Everyone has a different idea of what they want from a Snowboarding holiday. If you’re going to spend your hard earned cash and accumulated holiday time, you want it to be an awesome holiday experience.
With an abundance of pistes, totalling 56, and the longest being 15km long you can see why Verbier is a world renowned luxury resort. Throw in some epic snow and a crew to shred with, and you’re half way to heaven. From perfect groomers, a freshly shaped terrain park and world quality off-piste terrain, its difficult to see why Verbier doesn’t make all top 10 snowboard resort lists. It’s an absolute undiscovered gem of quality riding that only the few know about.
Here’s why Verbier is probably Europe’s best snowboarding resort.
1. WEATHER
The amazing weather that Verbier offers is second to none. If you want sunny and warm conditions then this resort delivers. The town and a number of slopes are south facing so sunshine is not a problem to find. Perfect for some softer snow on a cold morning or for aprés beers after a long day of shredding.
2. ENDLESS SNOW
If fresh snow is what you desire then the slopes around Verbier have this covered. With lifts going up to 3300m, there is no problem finding fresh snow. Verbier town is situated at 1500m, giving a total vertical descent from the top lift to town of 1830m. If you are unsure of where to go and find untouched freshies, why not get a backcountry day. You might even pick up a tip or two.
3. LIFT NETWORK
A good lift is essential, and a network of lifts is even better. Verbier has 150km of pistes divided into roughly 45% easy, 45% intermediate and 10% advanced slopes. Verbier has an enormous ride area when joined with Nendaz,(links?)Veysonnaz, La Tzoumaz, Thyon and Val de Bagnes to create the 4Vallees. 94 lifts and over 400km of pistes all on one pass. It’s hard to see why Verbier is the most underrated for snowboarding in Europe.
4. FRESH, UNTRACKED SNOW
The off piste terrain is so incredible they hold the final of the Freeride World Tour here! Verbier is a freeride mecca and has been known as Switzerland’s version of Chamonix, with its high peaks and endless backcountry.
5. A BIT OF A CHALLENGE
If you are looking for a challenge then look no further. Verbier has a number of marked and controlled off piste routes for the more advanced rider. If you’re looking for a variety of terrain within one resort, Verbier’s itineraries has it covered.
6. SNOW PARK
Verbier hasn’t had the best reputation for its terrain park in the past, but over the last few years even more money has been put into improve the jumps, boxes and rails. There are many new features each year and the freestyle area continues to advance leaps and bounds.
Here are the stats that are changing Verbier’s freestyle image. Located at 2250m, the La Chaux snowpark delivers guaranteed snow and sunshine. The park is suitable for all levels and is maintained daily. The park includes 2 starts, 5 lines, 1 airbag and a boarder cross race track.
Features include:
Green line (woops)
Blue line consisting of 3 kickers and boxes for beginners.
Red line consisting of 3 kickers and 9 rails.
Pro/black line consisting of 2 kickers and 5 rails.
7. APRÉS SKI
Verbier has an endless amount of places to party after a long (or not so long) day on the hill. Up the mountain you’ll find Chalet Carlsberg, Bar 1936 and IceCube to name a few, with live music and DJs. To end a long day with a sunset then Le Rouge (Café del Mar Ibiza vibe) is the place to go, and you can ride right to the door.
If you prefer to sing and dance your heart out then in the centre of town you will find the Farinet Aprés Ski bar. This place will blow your aprés expectations into the next universe. Live bands perform every day of the season with a new band every week. Verbier has 4 night clubs, so partying on until the early hours is possible no matter what your taste. If you are looking to party hard Verbier has got what you need.
8. LOCAL SNOWBOARD SHOPS
There are plenty of local ski and snowboard shops. If anything goes wrong, there is always a shop on hand with stock to cover all eventualities, so you can get back to riding as soon as possible.
If you want to talk about progressing your snowboarding in Verbier, get in touch!
If you still don’t believe us then Verbier’s British ambassador and BBC snowboard correspondent Ed Leigh will show you. He loves the snowboarding in Verbier so much he moved here with his family!
By Matt Spragg at es-ride.com