INSIGHT #1 – Even if you’ve never been on a two-family holiday, consider asking a family of like-minded friends to join you.  If the kids get on together and you enjoy the adult company then this can be a great mix.

I got my first lesson in the complexity of the self-catered multi-family holiday before we left home.  As we ran around hastily shoving the last few items in the food box, with no idea if we had the makings of at least one meal for eight or not, I started to understand why so many groups plan a long time in advance.  I’ve often been bemused by clients contacting me up six weeks in advance to ask what dimensions of baking trays would be available in their chalet or whether there was a soup-mixer.  Now I realised that this is simply the sign of an organised, experienced holidaymaker and that I was hopelessly outclassed.

INSIGHT #2 – Plan at least the first few meals in advance, and make sure you have the relevant spices, herbs and oils.  You can expect the previous clients to have left behind some salt, pepper and random condiments, but if you really need Piri-Piri sauce or extra virgin olive oil, then take it with you.  Don’t forget the basics like butter, milk and coffee/tea, along with paper towels, dishwasher tablets, a few bin bags, sandwich bags and hand soap as these are not normally provided.

Given the late time that we were scheduled to arrive, I had cleverly pre-cooked the dinner for our arrival.  As such, I found myself sitting in the passenger seat of our overstuffed car with a big cooking pot of chilli between my feet and a bag of raincoats on my lap while the children bounced all over the back seats in excitement.

Our next good idea for the trip was to meet the other family at the village playground when we arrived.  The trampoline, table tennis, swings and slides acted like a huge sponge as the boys kept feeding them more and more energy.  When the others arrived, we got to have a quick hug and catch up whilst the kids all tried to show off their latest gymnastic and judo moves to us and to each other.

INSIGHT #3 – Plan somewhere to meet so you can all arrive at the chalet together, either a playground or a handy café.  The first family to arrive can visit the agency to check in and get the keys, along with a host of local and tourist information.

We had chosen the fabulous Chalet Chaupine for our holiday and as we drove up the winding road everyone was peering out of the car windows in anticipation to try and get the first glimpse of where we were going call home for the duration of our trip.

“Wow!” came the first call, as a large black, three-storey chalet came into sight.  It was raised up from the side of the road into a prominent position and set in a wonderful, varied-level garden area.  Before I had time to cut the engine, the kids had bolted out of the car to run around exploring.  “Coo-eee!” came a small voice from the upstairs balcony.  “Coooooool! I found a tree-house!” came another from the wild meadow area up level with the top floor.  I breathed a sigh of relief, safe in the knowledge that happy, excited children were virtually all that we needed for an excellent holiday, and this place seemed to ooze adventure and discovery.

INSIGHT #4 – Make the most of the outdoors.  The change of environment makes it very easy to set the expectation that there will be no screens or computer games during the holiday, and children will enjoy the freedom and creativity that comes with unstructured time outside.

As the heavy wooden door swung open we were hit by the wondrous smell of larch wood.  “Shoes off right now please!” I wailed helplessly after the children as they ran through the entrance area like a charging herd of buffalo.  It was a well thought-out space, with plenty of hooks and shelf space with a long bench running the whole length through.  There was even a second row of hooks at child height, which was sadly ignored by the boys as they threw their jackets on the floor and sprinted into the chalet.

I soon learned that there are three phases to moving into a chalet.  The first part is one of Exploration and Decisions.  We had already had a pre-discussion on who would be sleeping where and why. Paying no attention to such boring logic, the kids ran straight into the room with four bunk beds and decided to make camp.  The adults went more methodically through each floor, looking into all the rooms and figuring out which room they wanted to negotiate for.  Thankfully, they were all great options with plenty of storage space and access to good-sized bathrooms.  The downstairs rooms had wooden beams running across the ceiling, access to the lower level garden and either a fabulous view across the valley or a promise of morning sunrise over the distant mountain peaks.  The two upstairs had a charm of their own as they were set into the exposed rafters.  Although we all secretly understood that we were not actually intending to use it, we were all excited at the prospect of there being a sauna in the chalet.

The second phase of moving in is the Grand Unpacking.  The kitchen was large, modern and well-stocked.  We pulled open cupboard after cupboard to discover pots, pans, raclette machines, fondue sets, mixing and baking kit, more glasses, bowls and mugs than we could hope to use and even a champagne bucket.  I loved the huge double fridge with its multitude of large vegetable drawers and its ice-machine. The fact that the kitchen was so well-stocked presented the first challenge.  Each family had brought supplies.  Where was there an empty cupboard tall enough to store enough breakfast cereal for a horde of eight hungry holidaymakers?  The next challenge was trying to get the hob to work, before realising that my precious pan of homemade chilli was not actually compatible with the induction hob.

