EUROPE VERBIER DESTINATIONS Alpine


ADVENTURES MOUNTAIN SCOOTERS


For an adrenaline-pumping way to see the mountains, suggest whizzing down on a mountain scooter. They can be hired from lift operator Téléverbier at Les Ruinettes, with various routes available, including a 20-minute run down to Médran, right back in the centre of Verbier.


Looking for more adventure? Laura French rounds up other activities to help you sell this region in both summer and winter


ROCK CLIMBING


The Val de Bagnes region is a hotspot for serious rock climbers with more than 30 climbing sites, but there’s plenty to suit beginners and intermediates too. Key areas nearby include La Barme – a huge, craggy rock jutting up from the forest – and Madzeria. Verbier also has an indoor climbing wall at its sports centre for those wanting to do a bit of prep first.


MOUNTAINSIDE YOGA


Wellness is the buzzword of the decade, and where better to balance mind and body than on the edge of a mountain, soothed by the sounds and sights of nature? Wholey Cow offers exactly that, enabling yogis to choose their location – one way to take in some fresh air and get the limbs moving.


GOLF


Verbier transforms into a golfers’ playground in the summer, with two beginner slopes, Les Esserts and Les Moulins, turning into short, 18-hole golf courses. They’re set at a stealthy altitude, offering picture-perfect views over the surrounding mountains and glistening streams for clients playing a round to enjoy.


WINTER WILDS


Winter is when the crowds descend, but get here early – skiing in Verbier starts as early as November – and you can enjoy empty runs under crisp blue skies. There are runs to suit all levels (blue to black) across what is the largest ski area in Switzerland, with one of the Alps’ steepest slopes found at nearby Mont-Fort. There’s also a sledge run at La Tzoumaz, reachable by gondola from Verbier.


WATER SPORTS


For clients with time to spare, suggest adding a visit to Montreux on the shores of Lake Geneva, about an hour’s drive from Verbier.


You’ll find plenty of water sports including kayaking, windsurfing, waterskiing and paddleboarding, with the ornate, Unesco-listed Château de Chillon as a backdrop.


28 February 2019travelweekly.co.uk59


PICTURES: SHUTTERSTOCK; VERBIER.CH/DAVID CARLIER PHOTOGRAPHY; RAPHAËL SURMONT; THOMAS ROULIN; MELODY SKY; CÉLINE RIBORDY; YVES GARNEAU


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