) is an English actress, singer, and author. She has garnered numerous accolades throughout her career spanning over eight decades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Fi ...

(born 1935), English actress, singer and author. *

Blake Edwards Blake Edwards (born William Blake Crump; July 26, 1922 – December 15, 2010) was an American film director, producer and screenwriter. Edwards began his career in the 1940s as an actor, but he soon began writing screenplays and radio scripts ...

(1922–2010), American film director, and actor. * Sir

Roger Moore Sir Roger George Moore (14 October 192723 May 2017) was an English actor. He was the actor to portray Ian Fleming's fictional secret agent James Bond (literary character), James Bond in the Eon Productions/MGM Studios film series, playing the ...

(1927–2017), English actor. *

Jeanne Moreau Jeanne Moreau (; 23 January 1928 – 31 July 2017) was a French actress, singer, screenwriter, director, and socialite. She made her theatrical debut in 1947, and established herself as one of the leading actresses of the Comédie-Française. Mo ...

(1928–2017), French actress, singer, screenwriter and director. *

Roman Polanski Raymond Roman Thierry Polański (; born 18 August 1933) is a Polish and French filmmaker and actor. He is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Roman Polanski, numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, three Britis ...

(born 1933), French-Polish film director, producer, writer and actor. *

Jane Randolph Jane Randolph (née Roemer; October 30, 1914 – May 4, 2009), was an American film actress. She is best known for her portrayals of Alice Moore in the 1942 horror film ''Cat People (1942 film), Cat People'', and its sequel, ''The Curse of the ...

(1914–2009), American film actress. *

Peter Sellers Peter Sellers (born Richard Henry Sellers; 8 September 1925 – 24 July 1980) was an English actor and comedian. He first came to prominence performing in the BBC Radio comedy series ''The Goon Show''. Sellers featured on a number of hit comi ...

(1925–1980), English film actor, comedian and singer. * Dame

Elizabeth Taylor Dame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor (February 27, 1932 – March 23, 2011) was an English and American actress. She began her career as a child actress in the early 1940s and was one of the most popular stars of classical Hollywood cinema in the 19 ...

(1932–2011), British-American actress. ;Business * Ernesto Bertarelli (born 1965), Italian-born Swiss billionaire businessman and philanthropist * Philipp Braunwalder, Swiss businessman and philanthropist *

Bernie Ecclestone Bernard Charles Ecclestone (born 28 October 1930) is a British business magnate, motorsport executive and former racing driver. Widely known in journalism as the "F1 Supremo", Ecclestone founded the Formula One Group in 1987, controlling the c ...

(born 1930), British Formula One business magnate. *

Curt Engelhorn Curt Rudolf Glover Engelhorn (25 May 1926 – 13 October 2016) was a German billionaire heir and businessman, the great-grandson of Friedrich Engelhorn, the founder of the chemical company BASF. Early life and education Engelhorn was born 25 Ma ...

(1926–2016), German billionaire, heir of the chemical company

BASF BASF SE (), an initialism of its original name , is a European Multinational corporation, multinational company and the List of largest chemical producers, largest chemical producer in the world. Its headquarters are located in Ludwigshafen, Ge ...

* Jean Claude Mimran (born 1945) businessman, the majority owner of the hotel Alpina Gstaad * Mortimer and Jacqueline Sackler, American heirs of

Purdue Pharma Purdue Pharma L.P., formerly the Purdue Frederick Company (1892–2019), was an American privately held pharmaceutical company founded by John Purdue Gray. It was sold to Arthur Sackler, Arthur, Mortimer Sackler, Mortimer, and Raymond Sackler in 1 ...

makers of the opioid OxyContin. *

George Soros George Soros (born György Schwartz; August 12, 1930) is an American investor and philanthropist. , he has a net worth of US$7.2 billion, Note that this site is updated daily. having donated more than $32 billion to the Open Society Foundat ...