The final phase is setting up the Moment of Calm.  Once the children had been fed, bathed, storied and put to bed with promises of a holiday jam-packed with adventure, the chalet took on a calm, serene feel.  Within minutes, the fire was lit, the wine was poured and the adults collectively took a deep sigh of relaxation. Snuggled up on the deep, comfy sofas, with music drifting from the stereo dock we let go of all the daily stresses and strains and allowed ourselves to be enveloped by the magic of the mountains.

INSIGHT #5 – Don’t forget that you are on holiday as well as the children!  If you keep the days full of adventure and activity, then there won’t be any complaints about being sent to bed at a reasonable time to allow you some adult time.

Daytimes were filled with an array of adventures and activities. A small amount of research had allowed us to sign up for the Trail de la Pierre Avoi, a heavyweight trail running race that climbs a dizzying 2000m from the valley floor to the top of the highest rocky outcrop and back through La Tzoumaz to return to the host village of Saxon, a punishing 36km later.  Thankfully there was a 1km children’s race so we didn’t have to sign up for the Trail itself.  All participants were awarded a commemorative trophy and a barbecue ticket so that took care of lunch as we applauded each muddy, exhausted and exhilarated finisher as they sprinted or limped home after five or six or more hours of racing.

A short drive from La Tzoumaz is the Parc des Iles, a fabulous green space with a large lake, playground with miniature steam train, and plenty of other attractions.  There are trampolines with elastic harnesses, a climbing wall, mini golf and a high-rope park with 160 features, some of which are accessible to children from age 4.  When we were there, there was a paddle-boarding open day on the lake with have-a-go lessons and wacky races. There was also a life-sized model dinosaur exhibition amongst the trees with a quiz for the children.

INSIGHT #6 – Look online before you travel to see what events are organised in the area.  Often there are more things scheduled over the weekend, which can leave you a bit stuck for ideas on a weekday.  If you arrive on a Friday or Saturday list a few options for the first day or two, and save the lazy days in and around the chalet for the quieter weekdays.

A visit to Saillon took in this historic walled town perched on an island of rocks near the valley floor, with its steep and curving streets and tower perched on top.  There is a Museum of Counterfeit Money and an easy walk up to the castle tower, which is open for climbing up the spiral staircase to admire the incredible views from the top.  From here you can clearly see up and down the length of the wide and glaciated Rhone Valley, with the tiny cars crawling along the bottom, and the rocks of the Pierre Avoi towering overhead. It was a rainy morning for us so we were privileged by a host of large snails clinging halfway up the grass stalks, and small fluffs of clouds clinging halfway up the huge mountainsides.  On another day, we planned to visit the thermal baths at Bains de Saillon with their indoor and outdoor pools, hot swimming stream and range of saunas and plunge pools.

There are hiking trails criss-crossing the mountainside, labelled with a liberal sprinkling of the ubiquitous yellow signposts that are almost a trademark of Switzerland.  Many lead steeply up to fantastic peaks marked with crosses or cairns, or to beautiful cols where the mountain range spans away from you on all sides.  The celebrated footpaths that follow the “bisses” make perfect family hiking routes as they follow the ancient streams that were channelled in a gentle incline around the mountains.  With very little encouragement, the children discovered a veritable treasure trail of fascinating birds, insects, plants and creepy crawlies.

INSIGHT #7 – There’s hours of fun to be had out on the mountain footpaths and trails.  Pick up a map from the local tourist office and ask them if they have a Treasure Hunt or quiz or themed trail with animal sculptures.  Then put a picnic in your backpack and get out there, keeping an eye out for interesting flora and fauna to keep excitement levels up.

The traditional “Inalpe” at Balavaud took us right into the local culture.  After twenty minutes’ drive up an impossibly narrow and winding forest road we arrived at the fabulous Chalet des Alpes restaurant, set in a tiny hamlet with a backdrop of traditional wooden chalets on stilts and an operational chairlift.  We had turned up too late to see the moment the huge and muscular black Herens cows were released as they arrived for the first time in the pastureland.  Each year they naturally go through a fighting process to define the hierarchy for the herd, with each pair locking horns and pushing until one gives way to cede her place in the hierarchy.  The local villagers have long made a festival out of this occasion, and we were delighted to find a marquee complete with hot cheese raclette being scraped onto plates with special miniature potatoes and paired with cornichons and silverskin onions.  This was being washed down with plenty of local Fendant wine as the delightful notes of an alphorn trio drifted through the air.  A handful of delighted tourists mingled with the assorted locals and weather-beaten farmers who spoke in thick Valaisan accents.  Everyone was in high spirits and looking forward to the late afternoon finals, where the cows would again be brought out for the final stages of the tournament that lead up to the final knockout round to identify which one will be crowned Queen. Each cow wore a number and a handy brochure told us the stage name of each cow so that we could pick our favourites.

