A few weeks ago we bumped into a local couple out hiking up the Col des Mines.  Leaning on their hiking poles, they were delighted to stop and share their favourite nuggets of local knowledge from the vast encyclopaedia that they had gathered over their last 30 years here.  The thing that piqued my interest the most was when they told us that you could find Edelweiss growing wild at the top of the mountain.  “Whereabouts?”  I asked excitedly, with my head spinning in anticipation, wondering if we could do an urgent detour on the way home.  “Up by the top of the Pierre Avoi.  Take the lower path, not the one that climbs to the summit, and then leave the path.  You really have to know where it is, but there are about six of them, maybe 200m away from the footpath, sort of in the rocks.”  In my excitement I foolishly believed that these must be sufficiently precise instructions, so the very next day we got our hiking kit together and set off with the boys, who are 5 and 7 years old.  I had been talking to them about Edelweiss all summer, while pointing out all the different flowers we could see on our many hikes, explaining that it was incredibly rare and so they should look for it at all times.  I have never seen the delicate yellow and white flowers growing in the wild, despite spending many happy years tramping about the Alps in summer, and held them in kind of magical regard.  We were all quite excited to think that we knew where to find some, so we set off with a spring in our step, hunting for Edelweiss in La Tzoumaz.

I took the lead, with my head turning steadily from side to side, eyes constantly scanning the ground up to 200m from the path.  I tripped up several times as I wasn’t really able to look where I was going without dragging my eyes away from their search.  I didn’t really know where to look: separated from other flowers?  in sparsely-grassed areas?  in the shade of small boulders?  The Alpine Flowers book that we carried said somewhat enigmatically and rather unhelpfully that “You’ll recognise it when you see it.”

We eventually neared the top, where we came across a lady who was out walking with her dog.  “Hello! We were wondering if you could help us. We’re looking for Edelweiss. Do you know where we might find some near here?”  “Edelweiss…?  Ummm…  Is that it?” and she pointed to the nearest flower.  The type with a large, tough flower-head and no neck, that looks like someone has beheaded it and dropped it on the ground.  Definitely not Edelweiss.  We walked on, none-the-wiser, until we came across another lady, this time without a dog.  “Hello! We were wondering if you could help us. We’re looking for Edelweiss. Do you know where we might find some near here?”  “Umm… There are some marmottes over there…!”

Great.  Marmottes.  Don’t get me wrong, I love the furry little fellows. With a clever design that is a sort of cross between a giant squirrel and a miniature bear, I think they are loveable and cute and a great tourist attraction.  I’m just convinced that they are all part of a conspiracy organised by manufacturers of 300mm zoom lenses.  The marmottes lie in wait until we wander into their catchment area, then they shout and whistle from far away to make sure that we notice them.  Then they stand still in front of stunning panoramic vistas, waiting patiently while we line up our cameras.  Then the mischievous little fellows try to keep a straight face while we scowl frustratedly at the screens on our cameras and smartphones and try to make out whether we got a photo of them or just some more rocks.

Anyway, we carried on winding around the rocky outcrop, with me becoming more and more convinced that the whole outing was a disaster.   My only consolation was that at least we could visit the Maison de la Foret on the way home to La Tzoumaz and see where they have planted some Edelweiss in their nature display.

Soon we arrived at the foot of the climbing area and came across two couples enjoying the climbing routes.  “Hello! We were wondering if you could help us. We’re looking for Edelweiss. Do you know where we might find some near here?”  “Edelweiss…?  Ummm…  There’s some here by my foot.”  I looked up at the climber in astonishment.  True enough, he was pointing at something growing 10m up the sheer rockface, clinging onto a tiny ledge near his foot.  I didn’t know whether to laugh triumphantly or cry in despair as we would never get a good look at it from down here.  “And here’s some more!” he said, pointing to another flower, this time only 10cm from his nose.  How I longed to be up on that wall!

