Best Ski Areas & Pistes in Verbier
also see Verbier Ski Areas: All About the Ski Area

Our Favourite Runs in Verbier & the 4 Valleys

The ski area is so vast it can be difficult to know where to start skiing. So we have put together some of our favorite runs throughout the ski area. Whether you're into moguls, steep and long descents or simply beautiful, quiet pistes with great snow, we hope that these suggestions will hit the spot.

Leisurely Runs in Verbier

Boasting three nursery slopes/beginner areas in the resort itself, 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.

Four marked blue runs await beginners and low-intermediate skiers and snowboarders here. From top to bottom, these are:

Lac des Vaux 1:
From the top of the Lac des Vaux quad chair, exit left and follow the slope until an intersection where you can choose to go left (Lac des Vaux direction) or right (Ruinettes direction). Take a left and continue in that direction until another intersection, where you can either go straight or slightly right. Either way you choose, the slope eventually makes a final left turn and follows the Lac des Vaux triple chair line to the bottom of both Lac des Vaux lifts.

La Chaux 1:
From the top of the La Chaux Express, head towards the area of Les Fontaneys. From there, continue across the top of the bowl, traversing the whole thing along the flat road until you pop over back on the La Chaux side of the ridge. This run, also marked as ‘Grenier’ on the piste map, will eventually take you back to the bottom of the La Chaux Express lift, via the tail end of the snow park. Because it is slightly more out of the way, it isn’t rare to have parts of this slope entirely to yourself.

La Chaux 2:
From the top of the La Chaux quad chair, exit right and take the piste directly to the right. This run winds its way down for the most part on the skier’s left or directly below the lift line, eventually ending up at the bottom of the lift. Some sections are marginally steeper in places but overall, the descent is quite mellow; perfect for learning!

Médran 1:
Starting at the Ruinettes, this run is an endless cat road which switchbacks its way down a number of times all while crossing numerous red runs along the way, until it reaches the Médran lift station in town. It is also possible to take the run from the top of the Mayentzet double chair, from which it is a much shorter journey down.

Leisurely Runs in Bruson

There are 4 marked blue runs awaiting beginners and low-intermediate skiers/snowboarders.  From top to bottom these are:

Le Grand Tsai Superieure - La Pasay Superieure:
From the top of the Grand Tsai draglift, exit left and follow a cat track (the first short section being slightly uphill) which will take you back down to the top of the La Pasay triple chair and restaurant.  This ridge run affords fantastic views of the Mont Blanc massif to the west!

Etables du Six - Blanc - La Côt:
From the top of the Grand Tsai drag-lift, exit right and take the piste which starts just after the drag-lift hut. This run winds its way down the front face of the resort, and eventually ends up at the bottom of the La Pasay triple chair. Some sections are a little steeper in places but overall, the descent is quite mellow. 

Moay - La Pasay Inferieure:
From the top of the Moay drag-lift, exit left and follow a very flat cat road which will take you past the Moay restaurant to the right and eventually switchback down to the bottom of the La Pasay triple chair.

Route La Côt - Bruson Télésiège:
From the top of the La Côt double chair, exit left and continue past the bottom of the Moay drag-lift. Stay on the cat road which starts just after the drag-lift hut. This road winds its way down the lower portion of the front face of the resort, and eventually ends up at the car park at the bottom. Because it is the summer access road for cars to the Mayens de Bruson chalets the entire descent is quite mellow. Due to the low altitude of this piste, make sure the snow cover is sufficient all the way down and avoid if the weather is too warm as the piste becomes way too slow and sticky. In this case, downloading using the double chair is a better option.

Leisurely Runs in La Tzoumaz / Savoleyres

Officially, there are only 2 marked blue runs awaiting beginners and low-intermediate skiers and snowboarders in La Tzoumaz/Savoleyres but one of these, aptly named “Savoleyres”, is sub-divided into 3 separate legs which follow the summer mountain driving roads. Two legs are situated on the Tzoumaz side & the third, on the Savoleyres side.

La Tzoumaz side:

Savoleyres:
From the top of the Savoleyres bubble, exit on the right side of the building and follow the ridgeline piste to the top of the Taillay quad chair. From there, take a left and follow the wide, low-grade boulevard (also called the “Airport” run) down to a fork. Here, the run divides into 2 distinct segments. Taking the right leg will lead you down to the bottom of the Taillay quad chair, and continuing past it to the right will eventually lead you to the bottom of the Les Etablons double chair. Taking the left leg will lead you past the top of the Les Etablons double chair until you finally end up at the bottom of the Savoleyres Nord six-man chair.

Le Taillay:
From the top of  the Savoleyres Nord six-man chair, exit right and take the piste which starts to wind its way through the guts of the big open bowl below. Roughly halfway down the bowl, a right turn will join you up with a relatively flat section of the La Tzoumaz red piste. After crossing under the chair, a switchback will lead you onto the tail end of the Savoleyres blue run, back to the bottom of the Savoleyres Nord six-man chair. 