The area is famous for much more than fighting cows, and every available inch of land seems to be cultivated for wine-growing or fruit production.  The landscape is smothered with row upon row of neatly-arranged vines and blooming apricot trees.  Strawberries and asparagus were in season so we called into one of the many local farm-shops to savour the freshness of the produce and left with our arms laden with goodies. Along with enough fruit and vegetable to feed the hungry hordes, we also picked up some locally-brewed beers and loads of real fruit juice, along with some Iserables cheese and a perfectly-spiced dried sausage for aperitif.

INSIGHT #8 – There are plenty of handwritten signs at the side of the road showing you where you can pick up fresh fruit and veg, just follow one and see what’s in season.  It may be asparagus season or apricot time when you visit, but you’re guaranteed that freshly-picked flavour and freshness.

Early evenings back at the chalet were filled with lazy barbecues, which had to compete with tree-house adventures, swing-ball tournaments and table-tennis matches, or the children quite simply running around the surrounding pastureland with sticks and butterflies, alpine flowers and the imagination of five-to-nine-year-old group-think.  Randomly clad in socks and shorts, shoes and raincoats, sunhats or t-shirts, it didn’t seem to matter to them.  The blissful freedom and wonder of life in the mountains is such an easy place for the young to step out of their day-to-day world of homework or electronic devices and re-discover creative free-play.  My only regret was forgetting to pack paper towels, as the children were quickly plastered from head-to-toe in chicken marinade.  A beginner’s error.

INSIGHT #9 – Garden games can provide hours of fun for children.  Some chalets have table tennis or boules.  We provide Swingball sets in many of our chalets as it is hilariously good fun and can be adapted to suit all ages – try asking Dad to play on one leg to make it fair for the younger ones!

Late evenings were filled with that gorgeous peacefulness of parents enjoying the well-earned knowledge that the children are sleeping deeply once again.  Conversations moved easily from subject to subject as the evenings moved easily from the long dining table under its impressive two-level stag-antler chandelier to the soft cushions and animal-skin rug of the lounge area.  The open mezzanine area upstairs that served both as a den and a boardgame battleground during the day was transformed into a quiet haven for reading, or sometimes a chilled zone to watch the match without disturbing the rest of the group.  Even the dishwasher seemed to be an ultra-quiet version that didn’t intrude on the evening calm as the lights across the valley slowly winked out, one by one.  There is no light pollution here, so the stars are an amazing sight to behold from the balcony.

INSIGHT #10 – If you have gone for the highly-recommended screen-free holiday option check if there are books, board games, toys or even a deck of cards in the chalet, if not it would be wise to bring a couple to ensure you get that downtime after dark.

It was a shame to leave at the end of our stay, but nobody seemed too sad as everyone was still buzzing from our adventures.  We had spent a lot of quality time together and the two families had smoothly merged into one.  When the family bonds are this tight, it seems that all is right with the world and I smiled contentedly to myself as I drove them back to the real world, already planning our next summer holidays here in the mountains.

Do you have any insights to share?  We’d love to hear them in the comments section below.

Further reading

• Check out our extensive range of chalets in La Tzoumaz to see which one would suit you and your tribe.
• Can’t decide when to visit?  Here’s our month-by-month guide on when to visit.
• Links galore on the family resort of La Tzoumaz and the surrounding area here on our links page.

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Designing the hike

1) Go up!  I don’t know if it’s due to short stride length, inefficiency of motion or reduced body weight, but compared to adults, children seem much better at hiking upwards than hiking along the flat.  We unintentionally proved this one day by selecting a route with 8km of flat followed by 800m of climb.  The 8km of flat took us four hours, the 800m hike upwards took less than two hours.  Lesson for the future: save walking along the flat for the grand-parents.

2) Hike in woods.  When the boys were young, they would walk much better on a woodland path than on an open footpath.  I don’t know why, but perhaps it’s because a path lined with trees demands to be followed?

3) Do a one-way walk.  A great route is to take the route de foret vert from La Tzoumaz around the mountain to Iserables, then take the bus back to La Tzoumaz.  Be warned, the bus only runs every two hours.   www.cff.ch.  Another favourite is hiking from the station in Grenolier through the woods to St Cergue.  The hike would take 2 to 3 hours, and we’d finish with lunch in a cafe before taking the train back down the hill to the car.  

4) Hike to a trampoline, or a bouncy castle.  The croix-de-coeur restaurant between Verbier and La Tzoumaz has a magic trampoline and a bouncy castle outside until the end of October.  We know the trampoline is magic:  we had dragged our five year old on a four hour hike, and every step he told us how tired his legs were.  Within seconds of seeing his brother on the trampoline, the tiredness seemed to magically evaporate!
http://www.buvette-alpage.ch/croix-de-coeur

Having fun on the hike

5) Find some snow in Summer!  Need I say more?  If there are two children of different ages/speeds, the child in front can use a stick to write messages or draw pictures in the snow for the child coming behind.

