Learn About the Village of Verbier

In southwestern Switzerland the village of Verbier is one of the many located throughout the Swiss Alps. At first glance it might be mistaken for just another sleepy village, but as most ski enthusiasts know full well – there is much more to this village than meets the eye.

Getting to Verbier

There are really only two options to get to Verbier: Train or road. With only one access road leading to the village from Le Chable, all travel to the village generally goes through it. Even when taking a train, travelers will need to get off at the Le Chable stop and then opt to either take the bus, drive, or use a cable car to get to Verbier.

Driving to Verbier from Geneva itself (the location of the nearest international airport) generally takes 2 hours.

Premiere Off-Piste Ski Location

The claim to fame that the village of Verbier has is that it is well regarded as one of the world’s premiere off-piste ski locations. In other words, this is where top skiers from around the world converge for backcountry skiing on unmarked slopes that have not been groomed.

As a result of this, it should come as no surprise that much of the activity in Verbier centers on the ski slopes, ski resorts, ski schools, and the tourism that they bring in. Hotels, chalets, and other accommodation options are abundant, as are ski shops and ski rental outlets.

Although many advanced and experienced ski enthusiasts frequent this area, there are numerous schools and independent trainers that focus on providing people of all levels of experience with the tutelage and guidance that they may need.

When the Snow Melts

Being in the Alps the truth is that there are parts of Verbier’s slopes where the snow never really melts, but that being said the climate during summer encourages various other activities apart from skiing.

Primarily the summer activities in this area are hiking and mountain biking through the 400 kilometers or so of trails through the mountains. Other activities such as climbing, paragliding, golf, tennis, and so on are also available in certain parts of Verbier.

Population of Verbier

Being a tourist destination and a fairly small village otherwise, the bulk of the population in Verbier is made up of tourists who come for the winter and summer activities. There are a fair number of British in Verbier and quite a few actually own lodges in the area.

Verbier also has a sizable German and Scandinavian populace.

All said and done, this village in the Alps really is picturesque and quiet – but during the holiday season it can busy up a little as people head to the slopes in droves. Still, due to the large number of slopes and vast expanse of country surrounding Verbier you’re never going to find that it is too packed with tourists and other visitors as most tend to be quite spread out.

If you like skiing and want a great getaway – Verbier should definitely be at the top of your list of destinations.