It’s normally Britain that loves a good queue, but skiers in Switzerland seem intent on giving the Brits a run for their money if recent queues at ski resorts are anything to go by.
The past weeks have seen impossibly long queues at several resorts across the country, including Engelberg and Verbier, while various media reports have showed huge, snaking lines of skiers as people wait for ski lifts, with a notable absence of social distancing in place.
With resorts in neighbouring countries – Italy, Germany, France and Austria –all closed to try and stop the coronavirus spreading, skiers have flocked to Switzerland to take advantage of the slopes, which remain open – much to the annoyance of many in those neighbouring countries, some are claiming.
A photo posted on Facebook by chef Didier de Courten (below), showing a crowd of skiers packed into a small inside space while waiting for a ski lift, has been widely shared on social media, with the chef blasting the ski industry for remaining open and flouting safety rules, while restaurants and cafes have remained closed.
Rules set out by the Swiss Cableway organisation state that signalling systems with security staff should be in place at resorts to ensure that “queuing is orderly and without major clusters”, which seems pretty much the exact opposite of what was highlighted at resorts this week.
Like so many other things this year, the ski season isn’t going quite as planned. But don’t despair, as there are still plenty of great winter activities to enjoy – get the low-down in our guide to the top things to do this winter across Switzerland.