6) Look for mountain flowers.  Every swiss child has heard of the mysterious edelweiss.  The locals here know where to find them.  If you search for our edelweiss blog you will know too!

7) Dam a stream, or cross it on stepping stones.

8) Listen for birdsong, and look for animals. Cuckoos are fabulous as you can have a conversation with them by imitating their familiar sound, and there is usually at least one to be found somewhere in the forests around La Tzoumaz. Mischievous marmots can often be heard on sunny slopes, always sitting just out of range of whatever photography equipment you’ve bought with you.

Motivating the little ones

9) Start from different places, or at different times, and do a race.  Every time the children walk faster or further the new pace seems to stick, so even just doing this occasionally makes a big difference to the other walks.  And they really enjoy winning.

10) Climb to the top of something and promise to take a silly picture at the top.  It works to motivate adults as well!

And some bonus tips…

1) In Switzerland, the hiking routes are marked differently from mountain trails, which are significantly more dangerous.  The enclosed site gives a good description
http://www.wanderland.ch/en/hiking-trail-network-and-signalization.html

2) Take warm and waterproof clothing, and don’t forget the sunscreen, and a spare pair of socks if you’re going anywhere near water

3) Take non-sugar based snacks, and plenty of water.

4) Remember that being tired is necessary in order to get stronger.  The average time to the first “I’m tired” is normally less than 15 seconds, as is the time to subsequent repetitions.  Short of finding a magic trampoline, I don’t know of a way to stop this.  Patience, tolerance or earplugs are recommended.

This post first appeared as a Guest Blog by Percy Kirkman, on http://www.genevafamilydiaries.net/, a great blog for families in the Geneva area.

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We took our clients on a guided Harley Davidson tour from La Tzoumaz to Sanetsch.  It was a beautiful, sunny day and the scenery was mind-blowing…  the wiggly roads were jam-packed with hairpin bends and long winding corners… just what we were looking for!

See the video here:

Other fantastic routes to try on a motorbike

Here are a few of our other local roads with stunning scenery and nice blacktop:

• From Martigny, Col de La Forclaz, Trient Village and visit the dam at Barrage d’Emosson
• From Sierre ride up to Loèche by the old road and visit the Gemmi or spend the day in the thermal baths there
• From Viège, ride up to Stalden and Moosalp, with super view and super restaurant, perhaps even riding on to Zermatt
• From Gampel, go up towards the Loetschberg and arrive at Goppenstein.  Here take the train (organised for motorbikes, 16 CHF, train leaves every 30 minutes, trip lasts for 15 minutes, see video here: http://bls.ch/e/autoverlad/goppenstein.php) to arrive at Kandersteg.  Visit the Blausee and the Bernese Oberland
• From Brig, head up the Conches Valley to the Rhône Gletscher at the start of the Furka
• From Bex head up to Gryon, Villars et follow the Col de la Croix as far as Les Diablerets

If you’re heading out by bike in the region, give us a call as we’d love to join you on our Fatbob and share our tips and top cafes with you!

With grateful thanks to the Harley Owners Group of Geneva Chapter West Switzerland for showing us so many of the beautiful places to go in the region (and for making our 2013 wedding so memorable!)

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Percy had new boots.  And new skis.  And new skins.  And then he remembered that he had snapped his ski poles at the end of last season, but his hiking poles had no baskets.  Surely this was a recipe for disaster…?  There’s surely not enough snow.  Perhaps when we get to the top there will be more?  We can always walk if it’s too rocky.  And buy new skins if we ruin them.  And get the skis serviced if we wreck the bases.  And do 5 weeks of rehab before Christmas if we injure ourselves…

Enough excuses and we were on the piste, fighting to click into our Dynafit bindings.  Even after 32 years skiing, I find the first ski of the year is always exciting as it feels so unfamiliar after the long summer.  There’s a thrill that rushes through me when I first slide over the snow, hearing it squeak underfoot, trying to remember how to balance.  The skis felt heavy as we pushed them uphill, our legs conditioned to the easy life of summer hiking in light trail shoes.  The clouds that had swirled around us all day were settling into the valley below, looking like a sea of fluff filling the valley, with a delicate sprinkling of city lights here and there.  I chuckled as I thought of all the city people, blanketed below and unaware of the magic above.  The sunlight played on the last few mountain peaks, giving us a stunning display of mountain panorama, then it was gone.  We had head-torches in the rucksack just in case, but we chose to rely on our night vision as dusk overcame us.

