Ice rinks in French-speaking Switzerland: where to lace up the skates as a family?
Most ice rinks in the region open their season between mid-October and early November, and several are free. Here is our selection, indoor rink by indoor rink and village by village, with the age to start, the kit that helps and our tips for a successful first time.
Michael Ambass
5 min read
Most ice rinks in French-speaking Switzerland open between mid-October and early November, and close around the end of February or early March. Several are completely free to use, sometimes including skate hire.
In our view it is the best family outing of the cold season: it is often under cover, it costs almost nothing, it works from age 3 to 4, and it tires children out like few other activities. Here is where to go.
Indoor rinks: the safe bet in bad weather
That is their great advantage: the outing still works in the rain or in mild weather, when natural ice melts.
- Patinoires du Littoral, Neuchâtel — two covered rinks by the lake, with skates to hire on site. Public skating sessions from the autumn.
- Patinoire Saint-Léonard, Fribourg — the home of HC Fribourg-Gottéron opens to the public in certain slots. Simple and affordable, from beginner to confident skater.
- Patinoire de Terre Sainte, Coppet — the covered rink at Les Rojalets, a stone’s throw from the CFF station: ice sheltered from the cold and the rain.
- Patinoire de Grand-Champ, Gland — a covered mobile rink of around 525 m² set up every winter, from roughly late October to early March. Free access, low-cost skate hire and activities for children.
- Patinoire de Rive “La Cabane”, Nyon — a covered rink set up by the lake on the Place des Fêtes de Rive. Free entry, skate hire for children, hockey lessons and a warm kiosk.
Village rinks, outdoors and free
Our favourite for a first time: no ticket office, no crowds, and often a hot drink next door. You skate under the open sky, in a mountain setting.
- Patinoire de Saint-Cergue — at the foot of the Jura vaudois slopes, an open-air village rink, free, skates included. Free skating, hockey and a hot snack. Reachable by NStCM train from Nyon.
- Natural rink in Grimentz — natural ice in the heart of the Valais village, free and open to all, with curling and the “Curl’Charlette” for variety.
- Village rink in Anzère — free, on the village square, a stone’s throw from the playground. Skate hire nearby.
Natural and village rinks depend on the weather: in mild spells, the ice can close from one day to the next. Always check the state of the ice with the tourist office or the commune before heading up.
And if you want to skate in summer
Yes, it is possible. The Leysin rink is open all year round: the sports centre hires out skates, helmets and even ice scooters. It is also an excellent outing idea in a heatwave, or for a first go out of season, when the ice is empty.
What age to start?
Around 3 to 4, with an adult on each side or a support. At this age, the aim is not to skate but to stay upright and laugh; fifteen to twenty minutes on the ice is plenty for a first time.
Around 5 to 6, children move forward on their own by pushing, often with a support. That is the right age for a first 45-minute session.
From 7 to 8, they really skate and want speed. It is also the age when group lessons and hockey start to appeal. See our 6–9 ideas and 10–12 ideas.
Several rinks hire out skating aids — seals, penguins or ice scooters — which change everything for 3 to 6 year olds.
The kit: what really matters
Three things, in order:
- A helmet. It is not compulsory everywhere, but with a child who is just starting it is essential. A cycling helmet does the job perfectly, and several rinks hire them out.
- Thick gloves, not thin mittens. Children fall on their hands, and ice grazes and freezes fingers. It is the number one thing forgotten on first outings.
- High, thin socks. Counter-intuitive but true: a thick sock compresses the foot inside the boot and hurts within ten minutes. A thin, high sock that comes above the boot is far more comfortable.
Add waterproof trousers — you spend a lot of time sitting on the ice — and possibly wrist guards for the bolder ones.
How much it costs
This is one of the cheapest winter outings. Several rinks in our selection are free: Saint-Cergue (skates included), Grimentz, Anzère, Gland and Nyon. Elsewhere, expect a few francs per child, plus skate hire. Prices change from one season to the next: check them on the venue’s website.
See also our free activities in Lausanne, Geneva and Valais.
Our parents’ tips
- Aim for off-peak hours. Late afternoon on a weekday or weekend mornings, the ice is far less crowded — and that is decisive with a child who is just starting.
- Check the public skating slots. Many rinks share their ice with hockey clubs and schools: the hours open to the public vary from week to week.
- Don’t stretch out the first session. Twenty successful minutes beat an hour that ends in tears.
- Plan the warm break. A hot chocolate at the kiosk is part of the outing, so build it in.
- Hire before you buy. Feet grow a size a year at this age.
Other outings for the cold season
When ice isn’t enough: our indoor play parks, our interactive museums, our caves and mines and all our ideas for rainy days.
To plan a holiday period, see the school holiday dates canton by canton and our autumn holidays programme.
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