Almost a third of the territory of Switzerland is occupied by mountains. It is not surprising that there are more than 200 ski resorts in this country. The alpine town of Verbier , located in the canton of Valais, is one of the most popular vacation spots for Ukrainian tourists.

Verbier has proven itself as a democratic price, partying and not at all pretentious resort, where skiers and snowboarders like to ride. And his connoisseurs are very different – from the Swedish royal family to Richard Branson and James Blunt. There are plenty of reasons for the public to visit the resort: among them the Nissan Xtreme by Swatch freerider tournament and the Patrouille des Glaciers skitouring race.

The resort has many bars and restaurants, night clubs and entertainment venues. The oldest nightclub in Verbier is the Farm Club (Nevai Hotel). On Saturdays, up to 600 people flock here. Among the favorite bars are Mont Fort Igloo (an igloo at an altitude of 3300 m, and by the way, it is not ice, but wooden, so you will not have to be particularly cold), Pub Mont Fort (the most legendary and “wild” establishment in Verbier , where David Bowie, Jeremy Irons, Sarah Ferguson, Jacques Villeneuve, Nigel Kennedy and others “lit up”. Among the restaurants, it is worth highlighting La Grange (will appeal to those who like meat cooked on an open fire), Table d Adrien at Chalet d’Adrien (a restaurant with a very refined atmosphere and an equally refined menu), The Cristal at Les Ruinettes (menu from traditional Swiss dishes and delicacies such as lobster and truffle fondue) and many others.

Skiing possibilities

Verbier, like Greece, has everything – a huge skiing area, cozy chalets, a stunning nightlife, and this resort is rightfully considered one of the best in the Alps. Prices for hotels and everything else are on average higher than in other resorts, and the nightlife may seem too intense for some, but the skating area and legendary freeride make up for these disadvantages.

At first glance, Verbier appears to be a rambling collection of wooden chalets nestled in a sunny alpine meadow at an altitude of 1,500m, but despite its ancient appearance, the village was built specifically as a ski resort. Until 1925, Verbier was just a pasture.

Verbier skiing area

The Four Valleys is the name of the ski region above Verbier and the neighboring, smaller resorts – the largest ski area connected by slopes, located entirely in Switzerland (Portes du Soleil, which unites 650 km of slopes, is half located in France). This region offers 412 km of pistes served by 88 lifts. About 300 km of pistes and 50 lifts are located directly above Verbier and the neighboring villages of Savolier, La Tzuma and Bruzon.

But this resort is not only known for its good skiing – Verbier gained its popularity thanks to its amazing freeride opportunities.

Verbier and Four Valleys

The Four Valleys ski area is quite complex, and people who find themselves in these places for the first time can find it difficult to navigate without the help of an instructor. Mont Faure and Mont Gelat offer great opportunities for skiing, especially off-piste. As is often the case in French-speaking resorts (and Verbier is located in the French-speaking part of the canton of Valais), the route scheme is quite complex and confusing. Even constantly checking the map of the Four Valleys, riding on the first day without a guide or instructor, it is not difficult to find that you have just passed the desired lift, and now you have to make another lap, or practice climbing up. All the Four Valleys cannot be seen from any one point, and the skiing area itself is quite stretched out. Moving between the Verbier and Nenda sectors, not to mention other, even more remote areas,

Verbier – Mont-Fort

The skiing area above Verbier, La Tzuma and Bruzon is large: 195 km of pistes and 2 famous peaks from which you can ski – Mont Faure (literally – “strong” mountain) and Mont Gele, as well as three the ridge that separates the Four Valleys. In addition to these two main peaks, the slopes of Attela, La Chaux and Chasseur make up the main skiing area above Verbier . The center of “civilization”, more precisely, the main cabin that throws up – Medran. You can get to it either by free bus (or, if you have chosen the right accommodation – on foot), or by cab from Le Chablis. The way up from Le Chablis, where the train arrives, to the center of Verbier (Medran lift) takes only 9 minutes, and this allows you to avoid a rather tiring serpentine. The gondola is open until 7:30 p.m. (one lift is CHF 10), and Verbier can also be reached by bus (the last one leaves from Le Chablis at 8:50 p.m.

