The Ski Resort
Verbier gets 5 stars for apres-ski whatever the week, most of all the New Year ski holidays when there is a really festive, party atmosphere! Sophisticated, great skiing, a charming town centre and village, but most of all, one great place to celebrate New Years Eve and have one big party all week that culminates on New Years Eve when thousands take to the streets and see the New Year in together on the Place Centrale.
The resort itself is at 1,500m, with skiing as high as 3,330m, Verbier has a great snow record and from our experience it is one of the best places to ski as a consequence at New Year for snow. Combine this with one of the best records for sunshine too and Verbier makes even better sense for the New Year ski holidays. Being such famous après-ski resort, it has fabulous bars, and restaurants where people slip off the slopes and straight into the nearest bar to start the evenings entertainment. For those who like to shop, it has some very nice shops just in case you didn’t get enough retail therapy prior to the Christmas holidays too.
Ski anoraks amongst us will also know that Verbier is one of the five top luxury ski resorts in Europe, with great skiing for intermediates and experts alike and Tortin is a favourite with the latter, as is Mont Fort. For younger skiers, beginners and early intermediates the Savoleyres ski area is ideal with easier blue pistes than the main areas above the Medran ski lifts (e.g. Attelas), although La Chaux has some nice slopes too which can be accessed from the Medran and then via Europes first hybrid chair and Gondala. It’s the same ski lift, if you get the chair you have a more difficult red but if you take the gondola it will take you over the mountain to La Chaux where you will find easy blues (you can then take the Gondola back and then Medran home to avoid skiing down the more difficult pistes). br/>
In summary Verbier is a fabulous resort to ski New Year as it has it all, great skiing, a beautiful village, and a fabulous New Year celebration on New Years Eve.
Worth Knowing
New Years Eve the bars fill early before emptying just before midnight as people gather to watch the fireworks and see the New Year in by the town centre. Some bars charge for entrance and being a young, funky and fun place, bars get quite crowded so some thought and planning before New Years Eve is advisable.
There are plenty of bars to enjoy the apres-ski during your New Year Holidays and the Farinet is the place to go for live bands and dancing on the table well into the night.
Off Piste Skiing
One word to describe the off-piste in Verbier, fantastic. For the extreme skiers, off the back of Mont Fort or the rocky faces of Mont Gele, or for those of us with a more normal disposition in respect of survival, there are the off-piste itinerary runs of Tortin. Our favourite at New Year Ski is to start at Mont Fort but whichever you take is stunning and the moguls are relentless but great fun as only good skiers typically dare ski down them (although the ledge at Chaussure can be a little traversed on the first two or three turns).
Ski School
There are several in Verbier and the main English speaking school is European Snowsports. The New Year ski holidays are however the busiest ski week of the season and you are therefore strongly recommended to book prior to your arrival in this luxury ski resort.
Snow Boarding
Awesome, Verbier is mecca for snowboarders, not just for New Year with its awesome on and off-piste akiing and great nightlife. Freeride snowboarders will have a field day with aeasy access to powder, treeline skiing, rocky faces and two snowparks close at hand (La Chaux and Nendez).
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Pros
Massive New Years Eve party
Great apres-ski all week
Great skiing intermediates and experts
Cons
Expensive ski resort
Partying means partying!
Ski Resort Map
Ski Piste Map
Getting Around the Ski Resort
There is a linked bus service although some areas are not served late into the evening. This said, most chalets are within 5 or 10 minutes from Verbier town centre (just check before booking).
Activities Outdoor
Many, although the New Year ski week the main activity is apres-ski! For those who like to get away from the partying, even the New Year week, there is a sports centre with a swimming pool and gym, husky sleigh rides, ice climbing, paragliding and much more.