Three Peaks challenges in Switzerland

The landscapes of Switzerland

Switzerland's Alps in the south and Jura in the northwest enclose a central plateau of rolling hills, plains and large lakes. These three broad regions create different landscapes within a compact inland country, with the high Alpine summits forming only one part of the whole.

Elevation strongly influences the temperate climate, producing pronounced differences between valley floors and high mountain terrain. Winter snow and summer showers belong to this varied setting. The relationship between ranges, settled valleys and the central plateau helps distinguish Switzerland's individual mountain regions from one another.