But let’s go back to the mountains. From the top station of the gondola overlooking Mont-Fort, a wonderful panorama opens up – Mont Blanc, the Matterhorn, the impressive 4,000-meter peaks of the Swiss and French Alps. A long, steep black track runs along the northern slope of Mont-Fort, which at the beginning of the season and in snow-free years is more like an ice mogul. In December, when the skiing area is not fully open, this descent is often closed, but even if the slope is open, skiing at an average level (and worse) is worth thinking a hundred times before heading down.

Plan “B” is always there: a large cabin-wagon runs with enviable regularity, and of course, in both directions. All other descents from the famous peak are off-piste, and many of them are well known to professional freeriders. The picturesque peak of Mont Gelat also offers a lot of opportunities for off-piste skiing, there are no prepared tracks on this mountain, both of the most popular routes are patrolled by rescuers, but they are quite difficult. Verbier generally “assumes” by default that tourists know how to ride at least well, which, however, is not surprising for a resort known as one of the best places in the world for freeriding.

Savoleyres – La Tzoumaz

Verbier in general is not the best resort for beginners: although there are wide blue runs in all sectors of the Four Valleys, they still need to be reached.

The Savolier sector is a pleasant exception. Its only, but main drawback: most of the tracks are located quite low, and even on the sunny side of the mountain, so at the very beginning of the season, the tracks there may be closed, and in the spring the snow melts quickly. Nevertheless, in the height of the season, this sector, offering 55 km of tracks, is the best place for beginners and families with children. Savolier is located at the other end of the village, which can be reached by a bus that runs throughout the resort. On the north side of Savoliere, there are more interesting red runs that lead to the La Tzuma sector, about 1/3 of all the runs in this sector (62% of the runs here are blue). Literally 30 meters from the “Savolier” lift is one of the two five-star hotels of the resort – Chalet d’Adrien: the first “five” of the resort, cozy and lived-in like an old expensive country house, with an excellent restaurant and the most beautiful pool in the spa. Like many similar hotels in Swiss and French resorts, Chalet d’Adrien will not be hindered by reconstruction. However, in terms of service and comfort, it still competes quite confidently with the newly discovered in December 2013 expensive (for many – excessively expensive), stylish and brand new W Verbier (this is the first hotel of the W chain in the Alps).

Thyon (Thyon)

This is the furthest from Verbier (and, as a rule, the least busy) sector of the Four Valleys. It will take quite a long time to get to it from Verbier – through Tortan, go down to Sivier, and then go to Thion. It is much faster to get there from the village of Veysonne, which, together with the nearby resort of Nenda, although other valleys are much better suited for cross-country skiing: the slopes of Tjon abound with ski lifts and “authentic” lifts. The main reason why many prefer to go to such a remote corner early in the morning is the beautiful and rather difficult off-piste route, which begins at the 2700-meter mark, from the top of Greppon Blanc. At the end of the trip you can descend to Le Collon, where you can try to get back on the lifts and skis/boards. A taxi ride from Le Collon (or the nearby village of Le Mas) to Verbier(which, for a moment, is 80 km) takes at least 1 hour 40 minutes and costs a lot even by Swiss standards. If you are not lazy and take a guide with you, then the issue of return delivery will be solved by itself: as a rule, you either return home on skis, or a car picks you up at the end point of the journey.

