Verbier facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Verbier
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| Country | Switzerland |
| Canton | Valais |
| District | Entremont |
| Municipality | Val de Bagnes |
| Elevation | 1,500 m (4,900 ft) |
| Highest elevation
(Bec des Rosses)
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3,222 m (10,571 ft) |
| Population
(July 2020)
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| • Total | 2,901 |
| Postal code |
1936
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Verbier is a beautiful village found in the southwestern part of Switzerland. It is located in the Valais region. Verbier is a famous holiday spot and a ski area in the amazing Swiss Alps. It is known as one of the best places in the world for skiing off-piste, which means skiing outside of marked trails. Some parts of Verbier are covered in snow all year round! Many skiers love Verbier because of its steep slopes, different snow conditions, and fun resort atmosphere.
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Where is Verbier Located?
Verbier is part of the Val de Bagnes area in the Swiss region of Valais. The village sits on a sunny hillside that faces south. It is about 1,500 meters (around 4,900 feet) above sea level. From here, you can see the huge Grand Combin mountains. This hillside is on the eastern side of the Val de Bagnes, which is a valley south of Martigny.
In 2006, Verbier had 2,767 people living there all the time. But during the winter, when skiing is popular, the number of people can grow to 35,000! Many people from Scandinavia and Great Britain also live in Verbier.
Learning in Verbier
Verbier has public schools for children up to high school age. After that, students travel down into the valley for their studies. In 2010, a private international school called Verbier International School (originally St. George's) opened its doors. Another new school, Copperfield Verbier, also opened in 2021.
A Look Back at Verbier's History
Verbier has been a popular mountain resort for visitors from European countries since the early 1900s. During World War I, fewer tourists came, which made things difficult for the local businesses. From 1916 to 1918, Verbier and other mountain resorts helped by housing soldiers from Germany, France, and Britain who needed medical care.
How to Get to Verbier
You can reach Verbier by road or by train. From the town of Martigny, a special train called the Saint-Bernard Express goes to Le Châble VS. From Le Châble, you can take a cable car or a bus up to Verbier. Martigny is about a 1 hour and 45 minute train ride from Geneva. It's only a 20-minute ride from Sion using the Swiss Federal Railways.
Verbier has just one main road that starts in Le Châble. From Sembrancher (which is close to Le Châble), one road leads to the Great St. Bernard Pass, and another goes to Martigny or the Col de la Forclaz. Driving from Geneva to Verbier takes about 2 hours. It's about 1 hour from Chamonix and 1 hour from Aosta.
The closest international airport is Geneva Airport. During the winter ski season, you can find minibus services that take you directly from the airport to Verbier. Once you are in Verbier, the village is small enough to walk around easily. There are also free buses that run regularly throughout the day.
Skiing in Verbier
Verbier's ski area goes from 1,500 meters (where the village is) all the way up to 3,330 meters (at Mont Fort). From Mont Fort, you can see an amazing view of the Alps, including famous peaks like the Matterhorn, Dom, Dent Blanche, Dent d'Hérens, Grand Combin, and the Mont Blanc mountains.
Verbier is part of a larger ski area called the "Four Valleys" ("4 Vallées"). This area includes other ski resorts like Nendaz, Veysonnaz, La Tzoumaz, and Thyon. Together, they claim to have 410 km (about 255 miles) of marked ski runs. However, some experts say the actual length of marked runs is closer to 164 km (about 102 miles).
The ski area is split into four main parts: Medran, Les Savoleyres, Mont Fort, and Bruson. Verbier is the western part of the 4 Valleys ski area. If you have a 4 Valleys pass, you can ski all the way from Verbier to La Tzoumaz, Nendaz, Veysonnaz, Les Masses, Thyon, and then back again.
The Verbier section of the 4 Valleys has modern ski lifts. In Verbier alone, there are 35 lifts within the Verbier, Savoleyeres/La Tzoumaz, and Bruson areas. A standard Verbier pass lets you use all these lifts and access 33 regular ski runs. There are also two snowparks, a "Jardin de Neige" (a gentle area for young children learning to ski), four cross-country ski trails, and two walking paths.
Off-Piste Skiing in Verbier
Verbier is very famous for its off-piste and itinerary runs. These are ski routes that are not groomed or marked like regular pistes. Some popular off-piste areas include the bumpy mogul fields of Tortin, Gentianes, Mont Fort, and Plan du Fou. More challenging routes are Vallon D'Arbi and Mont Gelé, which are often closed for safety.
