Like Obertauern, but in Switzerland: the height moves up the hill

Our matching puts Crans-Montana closer to Obertauern than any other Swiss resort we cover. Thirty-six percent of its piste is gentler than 15 percent, the same share as Obertauern's, and we measure 85.2 kilometres around the village, 11.5 more than around yours. It is all one linked area of 140 kilometres, a figure three independent sources agree on to the kilometre.

The gain is height where it counts. The village is at 1,500 metres, 240 below Obertauern's, but the skiing reaches 2,868 metres, measured, 564 higher, and 79 percent of the piste is at or above 1,800 metres, the fourth largest share of the 15 Swiss resorts we cover. That makes it snow sure on our measure. There is more for a strong skier too: 12.9 kilometres of black against your 4, and 3.2 of marked itinerary where Obertauern has none in our data. Its longest piste, a 4 kilometre black, drops 843 metres, more than all of Obertauern's piste spans top to bottom, at 679.

The trade is the blue. There are 22 kilometres of blue and easier, 26 percent of the piste, against your 40.9, and only four of the 55 resorts we cover have less. The reds do the work instead: they average 19.2 percent, and only five of the 55 we cover have gentler reds, against Obertauern's steep 25.3. More of the week will be on red, but on red that skis kind.

It is sunny and smart by our read, with sunshine, golf and spa, and families on its list of what it does best. You fly to Geneva.

If what you love is cruising Obertauern's blues, Adelboden is the Swiss pick that matches them best. Its blues average 14.5 percent, the same as Obertauern's, and 38 percent of its piste is gentler than 15 percent, the joint fourth largest share of the 15 Swiss resorts we cover. There are 52.3 kilometres of blue and easier against your 40.9, and only 25 percent of the piste is steeper than one in four, against 29.

The height of the skiing is almost yours: it stops at 2,356 metres, measured, 52 above Obertauern's top. That is also why it is not snow sure on our measure, though 55 percent of its piste is at or above 1,800 metres. The village is lower, at 1,350 metres, 390 below Obertauern's.

There is more of it. We measure 114.6 kilometres of piste around Adelboden, 40.9 more than around Obertauern. From the village you can ski 85 kilometres without transport, including Lenk, which is joined by lift. The pass covers 188 kilometres, but across five sectors that are not all joined, so plan on the 85. The strong skier gets 12.9 kilometres of black, though at 26.1 percent they are far kinder than Obertauern's. It is traditional and warm by our read, a classic chalet village, and the airports are Zurich or Geneva.

Villars is the one that matches Obertauern's scale. We measure 71.1 kilometres of piste around it, 2.6 fewer than around Obertauern, inside a linked area of 87 kilometres, plus ski routes. On passes of three days or more, Glacier 3000 adds another 31. Thirty-seven percent of the piste is gentler than 15 percent, and 48.1 kilometres is blue and easier.

The cost is height and the hard end. The village is at 1,300 metres, 440 below yours, and the skiing stops at 2,074, measured, 230 lower and the lowest of the 15 Swiss resorts we cover. Only 25 percent of the piste is at or above 1,800 metres. There are 1.5 kilometres of black, the least of the 55 resorts we cover. It is family friendly and calm by our read, with a view of Mont Blanc, and a good fit for a gentle family week from Geneva rather than for a strong skier.