Mike
2008-10-19, 08:30
Verbier has been Switzerland's number one resort with great skiing and boarding for many years. The terrain is fantastic, the views superb and the snow reliable. Good for all abilities but experts will love the off-piste that is straight out of a magazine. Tortin has huge moguls, excellent run down from Mont Fort and Mont Gele. Verbier at 1500m is a fashionable resort and has an equally fierce mountain with 1829m vertical drop.
Verbier's principal lift station is at Medran at the top end of the village. Take the 6 person telecabin up to Les Ruinettes (2,200m), the start of the Funispace, a 30-person stand-up gondola up to 2740m Attelas.
On one side of Attelas is some gentle cruising skiing around Lac des Vaux, and chair-lift access to the notorious Chassoure -Tortin run, which is always steep and heavily mogulled (most difficult part is getting the nerve to stop traversing around the top of the bowl and start heading downhill). On the other side of Attelas to Lac des Vaux, there are several other chair-lifts and runs leading to Les Ruinettes, Carrefour and on back down to resort level. There is also access to the La Chaux area, with gentle pistes as well as the starting point for Le Jumbo, a 150-person cable car that runs up to Col des Gentianes (2,950m), from where a smaller cable car runs up to the top of Mont Fort (3,330m), the highest point in Verbier. If snow is good, it is technically possible to ski all the way from top of Mont Fort right down to the valley village of Le Chable (821m) - second longest lift-served vertical drops (2509m) in the Alps after Chamonix.
Verbier's other main ski area is Savoleyres. A telecabin rises up to 2,354m and there are some easy pistes on the south-facing (Verbier) side, as well as runs on the north-facing side down to the village of La Tzoumaz.
Bruson is on the other side of the valley, exposed to the rising sun beautifully, the scattered forests of Bruson provide fine powder pistes in a picturesque setting. There is a ski access through off-piste routes from Bruson ski area to Sembrancher, and then back to Verbier via local train or bus.
Best runs in Verbier are:
1. Verbier - under the Mont Fort tram
2. Verbier - Col des Gentianes to Tortin
3. Verbier - Col des Gentianes to La Chaux
Nice Off-piste runs are:
Mont Gele - Try the couloirs up here for a real test of your nerve.
Attelas - Couloir Creblet....head left following the ridge above Lac des Vaux, chickens can drop right into Lac des Vaux. Left straight down to Carrefour
Mont Fort - Backside, just climb the railing and head all the way down.....keep right at the reservoir and end at Siviez, this one's out there.
Gentianes - Stairway... Traverse left and climb the couloir, for Highway don't climb just keep traversing left, they both end at Tortin.
Tough moguls fields are:
Chassoure to Tortin - one of the toughest fields in the Alps
Gentianes to Tortin - Long and Sustained
Mont Fort - tough field and steep
The Wall - on the back of the Attelas
Access
Geneva is the nearest international airport to Verbier, 170 km (106 miles) away; Milan is 270 km (168 miles); Zurich 300 km (188 miles).
Flight is the easiest way to travel to Geneva. It gives you your choice of airport. You can then arrange transport to Verbier or you can travel to the resort by train or bus on the Swiss travel system. Car hire is an easy alternative.
If you are flying in to Zurich International Airport, you may take a train to Verbier, via Lausanne, which takes approx 4½ hours.
From London: flight time 1 ½ hours and transfer time 2.5 hours. Catch the early morning flight and you are in the resort by lunchtime. Swiss last year offered a Heathrow to Sion flight on Saturdays with a 1-hour transfer time by bus from the airport direct to Verbier.
For Geneva Airport info: http://www.gva.ch/en/Desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-11/
By Rail
The nearest main line rail station is at Martigny, from where it is possible to take a local train to Le Châble. From Le Châble, there is a cable car direct to Verbier; other options are a bus or 24-hour taxi service. In winter, a direct bus runs from Martigny to Verbier.