Percy was struggling with his new equipment and grumbling about his bindings so we had just about decided to head back down again, when we noticed our shadows in front of us…  Is that the moon?  Is it full??  Wow isn’t it beautiful!!!  The snowy scene came back into view in an almost unearthly light.  The moonlight caught the ice crystals in the snowdrifts, making them sparkle and twinkle in a dizzying manner.  The tree branches glowed eerily, laden with the new snowfall, and struggling to deal with the extra task of shedding the snow along with their autumn needles.  There were one or two tracks from earlier in the day, where winter walkers had passed by, and these were illuminated like the emergency exit lights on an airplane, guiding us ever upwards.

Before long, we were at the summit  of our climb, the Croix-de-Coeur restaurant on the ridge, with its altiport, heli-ski meeting point and its view over both La Tzoumaz and Verbier.  The Verbier side also had a blanket of cloud, but here it glowed orange, tinged with the lights from the densely-packed resort.  There was an icy cold breeze, but it made no sound and we looked around in wonder, each quietly confirming that our move to the mountains a year ago had been an inspired decision.

  We gently peeled off our skins and stowed them in our rucksack, glad to pull out helmets and jackets and gloves, goggles and head-torches from the seemingly tiny daysack we had taken out on our impromptu outing.  Clicking our bindings into “ski” mode and snapping our boots shut in the soft fluffy powder seemed a very strange thing to be doing in early November, a world away from the mountain-bike ride we did up here a mere three days ago.

Heading off down the mountain, I made a mental note to wax my skis before my next outing.  The snow was grabbing at them, begging me to stay at the top, but I pushed on.  My balance was uncertain, my style was not pretty.  The 18-month-old reconstruction work in my right knee complained bitterly at every twist and turn.  We gathered speed as we wound our way down the mountain, often choosing to stick to the smooth snowy roads rather than the unpredictable rocks and shrubs of the wilder terrain.  The moon was still watching over us, and I reflected on how natural the first day back on skis can feel when you are in glorious sunshine on a freshly-groomed resort run.  Here I was on a random Thursday night, laying down the first tracks of the season and I was butchering them!  When you’re skiing on the first snowfall, there is no base layer and the grass pokes through.  We had 6 – 10 inches of fresh powder sprinkled on top of a full autumn regalia of bilberry bushes and azaleas that were red and gold.  Autumn was not yet ready to be finished.  Luckily for my embarrassingly awkward track marks, the locals round here say that when snow falls before the meleze have shed their leaves, it will not stay for long.

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Verbier’s ski area will be open from Friday!

The Lac des Vaux in more than 60cm of fresh snow. !31-10-2018 10:10

The Indian summer is well and truly over and the resort has been decked out in its winter attire for several days now. In fact, the slopes by the Lac des Vaux are blanketed in more than 60cm of fresh snow. Thanks to this snowfall and with the help of some artificial snow cover, we are now able to open our ski area from this Friday, 2 November, under excellent conditions.

We will open the Attelas-Ruinettes sector as soon as the weather allows and our snow machines have created the necessary cover.

Below are the opening times of the ski lifts and pistes which will be open from Friday:

– Le Châble – Verbier cable car from 08:40 to 17:00 (ski area access)
– Verbier – Les Ruinettes cable car from 08:45 to 16:15 (ski area access, pistes closed)
– Funispace from 08:55 to 16:15 (ski area access, pistes closed)
– Lac des Vaux 1 ski lift and the Lac des Vaux ski slope from 09:05 to 16:15

Throughout November, the ski area will be open on weekends (Saturday and Sunday). Daily opening is planned for the beginning of December.

Ticket offices in Médran (Verbier) and Le Châble will be open from this Friday, from 8.30am to 4.30pm (only during ski area opening hours). All information regarding opening times and rates can be found on our website.

Rates:
1 Verbier day: CHF 42.-/adult

http://www.verbier.ch/en/verbier-s-ski-area-will-be-open-from-friday-fp44109.html

Convenient access

It’s only around 50 minutes to drive around the mountain to Le Châble from La Tzoumaz.  In the centre  of the free car park in Le Châble is the telecabin station that was upgraded in 2013 to also include a telecabin heading up the Bruson side that is only open for race training in the pre-season.  The Le Châble-Verbier gondola is open from 8.40 to 16.45.  You can buy a Verbier lift pass at the bottom for the day, which is a reduction on the normal skipass rate.  You get a good view of some pretty chalets and some luxury chalets and then some forested areas as you are carried up to the heart of Verbier’s ski access, the Medran lift station.  Stepping out of one cabin at the Medran mid-station and into the next stage is easy, and then you are off again, up to Les Ruinettes.  From here there is one more lift, in one of the large Funispace cabins, and you are able to click into your bindings and ski the soft snowy bowl of the Lac des Vaux area.