(born 1930), Hungarian-American banker and activist

Popular culture

* The song “Zarasa Jhoom Lu Main” from the evergreen Indian film '' Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge'' (1995) was shot in Gstaad. * Gstaad is one of the locations featured in F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel '' Tender Is the Night'' (1934). * "Swiss Miss", the second-season premiere of the American animated television series '' Archer'', takes place in Gstaad. *Season 4, episode 8 of the TV show ''Chuck'' has Chuck in Gstaad with a unique spy in order to try to recover the Intersect. * Richard Scarry had a studio in Gstaad where he drew many of his books. * Philosopher

Jiddu Krishnamurti Jiddu Krishnamurti ( ; 11 May 1895 – 17 February 1986) was an Indian Philosophy, philosopher, speaker, writer, and Spirituality, spiritual figure. Adopted by members of the Theosophy, Theosophical tradition as a child, he was raised to fill ...

was an occasional visitor to Gstaad; he included the experiences of his 1961 visit in his diary '' Krishnamurti's Notebook''. * Some scenes of

's movie '' The Return of the Pink Panther'' with

were filmed in Gstaad. * Many

Bollywood Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, is primarily produced in Mumbai. The popular term Bollywood is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (former name of Mumbai) and "Cinema of the United States, Hollywood". The in ...

movies in the mid 1990s and 2000s were shot in this town. * Dan Aykroyd famously said to Bo Diddley in the movie, ''Trading Places'', "This is a Rochefoucauld,” he says, “the thinnest water-resistant watch in the world. Singularly unique, sculptured in design, hand-crafted in Switzerland, and water resistant to three atmospheres. This is the sports watch of the 1980s. Six thousand, nine hundred and fifty-five dollars retail! It tells time simultaneously in Monte Carlo, Beverly Hills, London, Paris, Rome, and Gstaad!" * In Season 5, Episode 9 of '' New Girl'', Schmidt and Winston get into an argument about which one of them has actually been to Gstaad. Regan (played by Meghan Fox) interjects and tells them to tell the truth about whether either of them has actually ever been to Gstaad. Feeling insecure, Winston presses Regan about whether she has been to Gstaad and she responds by saying "No I haven't been there. Should I be ashamed of that or can we all just tell the truth about whether we've been to "Shtaad." * "Gstaad Guy", an internet personality, parodies the nouveau riche and old money residents of Gstaad. * In ''

Frasier ''Frasier'' () is an American television sitcom that was broadcast on NBC for 11 seasons from September 16, 1993, to May 13, 2004. The program was created and produced by David Angell, Peter Casey (screenwriter), Peter Casey, and David Lee (scr ...

'' episode "Murder Most Maris", Niles encounters a photo of himself and socialite divorced wife Maris in front of the fictional Experimental Liposuction Center in Gstaad. He sighs that was where they went on their honeymoon. *In ''Fargo'' season 3, the antagonist V.M. Varga is quoted saying "You've no idea what rich means. Rich is a fleet of private planes filled with decoys to mask your scent. It's a banker in Wyoming and another in Gstaad." * In ''The Santa Clause 3'', Jack Frost lives in Gstaad. * In '' Forgetting Sarah Marshall'' Brian Bretter (played by

Bill Hader William Thomas Hader Jr.''Finding Your Roots'', January 26, 2016, PBS. (born June 7, 1978) is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, producer, and director. He was a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy series ''Saturday Night Live'' from 20 ...

) suggests to Peter Bretter (played by Jason Segel) to "Go to Gstaad. It's the best." * In the 1984 ''Dynasty'' episode "New Lady in Town," Dominique Deveraux (played by

Diahann Carroll Diahann Carroll ( ; born Carol Diann Johnson; July 17, 1935 – October 4, 2019) was an American actress, singer, model, and activist. Carroll was the recipient of numerous nominations and awards for her stage and screen performances, incl ...

) states "You were actually expelled from a boarding school in Gstaad and you worked for several months as an artist's model in Hamburg of all places" to Alexis Carrington-Colby (played by Joan Collins) who replies, "Wrong, it was Brussels of all places and this is all absolute trivia." * Gstaad is mentioned in Stephen King's '' It''.

References

External links

* – official site (in English, French, & German)
GstaadLife magazine
(in English, with links to German sister publication, the "Anzeiger von Saanen") {{Authority control Ski areas and resorts in Switzerland Villages in the canton of Bern