 

For their own

Verbier, like many large ski regions, has a couple of skiing sectors that best fit the definition of “for them”. Five small skiing areas – Bruson, La Fouly, Champex-Lac, Vicheres-Liddes and Les Marecottes offer a total of about 100 km of pistes located in very good places at an altitude of 1103 to 2267 m. The easiest way to get there is from Verbier to the Bruzon sector, a new cable car was built there in December 2013, and now 48 km of trails (mostly quite difficult red and black ones) are more accessible. It is no coincidence that Bruzon is loved by local residents and experienced freeriders: you can always find better snow there, virgin terrain in this area is less developed, and the tracks themselves are not so “populated” by tourists. Other skiing areas are divided into two groups: either these are small, on 3- 4 lifts, sectors suitable for beginners or (such as La Fouly) is a favorite area of ​​freeriders. In order to most efficiently organize movement between all areas of the skiing area, it makes sense to rent a car. Although, of course, in terms of the level of equipment and scale, the main skiing area, located above Verbier, wins significantly.

Verbier is the center of the huge ski region “Four Valleys”, which includes 400 km of pistes. Directly above Verbier are 150 km of prepared tracks. In the skiing sectors above the resorts of Nenda , Veyzonna and Tione, another 175 km. Professionals will appreciate freeride routes here, less experienced skiers will prefer exciting ski safaris and long journeys across snowy expanses from one valley to another.

Verbier Snowpark , located in the La Chaux sector, is aimed at freestylers of all levels of training. Various figures (railings, springboards, boxes, etc.) are arranged in four lines adjacent to each entrance to the park. In addition, there is an inflatable Swatch pillow – everyone is allowed to jump on the trampoline in front of it, if they are already 12 years old. Beginners can experience the full range of sensations from a bigair. You can get to the Verbier Snowpark using the La Chaux Express cable car.

Heli-ski . The easiest way to experience heliskiing in Verbier is to join a group that flies to the peaks of Trient, Petit Combin or Rosablanche on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The descent will take from 3 to 5 hours, depending on the route. But if you want more, you can go to neighboring countries – Italy or France, or settle for a few days in the mountain village of Arolla, located between Verbier and Zermatt , and descend six times by different routes from the top of Pigne d Arolla (the difference in height will be 12 thousand m).

Freeride. One of the most spectacular and difficult routes runs along the side of Mount MontFort untouched by civilization – you can get to its beginning using the MontFort lift. And the most accessible off-road route is in the nearby Col de Gentianes. The “frozen” mountain Mont Gele is also popular with freeriders – you can find out the details and hire an escort at the mountain guide office.

Ski tours in Verbier are often combined with off-piste skiing. For example, at the top of Col de Gentianes, there is a small section of the Stairway to Heaven walk that can be completed in just 1015 minutes. If you want to spend more time alone with nature, go on a ski tour for a whole day, having previously hired a guide (from 104 francs). This option significantly increases the chances of finding unrolled pieces of slopes. In addition, Verbier passes through one of the variations of the Haute Route, perhaps the most famous ski touring route in the world, connecting Chamonix with Zermatt. It usually takes six days.

Cross-country skis . In the vicinity of Verbier, 44 km of cross-country skiing tracks have been laid. You can also climb to Les Ruinettes station (2,200 m) – from it to La Chaux there is a 5-kilometer panoramic track. If you go further from Verbier, you will find routes that are more reliable: 8 km of skiing in Champsec, 10 km in La Fouly (on this track there are always competitions) and 12 km in ChampexLac.

Sledding (there is a 10-kilometer natural track in La Tzoumaz, where an open sledding cup is held in February), ice skating, ice climbing on frozen waterfalls, karting on snow, paragliding, dog sledding… All these and many other winter activities joys await you in Verbier .

Learn: ski schools

Verbier offers a good selection of ski schools and all with an excellent reputation. Powder Extreme, specializes in freeride, with great instructors and guides. Altitude English School is highly regarded. The famous Warren Smith Ski Academy deserves to spend at least a few hours with it. ES European Snowsports offers training in groups of up to 6 people, including the basics of freeride and lessons for women only. La Maison du Sport is the resort’s official ski school. Adrenalini, No Limitz, and Swiss Snowboard Shul are other possible good candidates. Bureau des Guides at La Maison du Sport and La Fantasia are companies that provide mountain guide services. Eagles Helicopters and Air Glaciers offer heli-ski tours.