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After the early snowfalls that swept across the Alps during November, we were delighted to share that the Verbier ski area officially opened on 11th November 2016:

Weekends in November

During December’s pre-season weekends, La Tzoumaz is connected to Verbier by high-speed telecabin (see here to read about how the connections were improved for 2014/15) but for any skiers who are super-impatient for the season to fully start it is only a 50 minute drive down the valley and back up the other side.  There is plenty of free parking at the telecabin lift in La Châble, and a quick scan of the car park reveals the cars of plenty of local tradesmen (plumbers, electricians, gardening companies…) and mountain companies (such as 4vallees4saisons.com), as well as Swiss cars registered all over the Valais, Vaud, Geneva and even Fribourg cantons.  In comparison to mid-week pre-season skiing in Zermatt, where the slopes are dominated by ski instructors and local business owners trying to network, the weekend clientele in Verbier is much more family-focused.  It seems that any hard-core skiing family with a child between 3 and 7 years old who lives within two hours drive gets out on the hill.  The one thing they all have in common?  The kids are incredibly good skiers for their age, compared to the groups you normally see in ski-school throughout the season.  This seems to make sense, as it’s a great way to spend a Sunday out in the fresh air, enjoying sport in the sunshine and they probably spend half of their weekends on the snow each year!

Convenient access

In the centre  of the free car park in Le Châble is the telecabin station that was upgraded for 2013/14 to also include a telecabin heading up the Bruson side that is only open for race training in the pre-season.  The Le Châble-Verbier gondola is open from 8.40 to 16.45.  You can buy a Verbier lift pass at the bottom for 49 CHF for the day, which is a reduction on the normal skipass rate.  You get a good view of some pretty chalets and some luxury chalets and then some forested areas as you are carried up to the heart of Verbier’s ski access, the Medran lift station.  Stepping out of one cabin at the Medran mid-station and into the next stage is easy, and then you are off again, up to Les Ruinettes.  From here there is one more lift, in one of the large Funispace cabins, and you are able to click into your bindings and ski the soft snowy bowl of the Lac des Vaux area.

Weekends in December

During the season, La Tzoumaz is connected to Verbier by high-speed telecabin (see here to read about how the connections were improved for 2014/15).  Anyone impatient for the season to start will be pleased to know that the Savoleyres Telecabin in La Tzoumaz is open daily from December 10th.  Even when there is not enough snow to ski back down, it is only an 8 minute ride up to the Savoleyres ridge, then an 11 minute ride down into Verbier.  From here the free ski-bus takes you directly to the heart of Verbier’s ski access, the Medran lift station.  At the half-way station stepping out of one cabin and into the next stage is easy, and then you are off again, up to Les Ruinettes.  From here there is one more lift, in one of the large Funispace cabins, and you are able to click into your bindings.  Keep an eye on the time while you are skiing as it can be an expensive taxi-ride home if you miss the last lift – starting for home at 15h45 from the top of the Medran lift can mean you barely make it over and have jump into the last telecabin home to LaTzoumaz at 16h30 as they close it behind you…

See below for opening dates for individual lifts and pistes

Progressive opening of the pistes

Opening of the pistes is progressive and varies every year depending on the snow fall and the conditions for snowmaking.  (See here for live information on lift and piste status)  Here’s the data from this year and how it compares to previous years:

 What to do for lunch and refreshments

If munching a picnic on the piste or in the free access picnic room is not your style, there are some mountain restaurants open for the pre-season.  We tried the Restaurant Olympique at the top of the Funispace lift (2,730m)  and its self-service section with lunch for two (soup and an omelette or sausage & chips with a drink) for around 40 Swiss Francs.  There is a full-service restaurant upstairs with even more stunning views across the Mont-Blanc Massif.  From November 22nd, there is also refreshment available at the traditional Mayentzet restaurant and the famous Chalet Carlsberg, halfway down the piste from Attelas to Ruinettes with its new enclosed apres-ski terrace.

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After the huge snowfalls that swept across the Alps from the 21st November 2015, we were hungry for some on-piste carving and a spot of mogul-hopping so we spent the weekends pre-season skiing in Verbier.

Weekends from the end of November

During the season, La Tzoumaz is connected to Verbier by high-speed telecabin (see here to read about how the connections were improved for 2014/15).  Anyone impatient for the season to start will be pleased to know that the Savoleyres Telecabin in La Tzoumaz is open for weekends all through December and daily from mid-December.  Even when there is not enough snow to ski back down, it is only an 8 minute ride up to the Savoleyres ridge, then an 11 minute ride down into Verbier.  From here the free ski-bus takes you directly to the heart of Verbier’s ski access, the Medran lift station.  At the half-way station stepping out of one cabin and into the next stage is easy, and then you are off again, up to Les Ruinettes.  From here there is one more lift, in one of the large Funispace cabins, and you are able to click into your bindings.  Keep an eye on the time while you are skiing as it can be an expensive taxi-ride home if you miss the last lift – starting for home at 15h45 from the top of the Medran lift can mean you barely make it over and have jump into the last telecabin home to LaTzoumaz at 16h30 as they close it behind you…