Savoleyres side:

Savoleyres:
From the bottom of the La Tournelle double chair, a cat road makes its way left across the front face, continuing past the Marmotte & Namaste restaurants and the Savoleyres Sud drag-lift, and finally ending up at the Carrefour. The second segment of this run, also referred to as the “Rte des Planards”, must not be attempted when closed as the slopes above create a high avalanche hazard. Better to take the drag-lift back up & download the bubbles from the top.

Leisurely Runs in Mt Fort / 4 Valleys

While there are no blue runs in the Mont Fort sector, a good number of them can be found around Siviez, as well as in Nendaz and Thyon. From Verbier however, these three areas can only be reached via red or black runs.

Intermediate Runs in Bruson

There are 4 marked red runs awaiting intermediate skiers and snowboarders. From top to bottom, these are:

Le Grand Tsai:
From the top of the Grand Tsai drag-lift, exit right and remain on the backside of the resort, following the piste to the skiers left of the lift. This run eventually crosses its track, ending up back down at the bottom of the lift.

La Pasay - Etable du Six-Blanc:
From the top of the La Pasay triple chair, exit left and continue past the restaurant, pushing along the flats until you reach the start of the run, situated roughly 30m further to your left. Also dubbed “pissevache” by the locals, this run winds its way down the front face of the resort, until it eventually joins up with the Etables du Six-Blanc-La Côt piste, bringing you back to the bottom of the La Pasay triple chair.

La Pasay Rouge:
From the top of the Moay drag-lift, exit left and take the slope directly to the left of the Moay restaurant. Follow this track towards the bottom of the La Pasay triple chair. Once there, continue past and switchback down to the bottom of the Moay drag-lift.

Téléski de Moay:
From the top of the Moay drag-lift, exit left and take the slope directly below, which almost immediately crosses the lift track. The run does a wide “U” to the skiers left of the lift, ending right back up at the bottom of the drag-lift.

Intermediate Runs in La Tzoumaz / Savoleyres

There are 5 marked red runs awaiting intermediate skiers and snowboarders in La Tzoumaz/Savoleyres. From top to bottom, these are:

La Tzoumaz side:

La Tzoumaz:
This run is divided into 2 separate legs. From the top of the La Tzoumaz bubble, exit on the right side of the building and follow the ridgeline piste to the top of the La Tournelle double chair. From there, you have two options. The piste to the left (also called the “Saxon” run) follows the ski area boundary with great views of the Rhône valley below, eventually bringing you past the bottom of Savoleyres Nord six-man chair, and finally, all the way down to the bottom of the La Tzoumaz bubble. Taking the piste to the right (also called the “Nord” run) will lead you across the bowl, and after passing underneath both the Savoleyres Nord six-man chair and the La Tzoumaz bubble, you join up with the “Saxon” run to finish all the way at the bottom.

Savoleyres Nord - Tzoumaz:
(Also referred to as the “Coeur” run) From the top of the La Tzoumaz bubble, exit on the right side of the building, wrap-around under the bubbles, and then take a left off the ridgeline. This nice cruising run will lead you to the top of the Les Etablons double chair.

Les Etablons:
Essentially the continuation of the above-mentioned run. From the top of the Les Etablons double chair, this run does a bit of a “U” on the skier’s right of the lift, to then continue by following the fall line, joining up with the La Tzoumaz piste and ending up at the bottom of the Les Etablons double chair. This run can be icy at times, especially during the dead of winter given the lack of sunshine there.

Savoleyres side:

Piste de Slalom Savoleyres Sud:
From the top of the Savoleyres bubble, exit on the right side of the building and follow the ridgeline just past the Savoleyres Sud drag-lift. Dropping onto south face, the piste follows the skier’s left of the entire length of the drag-lift, affording great views of the village down below and the Combins across the valley!

La Tournelle:
From the top of the La Tournelle double chair, this piste runs almost directly below the lift. Albeit a bit short, this run also offers great views of the village down below and the Combins across the valley!

Intermediate Runs in Mt Fort / 4 Valleys

There are 4 marked red runs awaiting intermediate skiers and snowboarders in the Mont Fort sector. From top to bottom, these are:

Glaciers 2:
From the top of the Glacier 1 & 2 drag-lifts, exit right and choose one of two options. Either take the boulevard straight ahead which will eventually lead you back to the Col des Gentianes, or follow the piste to the skiers left of the lift. This wide run eventually brings you back down to the bottom of the lift.

Gentianes - Tortin (1st part):
From the Col des Gentianes, take the piste which follows the Col des Gentianes tram line in the direction of Tortin. This run will eventually lead you to the start of the Gentianes-Tortin ski itinerary, which starts at the bottom of the Glacier 1 & 2 drag-lifts. This itinerary is quite steep in place and, much like the Mont Fort black run, often full of moguls, so to avoid getting stuck having to ski it against your will, make sure the drag-lifts are in operation before setting off this way!

