Snowboard Wax

Perched 1,500m up on a very sunny south-westerly facing mountain shelf way up above the Rhone valley, Verbier is a fairly attractive place set in the massive ‘Four Valleys’ ski realm in Switzerland. Although the English visitors make up around 10% of total visitor numbers many chalets are Brit-owned and English is essentially the first language spoken here.

With proximity (170km) to Geneva airport translating into weekend crowds, and various relaxed local property laws Verbier has many construction sites, thankfully building expensive properties that abide by local ‘sensitivity’ laws. Low-rise chalet-style chalets typify the atmosphere of this resort. Characteristic of many of ski resorts in the country, Verbier, Switzerland is expensive, plenty of cash being required to savor the evening entertainment whether you dance at the Farm Club or eat at Pierroz.

The Four Valleys ski area has 410km of piste and 94 lifts, accessed with speedy hands-free smartcards, at heights from 1,500-3,300m. The longest slope is 16km. This area is spread really wide meaning you’ll be hard pressed to travel its full length in one day. Being held up in another resort when the lifts close here can be costly since you’ll need to pay for a taxi or bus back, as no free transport between resorts exists.

Verbiers principal lift station at Medran operates two gondolas traveling up to Les Ruinettes, just above the regions limited tree line. At this point you are able to take the modern Funispace up to snowsure Les Attelas, at 2700m. From this lofty vantage point you can then asses your own skill levels and proceed down the pistes/ and or off-piste that takes your fancy. Those that are experts can take yet another lift a little further up to Mont Gele to experience some great freeride-only terrain. Intermediates tend to travel down the pistes either left to La Chaux, right and downwards to Lac des Vaux, or straight ahead in the direction of Les Ruinettes and Verbier. These pistes are all super for intermediates. Weekends do tend to see the hordes from the cities descend though.

La Chaux, half way up the mountain from Verbier whisks up to 150 people in its jumbo cable-car to the Col des Gentianes. Another often crowded line-up for a cable-car exists at the Col des Gentianes which ferries people further up the mountain to the highest part of the Four Valleys, Mont Fort at 3,300m. Blacks, reds or off-piste are the runs possible down from this magnificent viewing spot. Down to Tortin and the rest of the Four Valleys there is firstly a piste festooned with 1,300m worth of steep moguls.

Mont Fort happens to be Verbiers only recognized black runs, every other black run is classed as a ‘ski itinerary’. Proceeding to well known off-piste runs is often no more difficult than checking out the area for the nearest ‘danger’ signs. Intermediates need not be worried though, since Verbier has plenty of gentler off-piste and challenging ski runs elsewhere. Beginners on the other hand should think twice before going to this resort since the nursery slopes on the golf course just above the main village are quite snow-unsure, this resorts biggest draw being the off-piste powder on offer. Savoleyres is a much easier resort to go to if you are a beginner, with a lower mountain peak of 2,350m and a wide selection of laid back red and blue pistes.

Albeit a lot of money has been ploughed into Verbier long queues and skier packed pistes often dominate the lifts and lower home-bound slopes, particularly when the snow quality drops. South facing slopes mean that Verbier ski conditions on its lowest slopes are not the best at retaining their snowfall throughout the season, snowmakers filling an effective role along approximately 50km of such pistes.

A whole host of eateries are dotted about the Four Valleys, from self service and big sun terraces through to rustic advance booked seats high up and with great views. All can get crowded and so should be timed appropriately.

A superb snowboard park sits at La Chaux, containing a large number of rails, boxes and kickers. The world renowned Bec des Rosses can be ventured upon if you want some thrilling and seriously challenging experts-only freeriding action. It is on the northern face here that the O’Neill Xtreme competition takes place.

All manner of off-slope activities exist from the Verbier Sports Center with its heated swimming pool, Turkish bath and sauna, solariums, climbing wall, squash and tennis courts, to Valmont’s Spa or groomed hiking trails and toboggan runs. In-resort busses are free with your ski-pass.

Verbiers nightlife is just as amazing as its skiing, something exists for everyone, from the cheap and cheerful to the downright expensive and quirky. Drinking is well catered for with a great variety of bars and pubs, whether it be Offshore Verbier with its own pink VW parked inside (great for post-ski drinks) to the Pub Mont Fort or Taratata. The loud and brash water holes can be found near to the more cozy and intimate shindigs.

In terms of places to stay everyone tends to chalet ski Verbier. Prices range from the outrageous for the exclusive with all manner of extras, to relatively cheap BnB chalets. A place called the ‘Bunker’, once an old atomic bomb shelter, with no natural light or windows is the cheapest bet.

People most likely to enjoy this resort are those seeking intermediate to expert challenges, great snowboarding, quality off-piste and serious après ski partying. Claustrophobes, anti-capitalists and those on a budget may well find this place hard going.