Other well-known off-piste runs include the Backside of Mont Fort, Bec des Etagnes, Stairway to Heaven, Highway, and Marlenaz. There's also the very challenging Bec des Rosses, which hosts the finals of the Freeride World Tour every year.
It's important to know that off-piste skiing can be dangerous. Risks include avalanches, hidden obstacles, deep cracks in the snow (crevices), and very steep slopes. Sadly, there have been accidents, including fatalities, in these areas. Always be careful and consider hiring a guide if you go off-piste.
Verbier is one of the few resorts with a mountain (Mont Gelé) that has no marked ski runs coming down it. Sometimes, if there's enough snow, you can ski 700 vertical meters from Verbier (1,500 m) down to Le Châble (800 m) in the valley. However, this route can have obstacles like fallen trees. A better option is the off-piste run from Col des Gentiannes (2,950 m) down to Le Châble. Always check snow conditions and avalanche risk before trying this. Some trails from Col des Gentiannes to Le Châble can lead to dangerous cliffs, so it's vital to know the area well.
For those who love adventure, heli-skiing is also available. The closest landing spots for heli-skiing are Rosablanche, Petit Combin, and Trient Glacier. Verbier is also a stop on the famous Haute Route, a long ski tour from Chamonix to Zermatt.
Ski and Snowboard Lessons
Verbier has many ski and snowboard schools. They offer private lessons, group lessons, and special training. You can also find mountain-guide companies and independent guides. Some of the schools include Performance Verbier, Alpinemojo Ski and Snowboard School, La Fantastique, Altitude Ski and Snowboard School, New Generation Ski School, European Snowsport, and the Swiss Ski School.
Summer Skiing in Verbier
In 1983, two T-bar lifts were put on the glacier, allowing people to ski all year round. These lifts took about 7 and a half minutes to ride and could carry 2,400 people per hour. Summer skiing stopped in July 1999.
In April 2012, a website played an April fools joke, saying that Verbier would reopen for summer skiing in June. However, due to unusual weather, Verbier actually did offer skiing on July 13 and 14, 2013. About 1,630 people came to ski that summer!
Verbier in the Summer
In the summer, Verbier offers 400 km (about 250 miles) of hiking trails. Hikers can explore the mountains and might even spot animals like chamois and ibex. Some parts of the mountains stay snowy all year. There are also 200 km (about 124 miles) of mountain bike trails.
Other fun summer activities include climbing, paragliding, swimming, golf, badminton, and even ice karting. You can also take trips on the mountain railways to see the area. Every summer, Verbier hosts the Verbier Festival, a seventeen-day music festival started by Martin Engström.
Who Visits Verbier?
Verbier is a popular holiday spot for famous people and even royalty! Members of the British Royal Family, like Prince William and Princess Catherine, and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, have visited. Sarah, Duchess of York and her daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, also come here.
Other famous visitors include singer James Blunt, Diana Ross, and businessman Richard Branson. The Swedish royal family and the Belgian royal family also enjoy Verbier. While many British visitors come, Verbier also welcomes people from Germany, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, Italy, Belgium, France, Austria, the United States, and South Africa.
Exciting Events in Verbier
Verbier hosts many exciting events throughout the year:
- The Xtreme Verbier: This is the most important extreme skiing and snowboarding competition. It's the final event of the FWT.
- The XSpeedski: A fast-paced ski race that is part of the FIS World Championship.
- The Patrouille des Glaciers: A challenging ski mountaineering race held every two years at the end of the ski season.
- The Verbier Festival: A highly praised international music festival.
- The Grand Raid Cristalp: A tough Mountain bike race from Verbier to Grimentz.
- The Grand Concours Hippique: A horse show that includes important show jumping competitions.
- Exercise White Knight: The British Army's downhill ski championships and training camp, held since 1983.
- Polaris Festival: An Electronic Music Festival.
Past Cycling Events
Verbier has also been a stage for major cycling races:
- Stage 8 of the 2005 Tour de Suisse was won by Pablo Lastras.
- Stage 6 of the 2008 Tour de Suisse was won by Kim Kirchen.
- Stage 15 of the 2009 Tour de France was won by Alberto Contador.
- Stage 8 of the 2014 Tour de Suisse was won by Esteban Chaves.
Images for kids
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A beautiful view of Verbier.
See also
In Spanish: Verbier para niños
