Zinal is a small typical alpine village at 1670 m. It has 200 inhabitants but more than 2000 beds for tourists. In Summer it is popular with hikers and in Winter it is a popular ski resort. Zinal is located in the South of Switzerland in the Valais region, just a few valleys West of the more well-known Zermatt. While Zermatt is German-speaking, in Zinal the common language is French.