Verbier

Verbier occupies a broad south-facing shelf at about fifteen hundred metres above the Val de Bagnes, and its reputation is built on off-piste terrain - the Bec des Rosses above it hosts the Xtreme Verbier, the freeride event that closes the world tour each spring on a face too steep and rocky for ordinary skiing. In summer the Verbier Festival brings classical music and an academy to the village through July. The valley below is the home of Raclette du Valais and of the Bagnes cattle used in the cow-fighting contests of the region. The Mauvoisin dam at the head of the valley is among the highest arch dams in the world.

What you actually see

• The Bec des Rosses - the freeride face used for the Xtreme each spring.
• A south-facing shelf - the sun terrace the resort is built on.
• The Verbier Festival - classical music and academy through July.
• The Mauvoisin dam - one of the world's highest arch dams, up the valley.

When to go

December to April for snow; July for the festival. Three days.

Honest expectations

It is expensive and busy in both seasons, with a nightlife scene that dominates parts of the village. Off-piste terrain is serious and kills people most winters - guides and avalanche equipment are not optional. Between seasons much closes.

Nearby

Val de Bagnes runs up to Mauvoisin; Martigny is down in the Rhone valley.