It is important to note that train journeys from Geneva to Verbier will involve 2 trains, a walk and a bus. The journey takes between 2h45 and 3h30. Last departure from Geneva airport at 17:09.
Train trips from Zurich Airport to Verbier take between 4h45 and 4h25 with last departure from Zurich Airport at 15:13.
The Geneva train station is located 300 metres from the Geneva airport departures / arrivals levels. Direct connections within Switzerland and Europe (including TGV). On arrival in Geneva Airport, exit customs and you will find yourself in a long hallway. Head to your left to the end of the arrivals hall where there is a huge revolving door through which you go with your trolley into the Train Station.
The Zurich train station is also at the airport - follow the signs to the train station
Once in the Train Station section, you may purchase return tickets to Verbier with Cash or Credit Card (about a 2½ hour train trip from Geneva and 4½hours from Zurich). Find out if you need to change trains in Lausanne - which platform and time. Remember to point out any children, and if anyone is over 60, as there are reductions. The return tickets are valid for one month.
Trains depart for Brig - Simplon every 45-60 minutes.
The train will head to Martigny, via Lausanne. (If necessary change trains in Lausanne). Detrain in Martigny and cross under the tracks to the platform where you catch the Saint Bernard Express up to Le Châble. (Brightly painted red and white train) detrain, and walk over to the large yellow Post Bus awaiting your arrival, which will whisk you up to Verbier, and deposit you at the main Post Office in the centre of Verbier.
Families can travel more cheaply on a Swiss travel card. This includes the main line train to Martigny, the local train to Le Châble and the bus to Verbier, all linked directly from the airport, there is a concessionary travel rate.
The train between Martigny and Geneva is around CHF58.00 per person and takes 1hr45min.
Geneva Rail Info: Tel: 00800 100 20030
http://fahrplan.sbb.ch/bin/query.exe/en
By Car
Travel time from Geneva to Verbier along the motorway via Martigny is about 2.5 hours to the village.
Drivers take the N8 and N9 (E62) motorway to Martigny (25 km from Verbier) then continue on Great St. Bernard main road up to Sembrancher, follow the road before turning off toward Val de Bagnes, follow the road to Le Châble and finally the road up to Verbier. Please note, parking is restricted in the village.
Verbier's principal lift station is at Medran at the top end of the village. Take the 6 person telecabin up to Les Ruinettes (2,200m), the start of the Funispace, a 30-person stand-up gondola up to 2740m Attelas.
On one side of Attelas is some gentle cruising skiing around Lac des Vaux, and chair-lift access to the notorious Chassoure -Tortin run, which is always steep and heavily mogulled (most difficult part is getting the nerve to stop traversing around the top of the bowl and start heading downhill). On the other side of Attelas to Lac des Vaux, there are several other chair-lifts and runs leading to Les Ruinettes, Carrefour and on back down to resort level. There is also access to the La Chaux area, with gentle pistes as well as the starting point for Le Jumbo, a 150-person cable car that runs up to Col des Gentianes (2,950m), from where a smaller cable car runs up to the top of Mont Fort (3,330m), the highest point in Verbier. If snow is good, it is technically possible to ski all the way from top of Mont Fort right down to the valley village of Le Chable (821m) - second longest lift-served vertical drops (2509m) in the Alps after Chamonix.
Verbier's other main ski area is Savoleyres. A telecabin rises up to 2,354m and there are some easy pistes on the south-facing (Verbier) side, as well as runs on the north-facing side down to the village of La Tzoumaz.
Bruson is on the other side of the valley, exposed to the rising sun beautifully, the scattered forests of Bruson provide fine powder pistes in a picturesque setting. There is a ski access through off-piste routes from Bruson ski area to Sembrancher, and then back to Verbier via local train or bus.
Best runs in Verbier are:
1. Verbier - under the Mont Fort tram
2. Verbier - Col des Gentianes to Tortin
3. Verbier - Col des Gentianes to La Chaux
Nice Off-piste runs are:
Mont Gele - Try the couloirs up here for a real test of your nerve.
