Verbier Skiing & Snowboarding
Verbier ski resort is part of the 4 Vallees ski domain and ranges from 821m at Le Chable up to to 3,330m on the summit of Mont Fort. Verbier has seamless connections with the 4 Vallees ski area, for a massive total combined 410 km of marked runs. The expansive off piste freeride terrain only adds to the size and adventure of the ski resort.
See the Verbier ski trail map.
Verbier is in effect four ski areas which is reflected in the multitude of lift pass options. The lower Bruson ski area is across the valley via gondola from Le Chable. The Savoleyres / La Tzoumaz area has sunny open pistes great for beginners and lower intermediates on the Verbier village side, and better snow quality trails in the shaded side down to La Tzoumaz. The Verbier sector includes 1500m of skiable vertical for all abilities up to Mont Gele. Finally, the Mont Fort sector is part of the 4 Vallees interlinked ski area, and not strictly part of Verbier. Terrain is mainly off piste freeride and advanced routes, although a major intermediate trail does link back into Verbier.
You will love Verbier if you live for off-piste and freeride skiing or boarding and luck into some decent snow conditions. Cautious intermediates may not enjoy the disjointed layout of the marked pistes and the inconsistency of the piste ratings. But anybody who wants to leave the groomed stuff behind (or wants to learn how) will have a ball.
Verbier is a quality ski destination for budding Powderhounds. The resort's size and elevation mean the snow quality will last, particularly for those that are prepared to stomp a bit of boot-pack. Be warned though, there are definitely no friends on powder days at Verbier, because every woman, man and his dog hit the slopes. Get a guide to learn the area (see below).
Verbier Ski Areas
Around Verbier village is a sensational sunny place for beginners and intermediates up to Savoleyres, with plenty of easy slopes and wide runs to cruise down. The runs soften up nicely in the afternoon thanks to the south-facing orientation.
Experts should head for the challenging ski terrain of Chassoure-Tortin and Mt Gele, a mountain that has no marked pistes. Within sight of Mont Gele, the serious freeride routes on the intimidating Bec des Rosses (used in the Freeride World Tour competition) will challenge the best skiers & riders.
La Tzoumaz ski area is great in poor weather and when the snow has degraded on Verbier's south -facing slopes. La Tzoumaz’s cold north-aspect pistes & off-piste quickly plunge into the tree-line, offering a large choice of protected runs. Le Nord chair lift provides a short but sweet, moderately steep ridgeline speckled with trees. Le Taillay chair lift on the other side starts off very open and easy before gradually entering the tree-line.
Bruson ski area is a lovely little tree-lined ski area situated opposite Verbier in the Val de Bagnes. Bruson can be easily reached via 2 gondolas from Verbier which take you down in the valley to Le Châble and then up to the ski area. The skiable vertical on the pistes is around 620m (1600m to 2220m), so It’s well worth the effort, especially if the weather up in Verbier is bad. If the snow level is good, ski routes here reach into valley all the way to Le Chable.
The Mont Fort sector of the 4 Vallees ski area offers the largest array of easily reached advanced and expert terrain of any ski resort in the Alps. When combined with the Verbier sectors Mt Gelé and Tortin itineraries, the possibilities are simply vast. The Mont Fort sector can either be accessed via La Chaux from Verbier or via Tortin from either Verbier or Nendaz and then taking the Mont Fort tram from Col des Gentianes tram to an altitude of 3,330m. Let rip from there, but it is very popular and can get seriously bumped on the main line.
Verbier Ski Passes
The 4 Vallees ski areas (Verbier, Nendaz, Veysonnaz, La Tzoumaz, Savoleyres, Thyon and Bruson) offer quite distinct and different types of terrain of varied difficulty and varied lift pass options!
See the 4 Vallèes ski trail map.
Local lift passes can be purchased for a cheaper price for Bruson, La Tzoumaz/Savoleyres and Verbier (which includes Bruson and La Tzoumaz/Savoleyres). Nendaz, Thyon and Veysonnaz are covered by the Printze lift pass. All lift passes are significantly cheaper if pre-purchased online.
The Verbier and Printze lift passes does not include the top three cable cars including Mont Fort. The 4 Vallees lift pass is the only one that includes all lifts.
See the 4 Vallèes lift pass validity area map.
A 6-day+ Mont Blanc Unlimited (MBU) pass (which gives access to the resorts of Chamonix in France & Courmayeur in the Aosta Valley Italy) also allows one day a week at Verbier for a 50% price reduction (plus a 5CHF local card cost!!). The price & conditions associated with the MBU pass in Verbier, and the distances between the three areas, mean it is of very little value. If looking to ski Verbier, just purchase local lift passes.
Verbier Snowpark
The world class Verbier Snowpark is situated in La Chaux above 2260m with a sunny south facing aspect and associated ‘big air’ views towards the Grand Combin. The park is accessed via a modern combi gondola/chairlift, the Chaux Express. The Verbier Snowpark is the venue for loads of Big Air competitions. It is full of jumps and rails plus even a giant airbag to cushion your fall when you go for big air.…. and you don’t quite make it. Ouch!
Freeride in Verbier
Verbier is all about the off-piste freeride, but it can be hard to get ahead of the pack on a powder day, particularly if just visiting for a short period & your knowledge of the mountain is lacking. We recommend getting a guide or off-piste instructor (even if just for half a day) to get to know the complex terrain & find the freshest lines. See our Verbier Ski Lessons & Guiding page for more options.
Heli Skiing Verbier
The mountains around Verbier have numerous ski descents of over 2000m vertical and are perfect for heli skiing. Heliski operators fly directly from Verbier to ski spectacular mountains including 3670m Petit Combin and the 3,800m Pigne d’Arolla.