See below for opening dates for individual lifts and pistes

Weekday skiing from early December

During the pre-season weekends, La Tzoumaz is connected to Verbier by high-speed telecabin (see here to read about how the connections were improved for 2014/15) but for any weekday skiers who are super-impatient for the season to fully start it is only a 50 minute drive down the valley and back up the other side.  There is plenty of free parking at the telecabin lift in La Châble, and a quick browse reveals the cars of plenty of local tradesmen (plumbers, electricians, gardening companies…) and mountain companies (such as 4vallees4saisons.com), as well as Swiss cars registered all over the Valais, Vaud, Geneva and even Fribourg cantons.  In comparison to mid-week pre-season skiing in Zermatt, where the slopes are dominated by ski instructors and local business owners trying to network, the weekend clientele in Verbier is much more family-focused.  It seems that any hard-core skiing family with a child between 3 and 7 years old who lives within two hours drive gets out on the hill.  The one thing they all have in common?  The kids are incredibly good skiers for their age, compared to the groups you normally see in ski-school throughout the season.  This seems to make sense, as it’s a great way to spend a Sunday out in the fresh air, enjoying sport in the sunshine and they probably spend half of their weekends on the snow each year!

Convenient access

In the centre  of the free car park in Le Châble is the telecabin station that was upgraded for 2013/14 to also include a telecabin heading up the Bruson side that will open during the season.  The Le Châble-Verbier gondola is open from 8.40 to 16.45.  You can buy a Verbier lift pass at the bottom for 53 CHF for the day, which is a 20% reduction on the normal skipass rate.  You get a good view of some pretty chalets and some luxury chalets and then some forested areas as you are carried up to the heart of Verbier’s ski access, the Medran lift station.  Stepping out of one cabin at the Medran mid-station and into the next stage is easy, and then you are off again, up to Les Ruinettes.  From here there is one more lift, in one of the large Funispace cabins, and you are able to click into your bindings.

Progressive opening of the pistes

Opening of the pistes is progressive and varies every year depending on the snow fall and the conditions for snowmaking.  (See here for live information on lift and piste status)  Here’s the data from this year and the previous year:

 What to do for lunch and refreshments

If munching a picnic on the piste or in the free access picnic room is not your style, there are some mountain restaurants open for the pre-season.  We tried the Restaurant Olympique at the top of the Funispace lift (2,730m)  and its self-service section with lunch for two (soup and an omelette or sausage & chips with a drink) for around 40 Swiss Francs.  There is a full-service restaurant upstairs with even more stunning views across the Mont-Blanc Massif.  From November 22nd, there is also refreshment available at the traditional Mayentzet restaurant and the famous Chalet Carlsberg, halfway down the piste from Attelas to Ruinettes with its new enclosed apres-ski terrace.  From December 13th, the Restaurant des Gentianes opened under new management.

Video teaser

The post Weekend pre-season skiing in Verbier 2015 appeared first on 4vallees4saisons.com.

After ski-touring on the autumn snow above La Tzoumaz, we were hungry for some on-piste carving and a spot of mogul-hopping so we spent the weekends pre-season skiing in Verbier.

Early in December

During the season, La Tzoumaz is connected to Verbier by high-speed telecabin (see here to read about how the connections have been improved for 2014/15).  Anyone impatient for the season to start will be pleased to know that the Savoleyres Telecabin in La Tzoumaz is open for weekends all through December and daily from mid-December.  Even when there is not enough snow to ski back down, it is only an 8 minute ride up to the Savoleyres ridge, then an 11 minute ride down into Verbier.  From here the free ski-bus takes you directly to the heart of Verbier’s ski access, the Medran lift station.  At the half-way station stepping out of one cabin and into the next stage is easy, and then you are off again, up to Les Ruinettes.  From here there is one more lift, in one of the large Funispace cabins, and you are able to click into your bindings.  Keep an eye on the time while you are skiing as it can be an expensive taxi-ride home if you miss the last lift!  On one long Sunday, we started for home at 15h45 from the top of the Medran lift and we were the last people down the La Tzoumaz telecabin at 16h30 and they closed it behind us.

Early in November

During the season, La Tzoumaz is connected to Verbier by high-speed telecabin (see here to read about how the connections have been improved for 2014/15) but for anyone super-impatient for the season to start it is only a 50 minute drive down the valley and back up the other side.  There is plenty of free parking at the telecabin lift in La Châble, and a quick browse reveals the cars of plenty of local tradesmen (plumbers, electricians, gardening companies…) and mountain companies (such as 4vallees4saisons.com), as well as Swiss cars registered all over the Valais, Vaud, Geneva and even Fribourg cantons.  In comparison to mid-week pre-season skiing in Zermatt, where the slopes are dominated by ski instructors and local business owners trying to network, the weekend clientele in Verbier is much more family-focused.  It seems that any hard-core skiing family with a child between 3 and 7 years old who lives within two hours drive gets out on the hill.  The one thing they all have in common?  The kids are incredibly good skiers for their age, compared to the groups you normally see in ski-school throughout the season.  This seems to make sense, as it’s a great way to spend a Sunday out in the fresh air, enjoying sport in the sunshine and they probably spend half of their weekends on the snow each year!