Les Gentianes - La Chaux:
From the Col des Gentianes, go past the restaurant and take the piste which follows the Jumbo tram line towards La Chaux. After a first straight section, you can either continue down on a second, relatively steep (and often icy) pitch, or choose a mellower winding path which crosses this section many times over. Then, the run flattens and widens, continuing towards the Cabane Mt-Fort. Maintain your speed for the last section before the hut as the cat road there is quite flat. After the hut, yet another nice pitch awaits you, but again, it is advisable to keep your speed up here as the rest of the descent towards the bottom of the Jumbo is relatively flat.

Jumbo:
An alternative to the second half of the above-mentioned run, this piste which follows a lower yet pretty much parallel course, is truly for lovers of beautiful views! Before the cat road leading to the Mt-Fort hut, take a left. The run will continue past the hut (above on your right) towards one of the Jumbo’s towers. Directly to your left is an off-piste run called “Barry’s Bowl”, and below it, the protected zone of Patiefray and its beautiful snow covered meandering marshlands. Follow this run past the tower, making sure to keep your speed up on the final pitch, where a long flat cat road will eventually bring you back to the Jumbo.

The Printze area of the 4 Valleys counts more than 15 distinct red runs, some of which branch off into multiple legs. Too numerous to describe in detail, we advise you to set off early one day on the road to discovery, and take a “4 Valley Tour”. When doing so, do keep an eye on the time to avoid missing the last lifts, and getting stuck with a REALLY expensive taxi ride back to Verbier!

Intermediate Runs in Verbier

There are a good number of marked red runs awaiting intermediate skiers and snowboarders. Here is a description of a popular few:

Attelas 3:
From the top of the Les Attelas 6-man chair, exit right and take the piste directly to the right. This run follows the fall line for the first part to the skier’s left of the lift, making its way down a second, steeper pitch before a flat section and a bit of a left leads to yet another steeper section. You then pass the Chalet Carlsberg to the right before the slope flattens once more before a final pitch leads you straight to the bottom of the 6-man chair. An alternative start & finish to this run is to take it from the top of the Olympique station at Attelas and to end up at the Ruinettes station.

Médran 2:
From the Ruinettes station, exit right and head straight down towards the treeline directly below, to the beginning of the old Les Ruinettes double chair. From there, a left turn will take you down through the forest in a succession of switchbacks until you eventually reach the pretty little hamlet of Clambin. At this point, a cat road leads you to an intersection where you can join up with the Médran 1 blue run and make it all the way down to the village. This piste is also known as the run to “Chez Dany”, as it leads to the famous restaurant situated in Clambin, which is well worth the fondue stop!

La Combe 1:
From the top of the Combe 1 double chair, go straight for 20m and then hook a left, eventually making a 180 degree turn past the bottom of the Les Attelas 6-man chair. From there, the run narrows through a section which takes you left, until you reach the lift line. From there, a right turn takes you to the bottom of the lift, straight down the fall line Alternatively, you can hook a right turn after the first pitch under the lift, and then a left will take you onto a wide open, slightly flatter piste running parallel to the other, which eventually ends up at the same place.

Intermediate Runs in Verbier & the 4 Valleys

Advanced Runs in Bruson

There is just 1 marked black run awaiting expert skiers and snowboarders, namely:

La Pasay Noir:
This run has two different starting options, both of which eventually fusion together lower down.  From the top of the La Pasay triple chair, exit right. Taking another right straight away will lead you to the start of the piste, which pretty much follows the fall line to the skiers left of the lift. You can also choose to go pretty much straight when getting off the lift and you’ll be on a short (but very scenic!) wrap-around portion of the same run, eventually joining back up to the other piste on the front face of the resort. Both options bring you back to the bottom of the La Pasay triple chair.

Advanced Runs in Mt Fort / 4 Valleys

There is 1 marked black run awaiting expert skiers and snowboarders in the Mont Fort sector, namely:

Mont Fort:
From the top of the Mont Fort 2 tram, after taking in the awesome views of the Matterhorn towards the East, and Mont Blanc to the West, make your way down the stairs to the top of the run. This steep and often mogulled out piste pretty much follows the fall line to the skier's left of the lift, until crossing over to the right of the front face and mellowing out, much lower down near the top of the Glaciers 1 & 2 drag-lifts. Alternatively, although not an official marked run, you can cut across right near the top to the right of the tram line and make your way down an even steeper (but slightly smoother) line down the face.

The Printze area of the 4 Valleys offers 4 distinct black runs, some of which branch off into multiple legs. In the Plan-Du-Fou sector of Nendaz, you’ll find a run called Les Fontaines. In the Greppon Blanc sector above Veysonnaz, both the Greppon Blanc I & II and the Greppon Blanc III runs await. And last but not least, the steep, sustained pitch of the Étherolla run in Thyon is well worth the detour!