Bödele Area
Mountain plateau in Vorarlberg, popular for paragliding
Near Dornbirn, Bödele is a high plateau in Vorarlberg known for paragliding and winter skiing. Visitors use its launch fields, cross-country tracks and alpine huts serving simple mountain fare.
Bödele at a Glance#
Website: https://www.boedele.at
About Bödele#
Bödele is a high plateau and recreational area in Vorarlberg, Austria, located above the town of Dornbirn and within the Bregenz Forest region. It is best known locally as a year-round outdoor sports area.
The area offers downhill skiing and cross-country trails in winter and a network of hiking and mountain-bike routes in summer. There are established paragliding launch sites and several mountain huts and visitor facilities used by day-trippers and outdoor clubs.
Historically Bödele functioned as alpine pastureland and grazing area; over the 20th century it developed infrastructure for tourism and winter sports to serve the surrounding towns. Facilities have been expanded incrementally to support recreational use rather than large-scale resort development.
Geographically it sits above Dornbirn in western Vorarlberg, on the slopes and ridges of the Bregenz Forest. The nearest urban center is Dornbirn, which serves as the usual access point for visitors.
- Paragliding: Launch points on the plateau are widely used by paragliders when conditions are suitable, making it a regional paragliding center.
- Access and activities: Accessible by road from the nearby town of Dornbirn, with winter facilities for downhill and cross-country skiing and summer trails for hiking and mountain biking.
How to Get to Bödele#
Bödele is served by road from Dornbirn (about 10-15 minutes). Local buses run from Dornbirn in summer; there are parking areas near the lifts and trailheads.
Tips for Visiting Bödele#
- Bödele is famous with paragliders-if flying is the plan, contact the local club to check wind and lift conditions.
- The summit restaurant can be busy on weekends; midweek visits are quieter for views.
- Wear a windproof layer-the Bödele plateau catches alpine winds even on warm days.
Best Time to Visit Bödele#
Bödele is a year-round recreation area: summer for paragliding and hiking, winter for local ski pistes and cross-country trails.
Weather & Climate near Bödele#
Bödele's climate is classified as Warm-Summer Continental - Warm-Summer Continental climate with cool summers (peaking in July) and freezing winters (coldest in January). Temperatures range from -5°C to 19°C. Abundant rainfall (1538 mm/year), wettest in July.
| Month | Comfort | Temp | Feels | Rain | Sky | Humidity | Wind | UV | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Poor | -5° - 2° | -5° | 97 mm | overcast | 86% | 2.4 m/s | 0.1 low | 8.8h |
| February | Poor | -5° - 3° | -4° | 99 mm | overcast | 87% | 2.4 m/s | 0.3 low | 10.1h |
| March | Poor | -2° - 6° | -1° | 102 mm | partly cloudy | 84% | 2.6 m/s | 0.5 moderate | 11.8h |
| April | Acceptable | 0° - 9° | 2° | 113 mm | partly cloudy | 79% | 2.5 m/s | 0.9 moderate | 13.5h |
| May | Poor | 5° - 14° | 8° | 132 mm | overcast | 80% | 2.5 m/s | 1.3 high | 14.9h |
| June | Acceptable | 8° - 17° | 12° | 176 mm | partly cloudy | 79% | 2.4 m/s | 1.6 very high | 15.7h |
| July | Good | 10° - 19° | 15° | 185 mm | partly cloudy | 78% | 2.3 m/s | 1.6 very high | 15.3h |
| August | Acceptable | 10° - 19° | 15° | 172 mm | partly cloudy | 80% | 2.2 m/s | 1.3 high | 14.1h |
| September | Good | 7° - 16° | 11° | 133 mm | partly cloudy | 83% | 2.2 m/s | 0.9 moderate | 12.4h |
| October | Poor | 3° - 11° | 6° | 100 mm | overcast | 84% | 2.2 m/s | 0.4 low | 10.7h |
| November | Poor | -2° - 5° | -1° | 120 mm | overcast | 86% | 2.3 m/s | 0.2 low | 9.2h |
| December | Poor | -4° - 3° | -4° | 109 mm | overcast | 86% | 2.4 m/s | 0.1 low | 8.3h |
