The famous #Verbier sign with panoramic views across the Swiss Alp
Things to Do in Verbier (If Skiing Isn’t Your Thing)
Verbier is world famous for its skiing. Big mountains, legendary off piste and long lazy lunches on sunny terraces are what most people come for. But what happens if skiing is not really your thing, or you simply fancy a day off the slopes?
Fortunately Verbier has far more going on than just sliding down mountains.
You can launch yourself off a peak on a paraglider, wander through snowy forests on snowshoes, hurtle down the Mont Fort zipline at motorway speeds, or go sledging for 10 km through the trees. If that all sounds like too much effort, there are art galleries, cookery classes, creative workshops and plenty of designer shopping to keep you entertained.
And if you have skied a little too enthusiastically, there are also osteopaths and skin clinics ready to help repair the damage.
So if you find yourself in Verbier looking for something different to do, here are a few ideas to spice up your mountain holiday.
Paragliding in Verbier
If you are looking for an adrenaline hit away from the ski slopes, paragliding is hard to beat. Instead of skiing down the mountain, you simply run off the side of one, safely attached to a professional pilot, and glide through the air beneath what appears to be a very optimistic amount of fabric and string.
Slightly mad perhaps, but an incredible way to see Verbier.
There are several operators in resort, but the real gurus are Mike and Stuart Belbas, known locally as “The Twins”, from Verbier Summits. They have decades of experience flying in the Val de Bagnes and offer tandem flights ranging from calm scenic glides to something a little more lively if you are chasing a thrill.
Most flights launch from Les Ruinettes and float down to Le Châble, taking around 45 minutes in total. When the thermals are working you can even climb high above the mountains and land back where you started, sometimes buzzing the terrace at Le Mouton Noir on the way past.
No experience required. Just a short run at take off and a willingness to step off a perfectly good mountain.
Snowshoeing Around Verbier
If you want to explore the mountains without skis, snowshoeing is one of the best ways to do it.
With a pair of snowshoes you can wander across deep snow surprisingly easily, opening up quiet winter trails and some fantastic views that most skiers never see. It is a slower way to experience the mountains, but often a more peaceful one.
You can head out independently if you have the gear, but going with a guide is often the best option. Companies like Cherries Walks run guided snowshoe tours around the valley and usually provide the snowshoes as part of the trip.
Expect to pay somewhere between CHF 50 and CHF 150 depending on the length of the outing.
Tobogganing in Verbier
If skiing feels like too much effort but you still want some fun in the snow, sledging is hard to beat.
The best run in the area is the La Tzoumaz to Savoleyres toboggan track. At roughly 10 km long it is one of the longest sledging runs in the region. The route winds down through forests and open slopes and can get surprisingly quick when conditions are good.
Sledges can easily be rented in resort and the basic technique is simple. Sit down, point downhill and hope for the best.
That said, make sure you keep hold of your sledge. Watching it shoot off down the mountain without you is surprisingly easy to do, and chasing it rarely ends well.
Mont Fort Zipline
If skiing still is not fast enough, the Mont Fort zipline should do the trick.
Starting at the top of Mont Fort at 3,330 metres, this is one of the highest ziplines in the Alps. Once clipped in you launch off the ridge and race down a 1.4 km cable above the Tortin glacier at speeds of over 100 km per hour.
It feels a bit like flying, with the Mont Fort black run somewhere far below your feet and huge views across the entire Verbier ski area.
The ride only lasts a minute or two, but the adrenaline hit is pretty memorable.
Fast, slightly terrifying and enormous fun.
Ice Skating at Champex-Lac
For something a little more relaxed, a trip to Champex-Lac is well worth it.
About 45 minutes down the valley from Verbier, this small alpine village looks like it has come straight out of a postcard. In colder periods the lake freezes over and turns into a natural ice rink.
Instead of skating around a crowded indoor arena, you glide across a frozen alpine lake surrounded by forests and mountains.
You can rent skates in the village and there are cafés nearby for hot chocolate or fondue afterwards. Simple but magical.
Get Creative at Kiki’s Creative Space
Verbier is not all adrenaline and ski boots. Sometimes it is nice to slow things down and try something completely different.
Kiki’s Creative Space is a welcoming studio in Verbier where you can switch off from the mountain madness and get creative for a few hours. Kiki runs art workshops ranging from painting and drawing to seasonal craft sessions for both adults and children.
You do not need to be particularly artistic. The whole point is simply to enjoy the process and try something new.
It is also a perfect option if the weather refuses to cooperate for a day on the mountain.
Cookery Classes with Mountain Thyme
All that fresh mountain air tends to build up an appetite. If you feel like learning a few new tricks in the kitchen, Cat at Mountain Thyme runs relaxed and friendly cookery classes in Verbier.
Her classes cover everything from simple alpine dishes to impressive dinner party favourites. The atmosphere is informal and sociable. You cook together, pick up a few useful tips and then sit down to enjoy the results.
Not a bad way to spend an evening in the Alps.
Shopping in Verbier
If skiing, sledging and flying off mountains all sounds like too much effort, Verbier offers another perfectly acceptable activity. Shopping.
For a small village, Verbier has an impressive collection of high end boutiques. Brands such as Moncler, Perfect Moment and Fusalp are easy to find, alongside luxury watch shops and the Omega boutique in the centre of town.
Fashion lovers will also find Zadig & Voltaire and shops like Zero Verbier, which stock brands including Stone Island and other premium labels.
There are also plenty of cashmere and knitwear boutiques, perfect for cold alpine evenings.
You may arrive intending to buy nothing more than a lift pass, but it is surprisingly easy to leave with a designer jacket and a significantly lighter wallet.
Osteopath in Verbier
If a few big ski days or an enthusiastic tumble has left your body feeling slightly out of alignment, it might be time to visit an osteopath.
Skiing has a habit of twisting the body into positions it was probably never designed for. A good osteopath can help loosen tight muscles and get you moving properly again.
Think of it as essential maintenance for the body.
Skin Fix After Too Much Alpine Sun
The alpine sun can be deceptively strong. A couple of bluebird days and a few terrace lunches can leave your face looking rather more sun kissed than intended.
If the mountains have been generous with the UV, Evolys in Martigny offers specialist dermatology and aesthetic treatments including laser skin care.
Sometimes a little professional repair work is required after a week in the Alps.
And Finally
Of course this is only a small sample of what Verbier has to offer. The village has far more going on than just skiing, even though that remains the main event.
Whether you fancy flying off a mountain, wandering through snowy forests, learning to cook, getting creative, shopping for something outrageously expensive, or simply fixing the damage after a few enthusiastic ski days, there is plenty to keep you entertained.
And if you happen to fall completely in love with the place and feel slightly tempted to stay, Verbier is not a bad spot to buy a chalet either. If you are thinking about finding your own mountain hideaway, let me know and I can point you towards some excellent local property agents.
Alternatively, if you have done rather well for yourself and are simply looking for somewhere respectable to stash the cash, Switzerland is not exactly short of private banks who would be delighted to help with that too.
If you’ve made it this far and still haven’t found quite the adventure you’re after, maybe it’s time to ski. Join Verbier Ski Instructor Roddy Willis for Verbier ski lessons and discover the mountains with a local who knows them inside out.