Verbier

Verbier is a ski resort in the east central part of Valais, an area of southern Switzerland.  The resort is in the most outstanding of settings, on a wide, sun-kissed balcony surrounded by the impressive peaks of the Alps.  It is not as expansive as the more popular Swiss resorts but is still a fashionable place to be seen and is particularly popular with late-teenagers and twenty-somethings.

The resort sits at one end of a long, inter-connected series of slopes.  Verbier is a lively place, especially in the evenings, and the slopes and pistes in the resort are more engineered for the intermediate skier, rather than the novice.  It can also act as a base to visit other resorts that are close by, such as Chamonix and Champéry.

Verbier has a range of extensive and challenging slopes with the opportunity to go off-piste and lengthy bump runs.  The upper slopes with leave you not wanting to go back down again, due to their magnificent views and the unique feel of being up so high in the bright sunlight.

Verbier has impressive views, with Mont Blanc to the west and the Matterhorn to the east.  The resort village itself has many truly wonderful bars and restaurants, although they can be a little expensive.  Verbier can also become a little crowded at the most popular times, meaning waits for lifts and over-burdened pistes.

Verbier consists of a conurbation of chalet-like accommodation surrounding the Place Centrale which itself is lined with shops, place to eat and hotels.  This street stretches for nearly a mile, and each even begins to throng with après-ski fun-seekers.  Strangely, cars are not banned from the main areas unlike many other resorts and this can become an annoyance as it lessens the resort’s appeal.

Getting around the area can be done using the free bus service which runs until the early evening.  The Place Centrale is of course the place for night-life, so if you’re after a more peaceful time, make sure you accommodation is in the quieter areas to the north and east of the resort.

All areas surrounding Verbier has good snow most of the year, but the Mont-Fort glacier is the pick of the bunch, particularly if you enjoy going off-piste.  The main slopes of Verbier are quite low by comparison and can sometimes conditions can be less than impressive.  If you have transport you can visit the areas of Les Attela, La Chaux and Veysonnaz-Thyon.

If this is your first skiing experience, or you want to up your current level of efficiency, there are an extensive number of educational opportunities.  Group are often small and you can even book private lessons for some one-to-one encouragement.  You can book specialist child tutors as well.

At Verbier the focus is very much on skiing, so if you’ve very young children or children who are not keen to hit the slopes keeping them amused might be an issue.  There are nurseries available and nanny services if you want to use them.

Verbier offers you a decent all-round ski and snow experience with breath-taking views of the Alps and the opportunities to party away the evening.  Book your alpine holiday today and you’ll soon be gliding down a sun-kissed mountain like an expert.