Winter arrives in November with the early snowfall. Verbier is usually the first resort to open in the Four Valleys and, depending on conditions, the lifts will open each weekend. The ski area around Verbier is divided into four sectors which include Medran, Savoleyres, Mont Fort (highest point at 3330m) and Bruson. A Four Valleys Lift Pass gives access to the entire Four Valleys ski area of more than 412km, including 8 ski resorts and 205 individual pistes, served by 92 ski lifts. An alternative less expensive option is the Verbier ski pass, which gives access to the Verbier sector only, which includes 33 ski runs, 2 snowparks, a snow garden for beginners, four cross country pistes and two snow walking areas. There are also numerous ski options from Verbier and in the surrounding valleys for ski touring, off piste advanced or extreme ski itineraries and cross country skiing.

December

Early in December, the lifts are gradually opened over more of the mountains and from mid December, Verbier & the Four Valleys are busy with visitors and locals eager to embrace the many Winter activities available and the increasingly active nightlife. New Year is a highlight in the Verbier calendar and midnight in Place Centrale in the heart of the village is always enjoyed by thousands of visitors who choose Verbier as their number one destination. Bars such as Le Rouge, Farinet, and the Fer-a-cheval are very popular, and reservations at village restaurants are essential at this time of year.

January and February

January and February are typically when the most snow falls in the Four Valleys, and the conditions are often world class with fresh powder over well groomed mountain pistes or on many of the mountain trails and off piste bowls that are on offer. Verbier is well known for its off-piste and itinerary runs, which are famous amongst extreme and advanced skiers, such as Tortin, Gentianes, Mont Fort, Vallon Darbe, Plan du Fou, to name a few. Ski itineraries can be steep, bumpy and require technical expertise, and Verbier has a great selection of local mountain guides to ensure safety on this more challenging terrain. For piste skiers, there are a number of ski schools who can organise lessons or guiding.

March and the Extreme Freeride World Tour Final

In March each year, one of Verbier’s most infamous mountains, the Bec de Rosses becomes home to the final tournament of the Extreme Freeride World Tour, when the World’s best extreme skiers compete for the world title by skiing from the summit at 3,223 metres! This is truly amazing to watch!

The snow continues in March when the daytime temperatures can be pleasantly high with many sunny days and blue skies.

April and the Patrouille des Glaciers (PDG)

Whilst April is officially the last month of the Winter season, it is full of festivities in resort and there is plenty of opportunity to enjoy al fresco dining on warm terraces and take off the thicker Winter clothes. There are a wide selection of restaurants with sun terraces in Verbier, including Dahu, La Marlenaz, Chez Dany and La Marmotte.

Every 2 years, in late April, the hardest mountain race in the world runs from Zermatt (or Arolla) to finish in Verbier. The Patrouille des Glaciers (PDG) is an international ski mountaineering race organised by the Swiss Armed Forces in which military and civilian teams compete. The very long race distance, the extreme route profile, the high altitude and the difficult alpine terrain with glaciers and couloir climbs are the main features of this unique competition. The race from Zermatt covers 53km direct with over 110km power km, and an altitude difference of +3,994 metres, -4,090 metres, through the night. This is an amazing race to watch from Mont Fort where the race teams can be seen like a snake stretching all the way across the Alps to Verbier.

Great Variety

Whether you choose to ski or snowboard, Heli-Ski, snow shoe, paraglide or ice climb, Verbier will never fail to provide a great fun for all experience which is why visitors keep coming back for more.

Check out our Activities and Culture section for ideas of all the many events and things to do in Verbier.