Convenient access

In the centre  of the free car park in Le Châble is the telecabin station that was upgraded for 2013/14 to also include a telecabin heading up the Bruson side that will open during the season.  The Le Châble-Verbier gondola is open from 8.40 to 16.45.  You can buy a Verbier lift pass at the bottom for 53 CHF for the day, which is a 20% reduction on the normal skipass rate.  You get a good view of some pretty chalets and some luxury chalets and then some forested areas as you are carried up to the heart of Verbier’s ski access, the Medran lift station.  Stepping out of one cabin at the Medran mid-station and into the next stage is easy, and then you are off again, up to Les Ruinettes.  From here there is one more lift, in one of the large Funispace cabins, and you are able to click into your bindings.

Progressive opening of the pistes

Opening of the pistes is progressive and varies every year depending on the snow fall and the conditions for snowmaking.  (See here for live information on lift and piste status)  This year the progressive opening went as follows:

November 8th/9th 2014 (ACTUAL)

• Lac des Vaux 1 chairlift: from 9.05 to 16.15 – ski runs open from top of lift
• Lac des Vaux 2 chairlift: from 9.15 to 16.15 – ski runs open from top of lift

November 15th/16th 2014 (ACTUAL)

• Funispace: from 8.55 to 16.30 – ski runs closed but many people skiing down, despite some rocks and grass patches
• Lac des Vaux 1 chairlift: from 9.05 to 16.15 – ski runs open from top of lift
• Lac des Vaux 2 chairlift: from 9.15 to 16.15 – ski runs open from top of lift

November 22nd/23rd 2014 (ACTUAL)

• Funispace: from 8.55 to 16.30 – ski runs open from top of lift
• Lac des Vaux 1 chairlift: from 9.05 to 16.15 – ski runs open from top of lift
• Lac des Vaux 2 chairlift: from 9.15 to 16.15 – ski runs open from top of lift
• Attelas chairlift: from 9.00 to 16.15 – ski runs open from top of lift
• Combimix « la Chaux Express »: from 9.00 to 16.15 – ski runs open from top of lift

From November 29th/30th 2014 (ACTUAL)

• La Tzoumaz and Savoleyres Telecabins open for weekends, allowing skiers to travel by ski-lift and ski-bus to Verbier’s Medran lift  – La Tzoumaz & Savoleyres ski runs closed from top of lift
• Verbier ski area open daily (as above) from Saturday November 29th 2014

From December 6th 2014 (ACTUAL)

• La Tzoumaz and Savoleyres Telecabins open for weekends, allowing skiers to travel by ski-lift and ski-bus to Verbier’s Medran lift  – La Tzoumaz & Savoleyres ski runs closed from top of lift
• The Verbier ski area open daily as above, with a FREE SKIPASS for anyone dressed as St Nicholas on the day of the Opening Session!

December 13th/14th 2014 (ACTUAL)

• The La Tzoumaz and Savoleyres Telecabins open daily from December 13th 2014, allowing skiers to travel by ski-lift and ski-bus to Verbier’s Medran lift  – La Tzoumaz & Savoleyres ski runs closed from top of lift
• The Verbier ski area open daily as above, plus the piste from Gentianes and La Chaux is open, plus the following lifts:
  • Mont-Fort cable car
  • Jumbo cable car
  • Gentianes T-bar
  • Chaux 2 chairlift
  • Col des Gentianes cable car (for liaison only)

From December 20th 2014 (PLANNED)

• The entire 4-Vallees ski area is scheduled to be operational, with the exception of some un-pisted itinerary runs.  See here for live information on lift and piste status throughout the season.

 What to do for lunch and refreshments

If munching a picnic on the piste or in the free access picnic room is not your style, there are some mountain restaurants open for the pre-season.  We tried the Restaurant Olympique at the top of the Funispace lift (2,730m)  and its self-service section with lunch for two (soup and an omelette or sausage & chips with a drink) for around 40 Swiss Francs.  There is a full-service restaurant upstairs with even more stunning views across the Mont-Blanc Massif.  From November 22nd, there is also refreshment available at the traditional Mayentzet restaurant and the famous Chalet Carlsberg, halfway down the piste from Attelas to Ruinettes with its new enclosed apres-ski terrace.  From December 13th, the Restaurant des Gentianes opened under new management.

Video teaser

The post Weekend pre-season skiing in Verbier 2014 appeared first on 4vallees4saisons.com.