After a few visits to the 4 Vallees from the Verbier end of the interlinked resort, this was our first visit from the Nendaz side. The plan to stick to the Nendaz-Veysonnaz-Thyon (‘Printse’) sector of the broader 4 Vallèes had me keeping my expectations low, but I need not have worried. I was hugely impressed with what was on offer. I describe the 4 Vallèes as a true nirvana for good skiers & snowboarders, but I think that the Nendaz-Veysonnaz-Thyon-Printse sector is in many ways a part that is better than the sum, if for no other reason than it seems quieter, less full of itself and more relaxed.
Whilst at times the 4 Vallèes suffers from its own success (too many people, tracked out, no vacancies, lift queues etc.), in the Nendaz-Veysonnaz-Thyon sector this is less of an issue. There is a lot to love about this resort. A few simple examples include getting last minute, affordable accommodation within 150m of the Nendaz gondola base; and even though it was several days after the last snowfall, we skied gorgeous powder with just a short boot pack and traverse off the Etherolla lift near Thyon. And if so inclined, we could have spent the day repeating the dose by moving toward the flanks of Mont. That’s what skiing is all about and will bring a smile to anyone’s face.
The highlights of Nendaz-Veysonnaz-Thyon are many & varied. Skiing the outlying sectors like Thyon can reap powder rewards when other parts are already tracked out. Getting to the top of Mont Fort isn’t necessarily that quick or fun from Verbier, but it is quite fast and easy from Siviez. Nendaz can be a super fun village AND has some incredible old growth larch forest skiing nearby, plus super terrain beyond that into Siviez. Veysonnaz can feel deserted, with its long trails into the village so good in the early morning. Thyon’s ski lifts & terrain are amongst the best novice & beginner ski areas in Switzerland. And did I mention the ancient larch glades above Nendaz are divine. The potential descents in all directions off Plan-du-Fou (served by two gondolas) are a Powderhound's delight. And on it goes ....
From where we sit, the biggest issue with the resort (aside from too many humans in high season) is the ski lift links between Siviez and Veysonnaz-Thyon below the Greppon Blanc. They simply don’t stack up to what one finds throughout the remainder of the resort. It does cause a bottleneck, but thankfully either side of it the nirvana continued. Another niggle might be the lack of any form of traditional architecture in the resort villages, giving them an appearance that could be mistaken for the many mega French Alps resort village disasters across the border. There is a local antidote to this niggle mentioned at the end of the review….
On this trip we visited midweek in January and stayed in Nendaz at the Hotel Edelweiss. In its favour, it has proximity to the gondola base, great meals, comfortable rooms, and a fantastic beer selection to go with the very enthusiastic après ski session that ended at an incredibly polite 8.30pm. Slept like a cherub!
Transport to Nendaz was by the PostBus from Sion train station. As an international traveller there is no real excuse to have a car in Switzerland, particularly if travelling to resorts via places like Sion. The massive bus station in the forecourt of the train station makes Sion a brilliant transport hub from which to explore the region.
I’m heading back here in season 2024 for sure. If nothing else we would like to ski the backside of the 2,700m Greppon Blanc, plus explore more of the Plan-du-Fou & Dent de Nendaz terrain. You should go here too. Just don’t get sucked into thinking that in order to have a fantastic experience at the 4 Vallèes you have to stay in Verbier. There are plenty of alternative villages with amazing access to the slopes. And once you spend a week here, head into the adjacent Val d’Herens and cleanse your soul at Arolla-Evolene. You can thank me for it later.
Read more about the pros & cons of the resort on the Nendaz Veysonnaz Thyon overview page.
