Brand, a gorgeous and untouched Austrian village
LOCAL AREA: Brandnertal
SEASON START & END: Mid of December to the beginning of April
SKI ALTITUDE IN METRES: 870 – 2.000m Vertical Drop- 1100m
PISTES: 29 Pistes for a total of 64 km (31% Blue at 20km / 63% Red at 40km / 6% Black at 4km)
LIFTS: Total 15 // 1 Cable Car / 2 gondola lifts / 6 chair lifts / 5 T-bar lifts / 1 moving carpet
SNOW: 141 snow cannons, 70% of the slopes have snow-making capabilities
ADULT SKI PASS 23/2024: 1 day 45 Euros / 6 days 292 Euros Online Pricing
CROSS COUNTRY SKIING: 11,4 km classic / 3,5 km skating
LANGUAGE: German
AIRPORT: Friedrichshafen 95 km / Memmingen 137 km / Zurich 163 km / Munich 274 km
TRAIN: Bludenz (17 km)
SKI FACTS:
•Backyards Snowpark: One of the longest snow parks in Vorarlberg.
•Tobogganing: There are 3 toboggan runs and 1 “guided toboggan safari”
•Ski touring: Various ascents along safe routes or via the ski slope. Signposted routes lead along hiking trails to the mountain station.
Brand the Village
Many decades ago, my parents watched the film “Hannibal Brooks,” which tells the story of a British prisoner of war escaping with an elephant across the Alps, starring the legendary actor Oliver Reed. Inspired by the film, my parents decided to take the family on a summer holiday in the 1970s to one of the film’s beautiful locations. They chose Brand in the Brandnertal, and ever since that holiday, I have been curious about how the village looks today and whether I would recognize any of it. We made the trip happen, but this time, my return to Brand was during the winter season.
Brand is just a 15-minute drive from the town of Bludenz in the valley and sits at 1,037 meters. It is possibly one of the prettiest villages in the Alps, with many well-preserved traditional alpine buildings and newer structures that either follow the classic style or add a modern twist to the village.
Originally settled by the Walliser people from Switzerland, the village boasts a charming style of architecture, including classic Walliser small wooden shingles seen throughout many Vorarlberg towns and ski resorts. If you find yourself in Brand, make sure to wander the streets and admire these historical buildings in all their glory. I recognized some of the buildings, especially around the church, which are true classics of the Vorarlberg region. It was a genuine pleasure to stroll down memory lane, and whether it was this personal historical connection or something else, Brand is certainly a place where I would like to spend more time.
For accommodation, we recommend the Valavier, a fantastic family-run hotel with outstanding staff. The rooms are spacious, featuring day beds with stunning mountain views and an infrared sauna in the suite. The dining options are impressive, with a daily dinner menu that pairs well with local wines, afternoon tea after skiing, and a buffet breakfast. The spa is also worth visiting, offering a heated outdoor pool, sauna and steam rooms, and a variety of relaxation areas and treatment rooms.
For some fantastic evening entertainment on Tuesday nights, you can take the Dorfbahn followed by the Panoramabahn up to Burtschasattel and enjoy a drink in the beautifully designed restaurant Frööd. There are also ski touring trails open to the restaurant on Tuesday evenings. You can take the ski lifts back down (with the last descent at 21:15) or enjoy the illuminated toboggan run back home to Brand.
Skiing in Brand
With lifts reaching up to 2000 meters, Brand offers skiing both above and below the tree line, making for some fabulous skiing experiences. While it may not be the largest ski resort, it boasts great pistes with stunning views across the Brandnertal region.
Two modern gondolas transport skiers up the mountain quickly from both ends of the village. Although the Brand ski area primarily features blue and red pistes, some of the red pistes have steep and exciting pitches. A favorite was riding the Glattjochbahn up to 2000 meters and exploring the various pistes back down. This chair also provides access to various itinerary routes, offering plenty of skiing possibilities.
The Brand ski area is connected by the Panoramabahn to the Bürserberg ski area, which mainly consists of red pistes with a few blue and one black piste. Together, these areas create a good-sized ski region.
The region offers a splendid selection of mountain restaurants. We enjoyed the Palüdhutte for its rustic charm and cuisine, the Rufana hut for a coffee break, and the Goona for après-ski drinks, with a happy hour from 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm offering two for the price of one.
BEGINNERS
For beginners, there is an excellent collection of blue pistes, notably numbers 1 and 3, served by the Tannlegerlift. There is also a separate blue nursery piste, number 13, in the village. Be aware that both pistes back to Brand are red with some steep pitches.
INTERMEDIATES
Intermediates will love the great collection of red pistes spread across the mountain. The number 11 red piste offers a great ride back to the valley, though the last pitch to the valley bottom is quite steep.
EXPERTS
While there are few black pistes on paper, some of the red pistes have fairly steep sections, and the collection of itinerary routes higher up the mountain adds a fun challenge.
Ecology & Sustainability Facts
- Green Ticket: Enjoy a climate-friendly and stress-free journey to the skiing area in Brandnertal using public transport. See online for details.
- Guest Card: Use public transport in Vorarlberg for free. See online for more information.
Brand
Vorarlberg
Austria
Photos copyright of ©Brandnertal or ©Adam Attew
Originally reviewed for Bespoke Black Book