| winter
season |
| 13/12/03 to 25/04/04 |
| summer
season |
| |
| resort height |
| 1500m |
| highest lift
|
| 3330m |
| snow range |
| 1500-3330m |
| snow
probability |
| very good |
| transfer
times |
| Geneva 2hrs |
| Sion 50mins |
|
|
|
click map for larger picture
|
|
| Verbier and
The Four Valleys can truly claim to be one of the finest ski areas in
Europe
Verbier
is famous for an outstanding ski area in Europe and lies high in a
sheltered position in Switzerland's southern Alps. It is equally
ranked alongside the likes of Val D'Isère, St. Anton, Chamonix and
Zermatt for its range and variety of pistes and (lift served)
off-piste skiing.
|
| There are
lots of shops and boutiques in the cosmopolitan village centre, as
well as popular bars and restaurants providing lively nightlife.
However, the village comprises of concrete apartment blocks. Only
1,500 of 15,000 beds are in hotels. |
|
|
The Skiing: After a fall in
popularity in the 1980s, Verbier has reinvented itself with a renovated
lift system. In 1994 it introduced a giant 30-person gondola, linkng
Les Ruinettes to Les Attelas, and then in 1998 an 8-person gondola at
Tortin. A new gondola in 2002 from Le Chavle to Verbier and Les
Ruinettes dramatically increased uphill capacity per hour and eased lift queues
at the Medran lift station. The vast ski area provides high and varied skiing with over 400km of well
groomed runs
to choose from, with a choice of seemingly unlimited off-piste and
legendary runs. The glacier provides guaranteed skiing. The piste map
doesn't really illustrate the true potential, with many runs not
shown. |
|
ü good points |
û
bad points |
|
ü |
|
easy road and rail access |
|
ü |
|
great off-piste |
|
ü |
|
excellent sunshine record |
|
|
û |
|
expensive nightlife |
|
û |
|
large, spread out village |
|
û |
|
inadequate mountain restaurants |
|
û |
|
traffic and difficult parking |
|
|
|
|
|
aprés ski |
|
trendy and cosmopolitan, Verbier provides a lively
atmosphere. recommended are
Fer à Cheval, Pub Montfort and Farinet (live-music).
then head for the Farm Club to party into the early hours |
|
activities |
sports
centre * climbing wall * indoor golf * gym * swimming * cinema (with English films) * parapenting
* sauna * solarium * ice skating * ice climbing * tennis *
paragliding * squash * curling |
|
eating out |
|
more than 75 restaurants. * 3 course set menu from SFr45 * local
fondues SFr25 * try Le Caveau, La Fer à Cheval, El Toro Negro and
Kings |
|
other amenities |
| marked
walks * boutiques * nightclubs * free bus
0830-1900 |
|
children |
| ski
school for
those 3-12 years |
| tourist
office |
|
CH-1936 Verbier, Val de Bagnes |
| tel
41 27 775 3888 |
|
fax 41 27 775 3889 |
|