Restaurants in Verbier: on the slopes and in the resort

In mountains

Le Dahu

One of the most popular restaurants is located in a beautiful place, with a wonderful view from the terrace. On the first floor – self-service and a playroom for children, on the second – a regular restaurant. Also suitable for those who ride (can be reached by gondolas). Prices: fondue – CHF27, ​​pizza – from CHF18, meat and other dishes – CHF30-45.

La Vache

At the top station of the Les Attelas chairlift is a new restaurant recently opened by famous Verbier fans – James Blunt, Lawrence Dollagio and Carl Fogarty. Cozy and stylish, the restaurant promises to become a favorite place of resort guests. It is recommended to reserve a table in advance. Prices: soups – CHF12-13, pizzas – from CHF18, burgers with potatoes and salad – CHF25.

Le Namasté

A homely, cozy chalet located in Savoliers, below the Planards blue route. The house, built in 1811, is decorated with sculptures created by the chef and owner of the establishment. One of the best places in the region to try authentic dishes from Valais, prepared according to ancient recipes. It is possible to book a restaurant for the evening (prior organization is necessary), on the way home – by sledge. Prices: pie CHF21, baked bread with cheese and other fillings: CHF17-19.

Chez Dany

The charming restaurant is located in Clambin, part of the road lies off the tracks, but on a simple route. Excellent view of the mountains, pleasant design, original dishes. It is recommended to reserve a table in advance. In the evening, delivery to the restaurant is possible (CHF 10), back – by sled. Prices: pumpkin soup – CHF15, excellent grilled meat and steaks – CHF39-46. In the evening, “pierrade” (meat on a hot stone CHF49) is served.

Restaurants of the resort

Sorde des Alpes

Hotel owner Markus Bratter lured famous chef Marco Bassi from the five-star Chalet d’Adrien to him, and now the new restaurant is very popular. A stylish restaurant with an open kitchen, it is recommended to reserve a table in advance. Prices: CHF38-49 for juicy grilled meat. be sure to try small snacks and try to reserve the “chef’s table”.

La Grange

The building, which does not look too pretentious, hides a homely and cozy restaurant, which is managed by the wonderful Thierry Corthay and his family. Classic French and Swiss cuisine, grilled dishes, fish, an impressive selection of wines. Prices: from CHF38-48 for a meat dish.

Fer à Cheval

Almost always packed with locals and tourists, this small, cozy restaurant (as well as an upstairs bar/bistro) offers excellent and reasonably priced pizzas, salads and grilled dishes. Pizza – CHF18-22, pasta – CHF21-29, grill – CHF35-49.

Le Caveau

The restaurant in the central concourse offers dishes prepared exclusively according to local recipes from the Val de Bagnes. A large selection of cheese dishes – raclette, various types of fondue, etc. Prices: raclette CHF42, fondue from CHF27

Relais des Neiges

Verbier gravitates towards quite expensive restaurants, but local residents don’t always cook at home either. Many prefer to spend the evening with a glass of good wine in the restaurant run by Jean-Pierre Blanchard and his wife Anna-Marie. Good selection of local dishes, reasonable prices. Omelettes – CHF 13.50, pasta – CHF 18.

Apres-ski

Verbier is famous as one of the most popular ski resorts in Switzerland, this is especially noticeable on weekends, when golden youth from London and Geneva come to the resort. Le Farinet on the main square is the most popular place, located close to the lifts. A bar with a glassed-in terrace is for the youngest and hottest, cozy chairs and tables with good wine are for those who… Towards night, the Moroccan Casbah below comes to life and always invites the best DJs. Offshore, with its pink “VW Beetle” in the center, is a great spot for post-skate cocktails and mulled wine, and Fer à Cheval is already full after noon. Pub Mont-Fort is popular with locals and freeriders, mainly for its cheap booze. Later, Crock No Name offers an excellent warm-up for nightclubs, among which Farm Club is the constant leader (and prices too). Taratata (or Tara’s) attracts a younger audience, Icebox is another good option.