Attelas - Couloir Creblet....head left following the ridge above Lac des Vaux, chickens can drop right into Lac des Vaux. Left straight down to Carrefour
Mont Fort - Backside, just climb the railing and head all the way down.....keep right at the reservoir and end at Siviez, this one's out there.
Gentianes - Stairway... Traverse left and climb the couloir, for Highway don't climb just keep traversing left, they both end at Tortin.
Tough moguls fields are:
Chassoure to Tortin - one of the toughest fields in the Alps
Gentianes to Tortin - Long and Sustained
Mont Fort - tough field and steep
The Wall - on the back of the Attelas
Access
Geneva is the nearest international airport to Verbier, 170 km (106 miles) away; Milan is 270 km (168 miles); Zurich 300 km (188 miles).
Flight is the easiest way to travel to Geneva. It gives you your choice of airport. You can then arrange transport to Verbier or you can travel to the resort by train or bus on the Swiss travel system. Car hire is an easy alternative.
If you are flying in to Zurich International Airport, you may take a train to Verbier, via Lausanne, which takes approx 4½ hours.
From London: flight time 1 ½ hours and transfer time 2.5 hours. Catch the early morning flight and you are in the resort by lunchtime. Swiss last year offered a Heathrow to Sion flight on Saturdays with a 1-hour transfer time by bus from the airport direct to Verbier.
For Geneva Airport info: http://www.gva.ch/en/Desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-11/
By Rail
The nearest main line rail station is at Martigny, from where it is possible to take a local train to Le Châble. From Le Châble, there is a cable car direct to Verbier; other options are a bus or 24-hour taxi service. In winter, a direct bus runs from Martigny to Verbier.
It is important to note that train journeys from Geneva to Verbier will involve 2 trains, a walk and a bus. The journey takes between 2h45 and 3h30. Last departure from Geneva airport at 17:09.
Train trips from Zurich Airport to Verbier take between 4h45 and 4h25 with last departure from Zurich Airport at 15:13.
The Geneva train station is located 300 metres from the Geneva airport departures / arrivals levels. Direct connections within Switzerland and Europe (including TGV). On arrival in Geneva Airport, exit customs and you will find yourself in a long hallway. Head to your left to the end of the arrivals hall where there is a huge revolving door through which you go with your trolley into the Train Station.
The Zurich train station is also at the airport - follow the signs to the train station
Once in the Train Station section, you may purchase return tickets to Verbier with Cash or Credit Card (about a 2½ hour train trip from Geneva and 4½hours from Zurich). Find out if you need to change trains in Lausanne - which platform and time. Remember to point out any children, and if anyone is over 60, as there are reductions. The return tickets are valid for one month.
Trains depart for Brig - Simplon every 45-60 minutes.
The train will head to Martigny, via Lausanne. (If necessary change trains in Lausanne). Detrain in Martigny and cross under the tracks to the platform where you catch the Saint Bernard Express up to Le Châble. (Brightly painted red and white train) detrain, and walk over to the large yellow Post Bus awaiting your arrival, which will whisk you up to Verbier, and deposit you at the main Post Office in the centre of Verbier.
Families can travel more cheaply on a Swiss travel card. This includes the main line train to Martigny, the local train to Le Châble and the bus to Verbier, all linked directly from the airport, there is a concessionary travel rate.
The train between Martigny and Geneva is around CHF58.00 per person and takes 1hr45min.
Geneva Rail Info: Tel: 00800 100 20030
http://fahrplan.sbb.ch/bin/query.exe/en
By Car
Travel time from Geneva to Verbier along the motorway via Martigny is about 2.5 hours to the village.
Drivers take the N8 and N9 (E62) motorway to Martigny (25 km from Verbier) then continue on Great St. Bernard main road up to Sembrancher, follow the road before turning off toward Val de Bagnes, follow the road to Le Châble and finally the road up to Verbier. Please note, parking is restricted in the village.