“Right, team!”  I cried with renewed enthusiasm, “Everyone split up and start looking on all the rocks and cliff faces.  Shout when you’ve found some!”  Now that I knew that Edelweiss really did grow around here, I was sure that we’d get lucky and stumble across some.  Sure enough, within a couple of minutes, the shout came loud and clear.  “Over here!”  We all scrambled over the boulders, inched precariously to the edge and peered over.  There it was.  My quest was over.  For the first time in my life, I was looking at real, wild Edelweiss on the side of a Swiss mountain.  Suddenly the Sound of Music was in my ears and I burst into song,

“Edelweiss, Edelweiss,

Every morning you greet me,

Small and white, clean and bright,

You look happy to meet meeeeeeeee!”

The boys were too young to understand the significance of finally finding something that you had for years believed was near-impossible to find, but they seemed infected with my enthusiasm.  Stroking the thick soft petals gently with our fingertips, we cooed over their beauty.  We called out to passers-by to come and look, but most just nodded and walked on, leaving me to wonder if the magic was somehow being eroded by today’s multi-cultural society.

Still buoyed by our success, we stopped to gather berries on the way down the hill, amassing an impressive quantity of fresh bilberries, raspberries and wild strawberries.  “That was a good day!” the boys agreed later on after dinner, with sticky fingers coated in warm summer fruit tart and big grins on their tired faces.

Hunting for Edelweiss

The Pierre Avoi is accessible within about 20 minutes hike from the top of the Savoleyres telecabin, or 90 minutes if hiking up from La Tzoumaz.  Best seen during July or August, but still present during September.

Be prepared

Take a day-pack with extra layers of clothing, sunglasses and high-factor SPF suncream.  Walking boots (or strong trainers), water and a picnic are advisable.  A zoom lens could be useful to thwart the marmottes.  Don’t forget to remind yourself of the lyrics to the song.

Recommended for

Hikers, nature-lovers, families and anyone with some level of fitness who remembers the Sound of Music

Not recommended for

People uncomfortable with narrow mountain footpaths or uphill hiking.

Insider knowledge

Start looking around near the big white arrow on this map:

The post Hunting for Edelweiss in La Tzoumaz appeared first on 4vallees4saisons.com.

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.

The post 10 family insights for a great summer chalet holiday appeared first on 4vallees4saisons.com.

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!)

The post Harley Davidson tours from La Tzoumaz appeared first on 4vallees4saisons.com.

It is only a short hour in the car from La Tzoumaz to Crans Montana, so we packed our hiking boots after a leisurely breakfast and set off down the mountain towards the autoroute.  James, our guide for the day, had already selected our start point, so we did not have to choose whether to visit the accessible station of Montana or the chic village of Crans.

Within an hour we found ourselves planning our picnic in Montana’s magnificent cheese shop (www.laiterieaupetitchalet.ch), ooooing and aaaahing over the different varieties of local tomme and the big vat of fresh honey that you can buy by the scoop.  As I stuffed my purchase into a rucksack, James didn’t hesitate to remind me smugly that “tomme” isn’t considered to be anything fancy by the locals as the word just means “cheese”.

There was plenty of parking at the Violettes Express telecabin station and we climbed into the modern cabins to be whisked away up to 2250m, clutching our 15CHF one-way tickets.  The mist was swirling atmospherically around us as we arrived at the top station, level with the clouds and we headed off behind the cabin onto a narrow footpath.  In one section the path rose so steeply that someone had thoughtfully installed some ladders, bolted into the rock and with strong rope for handrails.

We were chattering excitedly and swapping stories up and down the line when we got calls of “Shhhushhhh!!  Shhhhushhhh!” from our guide.  There, in front of us, posing like a fine, furry fellow, was a cute little marmotte, on the edge of a precipice with a stunning panorama as a backdrop.  It was a picture postcard moment, and I reflected on my own private suspicion that marmottes are part of a mountain conspiratory, and their role is to lie in wait for tourists, whistling loudly until we spot them, then looking as cute as possible until we finally admit that they really are too small to photograph without buying a new zoom lens.

We were more focussed on having a pleasant, social stroll than a hard work-out, so James soon brought us to a superbly-located restaurant, the Cry d’Er, perched on the edge of the steep mountainside and overlooking the Rhone Valley.  As seems fitting in Switzerland, we opted for triple chocolate – a steaming mug of hot chocolate served with individual squares of chocolate and then supplemented by our own hiking supplies of foil-wrapped Cailler.

