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Verbier & the 4 Valleys Skiing Area
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Verbier is one of the world's most popular winter resorts covering an enormous area for skiers and snowboarders of all ablities to explore. The skiing in and around Verbier can be broken up into 4 areas, namely: Verbier, La Tzoumaz/Savoleyres, Bruson and Mt Fort/4 Valleys. All areas are quite distinct one from the other, offering different types of terrain of varied difficulty. We aim to give you the advice and tips you need to make the most of what the area has to offer! |
| Verbier Ski Area |
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From the nursery slopes of Les Esserts to the sun-drenched beginner area of La Chaux, and from the mellow pistes of the Lac des Vaux to the wide, cruising boulevards of the Attelas and the Combes, Verbier has everything to please the beginner/intermediate crowds. Add to that the “Neipark 1936” snow park and challenging ski itineraries of Chassoure-Tortin and of the Mont Gelé, and it becomes clear that the Verbier ski area has something for everyone!
Boasting three nursery slopes/beginner areas in the resort itself (see Beginner Ski Areas in Verbier), the Verbier ski area also offers great beginner terrain up at La Chaux, now accessible directly from Médran thanks to the recently built La Chaux Express Combi-Mix lift. Also serviced by a 4-man chair, this sun drenched area is a great place to practice & progress as there are nice, easy runs which tend to soften up in the afternoon given its south facing orientation.
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last updated 26-Feb-2008 |
| La Tzoumaz/Savoleyres Ski Area |
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Situated right behind Savoleyres’ south-facing slopes, La Tzoumaz’s pistes quickly plunge into the tree-line, offering a large choice of runs with ok visibility to those who want to ski, regardless of the bad weather.
While Le Nord (6-man high speed detachable chair) services a short but sweet, moderately steep ridgeline speckled with trees, Le Taillay (4-man chair) on the opposite end gives access to very mellow terrain which starts off very open and gradually enters the tree-line. With both, you have the option of either staying on the piste or wandering off, without ever having to venture too far to the sides to find fresh powder. Be careful however when skiing off-piste to the skier’s right of Le Taillay, not to go too far right, as you will miss the cat road bringing you back to the lift & will be on your way to the bottom of the resort through a mess of tight, annoying trees.
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last updated 8-Jan-2008 |
| Bruson Ski Area |
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This lovely little ski area situated opposite to Verbier in the Val de Bagnes is an absolute local’s “rendezvous” in bad weather. Given its low altitude, 95% of its terrain is tree-lined which means that even in foggy conditions, you can actually see something!
Getting over to Bruson is a bit time-consuming but well worth the effort. From Verbier, download the bubbles to Le Châble, where a yellow postal bus (included in your lift ticket price – check with the office at Medran for schedules) will take you to the base of the ski area. In all, if you time your connection right, expect to spend 45mins getting there. ... more |
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last updated 8-Jan-2008 |
| Mt Fort / 4 Valleys Ski Area |
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The Mont Fort sector of the 4 Valleys Ski Area offers, without a doubt, the largest array of easily reachable Advanced/Expert terrain of any other ski resort in the Alps. When combined with the Verbier sector’s Mt-Gelé and Tortin itineraries, the possibilities are simply endless.
The Mont Fort sector can either be accessed via La Chaux (2260m) by loading onto the Jumbo, or via Tortin (2050m) by taking the Col des Gentianes tram. Both lifts converge at the same spot…the Col des Gentianes, at an altitude of 2950m!
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last updated 25-Feb-2008 |
| Beginner Ski Areas in Verbier |
There are three nursery slopes/beginner areas in the resort itself, all of which are equipped with snowmaking facilities ensuring that even if Mother Nature comes short, good quality beginner skiing can still be had! Although none offer “free of charge” lifts, the following 3 areas have their own low-priced lift tickets.
Les Moulins (1 drag lift) Situated right in the heart of Verbier, it is the smallest of all nursery slopes in town. The École Suisse de Ski uses it exclusively for their Kids Club program.
Les Esserts (1 drag lift & 2 magic carpets) With its gentle slopes conveniently situated right next to the Hameau bus stop and a restaurant terrace, Les Esserts is without a doubt the most popular spot for beginner skiers and families alike. It is also home to the longest magic carpet in Switzerland, which costs only 5 SFR for foot passengers who would like to accompany their young while they are learning.
Le Rouge (1 drag lift) This area’s two slopes run from the top of the village at Carrefour down to the centrally situated Brunet bus stop. The new variable speed drag lift - Le Rouge, which was put in for the 2006-07 winter, offers the beginner a slightly more inclined slope; the perfect place to safely set your sights on after having spent time on Les Esserts.
After feeling more confident on these nursery slopes, the La Chaux area up the mountain can be a good option, as there are nice, slow runs which tend to soften up in the afternoon given its south facing orientation. Directly accessible from Médran thanks to the recently built La Chaux Express lift, this sun drenched area, also serviced by a 4-man chair, is a great place to practice & progress! |
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last updated 8-Jan-2008 |
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