Verbier

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Verbier is a ski resort in the Swiss Alps, in the canton of Valais. It is part of the "Four Valleys" ski area, which consists of various ski resorts, including Verbier, Savoleyres, Bruson and others. Verbier is recognized as one of the premiere "off-piste" resorts in the Alps and in the world. Many top skiers have settled down there in order to profit from steep slopes, variety of conditions and the vibrant nightlife. As well as top skiers, Verbier is a popular holiday destination for many celebrities including Sarah Ferguson, Diana Ross, and James Blunt. It caters for many British customers, but there are a lot of German, Swedish, Dutch, Italian, Belgian, French, Austrian and American visitors also.

1 Geography
2 Events
3 Skiing
4 Off Piste
5 External links

[edit] Geography

Verbier is located in the Val de Bagnes, in the canton of Valais. Verbier has only one access road, which starts in the town of le Châble.

[edit] Events

Verbier is home to world famous O'Neill Verbier Freeride extreme freeriding and Verbier Ride competitions, as well as to an international classical music festival: The Verbier Festival & Academy In the winter of 2004, the Top Gear team from BBC Two raced from their test track in Dunsfold in Surrey to Verbier. Jeremy Clarkson went in the new Ferrari 612 Scaglietti, while Richard Hammond and James May used public transport and a jet. Clarkson won having come from way behind, overtaking the others just a few hundred yards from their destination.

[edit] Skiing

The Verbier section of the 4 valleys ski resort area has lifts made by Leitner, CWA, Poma and Garaventa AG and operated by Téléverbier SA. Most lifts were constructed during the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. Verbier's most recent lift is the La Chaux Express which has Gondolas running on the same wire as chairs. (This is one gondola every 3 chairs), which replace the old Fontanay lift , the Combe 2 lift and the Chaux 1 lift, and the Pedestrian transport system which was a snow bus. Téléverbier is now planning to construct a "Bubble Chair Lift" which is a Chair Lift that has a protective acrylic glass bubble that can be descended over the passengers and protect them from the wind and the sun. This lift will run from the old Combe 2 lift base station (below Les Ruinettes) to the peak Attelas and replace the Attelas 2 Gondola-lift. In the Verbier resort alone there are 35 lifts (within the Verbier, Savoleyeres/La Tzoumaz and Bruson sector. Verbier sector is anywhere accessible with a standard Verbier pass), 33 standard ski runs, 2 snow parks, 1 "Jardin de Neige" (an area which is relatively flat and is made for small children initiating skiing), 4 cross-country pistes and 2 walking areas.