What to see and where to visit

Panorama . Verbier’s main observation deck is located at the top of Mount Montfort (3330 m). This is the highest point where the lifts drop. The view from Montfort in good weather is impressive: the Matterhorn, Mont Blanc, Jungfrau and other four-thousand-thousand-meter peaks – special pictures placed on the site help to understand which mountain is where.

Helicopter . Panoramic flights on a light, almost completely transparent Robinson R44 are an incomparable pleasure and the only way to be on the same level with the mountains, in fact, nose to nose. An excursion to three peaks (Mont Blanc, Grand Combin, Matterhorn) will cost at least 500 francs per person.

Complex Le Hameau . The creation of the architect Pierre Dors, this complex in spirit is very reminiscent of an old alpine village. In addition to the conference center, there is the Alpine Museum, which exhibits more than 3,000 exhibits that tell about the life of Verbier before it became a popular resort, and the ecumenical church with stained glass windows by French masters and a unique organ.

Nanuq Gallery . A vivid example of friendship between peoples and cultural exchange between countries is a gallery dedicated to the art of Canadian Eskimos, who call themselves Inuit. The exposition consists of touching stone figurines (especially beautiful “Pregnant Bear” and “Owl with Little Owl”) and cartoon-like prints by artists with names that have independent artistic value – for example, Kananginak Pootoogook.

Pierre Janaddy Foundation . A large exhibition complex in Martigny (a 30-minute drive from Verbier). Archaeological finds discovered during the construction of the Foundation building (an ancient Celtic temple once stood on this site) and a collection of retro cars are constantly on display – for example, there is an 1897 Benz. The Foundation also has a park with a collection of sculptures by famous authors – from Joan Miro to Auguste Rodin and Constantin Brancusi. Temporary exhibitions are regularly held here – Leonardo da Vinci, Ernest Bielera and Claude Monet are among the latest “guests”.

Where to stay

Chalet d’Adrien 5*

Chalet d Adrien is located 30 meters from the Savoleyres lift. Most of the rooms and the terrace offer a view of the Grand Combin, Mont Velan and other alpine peaks. The rooms are decorated in warm colors, there are cute little things everywhere, and there is definitely wood in the decor – the walls or ceilings are sheathed with it. The innkeeper’s grandfather, Baron Adrien de Turkheim, dreamed of a large, cozy house where friends could be invited, and his granddaughter Brigitte realized her grandfather’s dream. The special pride of the hotel is the spa center, which offers treatments based on Swiss Hormeta cosmetics. Included in Relais & Chateaux.

Les Touristes

The oldest of the active hotels in Verbier. Located in the old part of the resort, it belongs more to tradition than modernity. There is no TV, radio or telephone in the rooms, but if you are interested in what the peasant side of Verbier life looks like (say, how people live who keep cows and make cheese from their milk), it is better to stay here and you will be fine will tell and show. You can get to the lift by a free bus

Nevai 4*

On the outside, it looks like a chalet, but on the inside, this hotel has nothing to do with the Alpine tradition: no wood (except on the floor), white walls that contrast with sofas in bright colors, side lamps lined up in a line. A space in which there is a lot of visual “air” the furniture seems to be drawn into rectangles: stylish and very modern. An excellent spa center with a large selection of procedures performed according to the standards of the British company Elemis.

It is also worth noting the hotels Le Chalet De Flore 4 * , Hotel Vanessa 4 * , Hotel Bristol Verbier 3 * , Hotel Montpelier 3 * and some others.

Get to Verbier:

The city of Verbier is located in the south-west of Switzerland, not far from the borders with France and Italy. Normal transport does not go here anymore – from the nearest town with a train station (Le Châble) you need to get there by cable car. The town of Le Châble is a small provincial town, fast trains do not go here, only regional ones from Martiny. So something starts with a rearrangement or there is no need to get to Martiny, get on the train to Le Chablais there, and only then, after getting on the gondola, you will see the place.

It is best to go to Verbier from Geneva airport. From the airports of Zurich and Basel – it is far and expensive, a Swiss transfer ticket will come in handy here.