IMAGES: BLACK TAP; VERBIER 4VALLÉES


SWITZERLAND


MY VERBIER Kathryn Adams


British author and Verbier resident Kathryn reveals the most inspiring runs, piste-side restaurants and apres haunts in her adopted home


OLD BISSE Ski touring alongside this ancient irrigation channel, with the trees festooned and the banks piled with snow, is magical. In my third book I set my main character Lucy’s encounter with the wolf here.


Eat Founded in New York’s SoHo


district, Black Tap opened a Verbier outpost at Col des Gentianes last season. Set at the bottom of the Mont Fort ski lift, at 9,678ft, this is the resort’s second-highest restaurant (the top spot goes to Igloo du Mont-Fort, a tiny metallic dome perched at Verbier’s near- 11,000ft peak, serving the highest fondues in Europe). Everything at Black Tap is on a vast scale, from the huge, low, silver fl ying-saucer- shaped building itself, to the mountainous burgers, including the Texan with cheddar, bacon, barbecue sauce and an onion ring. The price is equally huge — CHF22 (£21) without fries. Save space for a hot chocolate that warms the soul, or a giant Crazy Shake. There should be a prize for anyone who can ski down after lunch here. blacktap.ch


52 NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.CO.UK/TRAVEL


LE DAHU I love the Dahu for its great food and kind welcome. I run Verbier4All, the adaptive ski charity, so I’m often here with visitors and they always have a wheelchair on hand for us. ledahu.ch


Ô CABOULIS This mountain restaurant on the Veysonnaz run has character and charm. It’s a lovely lunch objective when on a day out in the 4Vallées. caboulis.ch


COL DE MINES The perfect home run when the sun’s been on it long enough to soften the bumps, but not long enough to turn them to mush.


Texan Burger at Black Tap


Above: The high-altitude Black Tap restaurant


PUB MONT FORT This restaurant near the bottom of the main Médran gondola takes a lot of beating for fondue and serves the best brownies in Switzerland. I also love Farinet for apres with live music, as it’s where I met my husband. pubmontfort.com hotelfarinet.com ypdbooks.com/866_kathryn-adams


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100