“Is that the Matterhorn?”  we asked, surveying the snowcapped peaks around us.  “Ummmmm… let me just check…” replied James as he reached for his smartphone.  This was the moment that all of my romantic notions of guides and their mythical mountain knowledge came crashing to an abrupt end.  For years I had been in awe of anyone in the Alps who could answer a question such as “What’s that peak over there?” with a knowing gaze and an informative answer.  Three minutes and four euros later, I too had downloaded the PeakFinder app (www.peakfinder.org/mobile) and was happily scanning the panorama for my favourite mountains names.

We were out of the clouds now, so when we set off again we had a clear view of the lac de Tseuzier and the impressive dam that holds it back.  We also had a better view of the lunatics heading down the mountain-bike trails, clad in full-face helmets, shinpads and forearm guards.  I have to admit that it was a shame we had not come to ride the trails here, as it did look like fun.

Lunch was a sun-drenched picnic overlooking the Rhone valley from the terrace of a small restaurant that was closed until the ski season.  For the first time we managed to strip off down to t-shirts, although it was nowhere near hot enough to have melted my tomme.

On the way back down, we stopped from time to time to admire the different alpine flowers and mushrooms that we spotted, testing each other’s knowledge with interest, and concluding that most of us could barely tell a tasty chanterelle from a poisonous toadstool.  The last few hundred metres was a pleasant ramble along a forest trail and James led us dutifully into the animal-skin covered seats on the terrasse at Bar7 for an apres-hike beer to a chorus of “thank-yous” and a cheer for the guide.

On our way home, we took some time out to walk through the village of Montana and browse some of the shops.  There are enough to wander around for an hour or so, and we enjoyed looking through the ski stores for off-season discounts, and checking out the latest marmotte trinkets in the mountain deco shops.

Crans Montana Day Trip

Crans Montana is approximately 60 minutes drive from La Tzoumaz.  Plan to spend at least 4 hours there before sunset.

Be prepared

Take a day-pack with extra layers of clothing, sunglasses and high-factor SPF suncream.  Walking boots (or strong trainers), water and a picnic are advisable.  A zoom lens could be useful to thwart the marmottes.

Recommended for

Hikers, bikers, afternoon strollers and anyone who wants to see the Rhone Valley from the other side

Not recommended for

Anyone who doesn’t like mountains

The post Day trip to Crans Montana appeared first on 4vallees4saisons.com.

 Walking

The forests are magical for children as well as for adults.  The Bisses are a great introduction to hiking, being flat and full of interest.  The Sentier des Sens from the maison de la foret is full of activities and snippets of information which children love.  For the more adventurous, the hike up the Vallon d’Arbi to the Col des Mines is a good day out.  Running through a nature reserve, it’s possible to see chamois and Marmots, and in season bilberries grow on the route.  A final adventure for younger children is to hike along the back road to the ancient village of Iserables.  This walk is mainly down hill, and there’s a bus service back to La Tzoumaz if the walk home is too much.

Playgounds

There are three playgrounds in the village: in the village square, opposite the telecabin and at the Maison de la Foret.  Just over the ridge in Verbier there are several more, including the Ecole de Ski Suisse summer adventure area.

Cycling

Heading down to the valley, the Velo Route 1 passes very close by, and follows the Rhone.  This is super for children, being extremely flat and with few cars.  Additionally, the website is excellent with a list of 20 tourist activities in the Martigny/Sion area:

http://www.veloland.ch/fr/itineraires/etappe-0932.html

http://www.veloland.ch/fr/services/sehenswuerdigkeiten-e932.html

Labyrinthe, the worlds largest maze

It’s an ideal place to go outside the main summer season, as there are many activities which can only be done by one or two children at a time, so at this time of year with few people it’s the best time to go.  Our kids spent a full day there and didn’t get around to trying everything.

http://www.labyrinthe.ch/

The post Family activities appeared first on 4vallees4saisons.com.

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.

The post Weekend pre-season skiing in Verbier 2018/19 appeared first on 4vallees4saisons.com.

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.

The post Weekend pre-season skiing in Verbier 2016 appeared first on 4vallees4saisons.com.

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.