Bonne Année from Verbier! : 5th January 2012

First, and most importantly, a very Happy New Year to everyone from Verbier. Secondly, welcome to the first report of the winter from me - I’m delighted to be guiding you through the latest and greatest of happenings in Verbier in 2012.

Snow, snow and more snow is the talk of the town, with more having fallen on the mountain already than we had in the whole of last season! (check out the latest snow report from Verbinet). But when the leg burn begins to get too much and the light fades over the village, there’s only one thing on the lips of everyone in town… where is Johnny Tables going to be spending the evening? His mystery is unrivalled, but I can assure you that this guy knows where to be and be seen. Mr Verbier 2011, Verbier Life’s Torso of the Week, and Freeride Skier of Year are all awards Johnny has entered himself in for.

A weekly update of his movements will be included for you… how not to miss the unmissable, which tables are the ones to be seen dancing on at après, and the shapes that you should be cutting late into the night across town. Keep an eye out for him, he’s the guy to follow for a great Verbier experience!

New Year’s Eve was as brilliantly eventful as it is always is in Verbier, with a flurry of fireworks and partying in Place Central at midnight, and as the smoke began to clear the crowds dispersed into a variety of New Year’s parties around town – The Farinet Lounge Bar offered Glitz and Glamour until 3am, whilst downstairs Casbah presented Defected in the House, with DJ Andy Daniell until 5am, and for anyone still wanting more, Le Rouge’s New Years party wrapped up at around 7am. Public has firmly settled into its new home in Verbier, welcoming Prince Harry to its 350 capacity crowd for the new year’s celebrations. Never one to be shown up, Johnny Tables (Public was his chosen venue of the evening) headed straight for their infamous photo booth for some crazy photo antics – definitely check it out when you’re in there!

So into January we go, and if you’re feeling the burn of back-to-back New Year’s parties, then I can highly recommend an evening trip up the hill to Carrefour. Hop on the bus from town to the restaurant, indulge yourselves with a hefty alpine feed (the Rostis are amazing!), and then sledge back home either along the windy slopes to the bottom of Medran or take on the slightly hairier ride back to Le Rouge – I doubt I need to tell you which route Johnny Tables chose to take. Just make sure you pop into town before 7pm to hire your sledge – most shops in the square have them available.

For you winter sports fans out there, I think we can all agree that Curling is an activity of huge intrigue. Well, head down to the sports centre on Tuesday evenings with your brooms in your back pocket and sweeping techniques perfected to join in with the Verbier curling club. With all festivities of the last week I haven’t quite managed to make it down there yet, but I plan to do just that and report back sharpish!

If you’re planning on pushing on into 2012, then the favourite après hangouts of Le Rouge and Pub Mont Fort (happy hour everyday between 4-5pm) always deliver a fun early evening drink. If live music is your flavour, then Farinet Apres-Ski is always a spectacle to behold and guaranteed to liven up your evening. Later into the night, Casbah has a good line up this week - keep an eye out for Ladies Rock the Night on Tuesday, Battle of the DJ’s on Wednesday and the weekly Farination presents Hed Kandi every Saturday if your dancing shoes are getting itchy.

Have a great week in the snow everyone.

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