Verbier

Verbier (French pronunciation: [vɛʁbje]) is a village located in south-western Switzerland in the canton of Valais. It is a holiday resort and ski area in the Swiss Alps and is recognised as one of the premier off-piste resorts in the world. Some areas are covered with snow all year. Skiers have settled in the Verbier area in order to take advantage of the steep slopes, varied conditions, and resort culture.

Verbier is located in the municipality of Val de Bagnes in the Swiss canton of Valais. The village lies on a south oriented terrace at around 1,500 metres facing the Grand Combin massif. The terrace lies on the east side of the Val de Bagnes, a valley located south of Martigny.

Verbier had 2767 permanent residents in 2006. The number of residents can rise to 35,000 in the winter season. There is a noticeable population of Scandinavian and British residents.

The town has a public school system for its residents up until high school level, when locals must travel down into the valley for schooling. In September 2010, the Verbier campus of St. George's (now called Verbier International School), a private international school, was founded and opened its doors in the Chalet Mascotte at the entrance of the village. Verbier also has a newly founded school as of January 2021 called Copperfield Verbier, in Le Hameau.

Verbier has been an Alpine resort with guests from European countries since the early 20th century. During World War I, the local economy suffered from a lack of tourist revenue as people were unable or unwilling to travel to Switzerland from countries at war. From 1916 to 1918 Verbier, along with other Alpine resorts, housed interned German, French and British soldiers who required medical treatment.

There is a vibrant community of photographers and artists in Verbier, most born out of winter sports action photography.

Verbier can be accessed by road or by train. From Martigny a regional train (known as the Saint-Bernard Express) leads to Le Châble VS. From Le Châble a cable car (or a post bus) goes up to Verbier. Martigny is a 1 hour 45 minute journey from Geneva and a 20 min journey from Sion, travelling with Swiss Federal Railways.

Verbier has only one access road which starts in the town of Le Châble. From Sembrancher (near Le Châble) a road leads to the Great St. Bernard Pass and another to Martigny or to the Col de la Forclaz. Verbier is around 2 hours' drive from Geneva, 1 hour from Chamonix (Col de la Forclaz) and 1 hour from Aosta (Great St. Bernard Pass).