Verbier, Switzerland

Phil Davidson from UNITED KINGDOM writes:

Whilst I agree that the skiing potential is as good as it gets this really only applies to off-piste and the quality number of itinerary routes. For piste skiers, the lift system is woefully inadequate for the number of skiers that Verbier can attract, the Madran lift, for instance, had a queueing time of around 1 hour on Easter Monday! Then there is the way the resort is linked, or more precisely, the way it isn't! Many of the 4 Vallees require such a convoluted route to reach the unlinked valley floors that it is nigh on impossible to reach the outer limits of the resort when compiled with lift queues. Where, in France, one would expect and usually receive a four/six man express lift one finds a 1960s two man which barely moves, or outdated drag lift the length of the mountain. Alley this with no bus linkage between Nendez or any of the other smaller villages and if one were to run out of time then the only way home is a very expensive taxi ride. Even the bus to Bruson only runs every half hour and stops altogether at 4.45pm: once again a possible expensive taxi ride. The clientele too perhaps are worthy of mention, precocious, loud mouthed and poorly behaved children adorn the place and the overall feeling is one of too many Ruperts and Tiffanies who are clearly surplus to requirements!! So whilst I have hankered to ski here for years and I am a competent skier on Mont Gele coulouirs etc, this is not a resort I would recommend or will be visiting again. The 3 Vallees in France, Tigne, Val or Chamonix are much better alternatives and with significantly cheaper lift passes, are cheaper too!

2008-03-30