Lech Ski Resort

Lech and Zürs, like many ski resorts in Austria, came to prominence in the 1920s and 1930s.

The growing popularity of skiing made people realise that it could transform what had previously been poor mountain farming villages into a winter sports resort. Lech now has a permanent population of just under 1500.

Lech kept a keen eye on planned development and has managed to maintain the charm that fuelled to its popularity among the upper levels of society.

The village’s relative isolation is another reason for that popularity, although it means the journey to the resort can be problematic in bad weather and heavy snowfall. (It forces a journey over the Arlberg and Flexen passes for car drivers arriving from the east).

The summer route via the Lech valley closes in the winter and there is no nearby rail connection, although the new connection via Warth means that access from the north is now available, if only on skis.

The runs in the Arlberg ski area are outstandingly convenient – some accommodation in the Oberlech suburb is right on a ski slope.

Zug is another alternative for accommodation. The picturesque hamlet is around 5 kilometres away with a cable car accessing to the slopes above Lech.

Lech tends to have a reputation as the place to look for a luxury hotel and it is definitely an option if you are looking for an upmarket chalet for your skiing holiday in the Alps.

Details of accommodation in Lech and the surrounding hamlets, as well as the villages in the other parts of the connected ski area can be found on these pages:

• Zürs
• Warth and Schröcken

The Lech-Zürs (and now Warth plus the whole St Anton) ski area is deceptively large.

There are links to the sunny bowls above Zürs – and with them a cable car up to the peaks above St Christoph – and Lech has a direct connection into the Warth-Schröcken area in the other direction.