From Wikitravel

Verbier is a resort town in the east central part of the Swiss canton of Valais. It boasts cable car access to a huge network of ski trails which are perfectly suited for intermediate and advanced. There are also a couple of bunny slopes in town, as well as a huge amount of infrastructure for skiing and after skiing.

In the summer Verbier, like many mountain villages, becomes a base for the true Swiss national sport of hiking (randonnée).

[edit] Get in

Verbier actually comprises two villages. The higher one is called Verbier, and the lower one is called Le Chable. Le Chable is probably where you will arrive first, no matter how you get in.

Train access is provided by the Swiss Federal Railway[1], with hourly service to Le Chable from main-line Martigny in the valley below. The journey takes 20 minutes, but is perfectly timed for the arrival of the main-line train between Geneva Airport and Brig (or Milan). During the winter there is also direct access (to Martigny) by TGV from Paris and Dijon. For the trip up to Verbier village from Le Chable you can either take a bus or, if you have a ski pass, the cable car.

If you are flying in for a ski holiday you will probably land at Geneva Airport. But if, you fly into Zurich take the train to Brig and transfer there for the train to Geneva, transferring again at Martigny.

If you arrive at Geneva airport then Alpybus [2] provides a shared transfer service direct to Verbier.

The A9 autoroute runs along the floor of the Valais. From Martigny a local road takes you up to Le Chable. From there you can take public transport or, if you are brave, the winding mountain road up to Verbier.

[edit] Get around

Verbier village is small enough to get pretty much everywhere on foot, even in ski boots. A free bus runs around the village until early evening. There is a cable car service between Verbier and Le Chable which runs until 7:30 in the evening, and a bus which runs later, so you will want to make note of the bus schedule if your hotel is in Le Chable.

[edit][add listing] Do

The principal activity in Verbier during winter is skiing. The ski area is one of the largest in Switzerland, extending as far as Thyon and up to the Mt Fort glacier. Much of the best skiing is off-piste (off-trail), making the resort best suited to experienced, or at least enthusiastic skiers. The best sector for beginners is Savolyres. There is less infrastructure for snowboarding, but advanced boarders should consider a trip to Verbier for the magnificent off-piste possibilities.

• Televerbier,

• Ecole Suisse du Ski,

• ES - European Snowsport - Verbier Ski School (ES), Mountain Air Rue de Medran (Half Way between Pl. Central and Medran), ☎ +41 (0) 27 771 6222, [3]. 8 a.m. -7 p.m.. Verbier Ski School and Snowboard School edit

[edit][add listing] Buy

• Mountain Show,

[edit][add listing] Eat

• Relais du ski,

• La Grange, Phone: +41 27 771 6431 lagrangeverbier@bluewin.ch. Nice restaurant with two sections, the gourmet section is probably the best in town at the moment (2008), the other serves local specialities and is more relaxed. Excellent meat. CHF 30-$CHF 100 (extra price info). Reservations required. http://www.lagrange.ch/resto.php

• Au View Verbier, Phone: +41 27 771 1668 lagrangeverbier@bluewin.ch.Nice and cosy, next to medran ski lift. Specialitie: Fish,La Potance (meat on spiked hot iron). CHF 20 - CHF 60 (extra price info). Hours Daily noon-3pm and 6:30pm-midnight. Reservations required for dinner.

[edit][add listing] Drink

The après-ski nightlife is pretty happening at Verbier. In early evening the pubs and bars are jammed with skiers - many have a happy hour between 4pm and 5pm. Later on, most people return home or eat at one of the many restaurants, before hitting one of Verbier's nightclubs, which stay open until 3 or 4am in peak season. None of this is cheap!

• Offshore,

• Pub Mont Fort, Chemin de la Tinte 10, Phone: +41 27 771 4898, Email: info@pubmontfort.com. Legendary after-ski bar where local skibums and extreme skiers gather. Rumoured to serve most beers in Switzerland in the wintertime. Serves good and inexpensive foood (burgers etc) http://www.pubmontfort.com/

[edit][add listing] Sleep

[edit] Get out

Ski passes for Verbier can also be used in the four neighbouring ski resorts that make up (Les quatre vallées).