Weekend pre-season skiing in Verbier 2014

After ski-touring on the autumn snow above La Tzoumaz, we were hungry for some on-piste carving and a spot of mogul-hopping so we spent the weekends pre-season skiing in Verbier

Early in December

During the season, La Tzoumaz is connected to Verbier by high-speed telecabin (see here to read about how the connections have been improved for 2014/15).  Anyone impatient for the season to start will be pleased to know that the Savoleyres Telecabin in La Tzoumaz is open for weekends all through December and daily from mid-December.  Even when there is not enough snow to ski back down, it is only an 8 minute ride up to the Savoleyres ridge, then an 11 minute ride down into Verbier.  From here the free ski-bus takes you directly to the heart of Verbier’s ski access, the Medran lift station.  At the half-way station stepping out of one cabin and into the next stage is easy, and then you are off again, up to Les Ruinettes.  From here there is one more lift, in one of the large Funispace cabins, and you are able to click into your bindings.  Keep an eye on the time while you are skiing as it can be an expensive taxi-ride home if you miss the last lift!  On one long Sunday, we started for home at 15h45 from the top of the Medran lift and we were the last people down the La Tzoumaz telecabin at 16h30 and they closed it behind us.

Early in November

During the season, La Tzoumaz is connected to Verbier by high-speed telecabin (see here to read about how the connections have been improved for 2014/15) but for anyone super-impatient for the season to start it is only a 50 minute drive down the valley and back up the other side.  There is plenty of free parking at the telecabin lift in La Châble, and a quick browse reveals the cars of plenty of local tradesmen (plumbers, electricians, gardening companies…) and mountain companies (such as 4vallees4saisons.com), as well as Swiss cars registered all over the Valais, Vaud, Geneva and even Fribourg cantons.  In comparison to mid-week pre-season skiing in Zermatt, where the slopes are dominated by ski instructors and local business owners trying to network, the weekend clientele in Verbier is much more family-focused.  It seems that any hard-core skiing family with a child between 3 and 7 years old who lives within two hours drive gets out on the hill.  The one thing they all have in common?  The kids are incredibly good skiers for their age, compared to the groups you normally see in ski-school throughout the season.  This seems to make sense, as it’s a great way to spend a Sunday out in the fresh air, enjoying sport in the sunshine and they probably spend half of their weekends on the snow each year!

Convenient access

In the centre  of the free car park in Le Châble is the telecabin station that was upgraded for 2013/14 to also include a telecabin heading up the Bruson side that will open during the season.  The Le Châble-Verbier gondola is open from 8.40 to 16.45.  You can buy a Verbier lift pass at the bottom for 53 CHF for the day, which is a 20% reduction on the normal skipass rate.  You get a good view of some pretty chalets and some luxury chalets and then some forested areas as you are carried up to the heart of Verbier’s ski access, the Medran lift station.  Stepping out of one cabin at the Medran mid-station and into the next stage is easy, and then you are off again, up to Les Ruinettes.  From here there is one more lift, in one of the large Funispace cabins, and you are able to click into your bindings.

Progressive opening of the pistes

Opening of the pistes is progressive and varies every year depending on the snow fall and the conditions for snowmaking.  

 This year the progressive opening went as follows: 

 November 8th/9th 2014 (ACTUAL) 

-Lac des Vaux 1 chairlift: from 9.05 to 16.15 – ski runs open from top of lift 

- Lac des Vaux 2 chairlift: from 9.15 to 16.15 – ski runs open from top of lift 

 November 15th/16th 2014 (ACTUAL) 

 - Funispace: from 8.55 to 16.30 – ski runs closed but many people skiing down, despite some rocks and grass patches

- Lac des Vaux 1 chairlift: from 9.05 to 16.15 – ski runs open from top of lift 

- Lac des Vaux 2 chairlift: from 9.15 to 16.15 – ski runs open from top of lift 

 November 22nd/23rd 2014 (ACTUAL) 

 - Funispace: from 8.55 to 16.30 – ski runs open from top of lift 

- Lac des Vaux 1 chairlift: from 9.05 to 16.15 – ski runs open from top of lift 

- Lac des Vaux 2 chairlift: from 9.15 to 16.15 – ski runs open from top of lift Attelas chairlift: from 9.00 to 16.15 – ski runs open from top of lift Combimix « la Chaux Express »: from 9.00 to 16.15 – ski runs open from top of lift

 From November 29th/30th 2014 (ACTUAL) 

- La Tzoumaz and Savoleyres Telecabins open for weekends, allowing skiers to travel by ski-lift and ski-bus to Verbier’s Medran lift  – La Tzoumaz & Savoleyres ski runs closed from top of lift 

- Verbier ski area open daily (as above) from Saturday November 29th 2014

 From December 6th 2014 (ACTUAL) 

-  La Tzoumaz and Savoleyres Telecabins open for weekends, allowing skiers to travel by ski-lift and ski-bus to Verbier’s Medran lift  – La Tzoumaz & Savoleyres ski runs closed from top of lift 

- The Verbier ski area open daily as above, with a FREE SKIPASS for anyone dressed as St Nicholas on the day of the Opening Session! 

 December 13th/14th 2014 (ACTUAL) 

- The La Tzoumaz and Savoleyres Telecabins open daily from December 13th 2014, allowing skiers to travel by ski-lift and ski-bus to Verbier’s Medran lift  – La Tzoumaz & Savoleyres ski runs closed from top of lift 

- The Verbier ski area open daily as above, plus the piste from Gentianes and La Chaux is open, plus the following lifts: Mont-Fort cable car Jumbo cable car Gentianes T-bar Chaux 2 chairlift Col des Gentianes cable car (for liaison only) 

 From December 20th 2014 (PLANNED) 

 The entire 4-Vallees ski area is scheduled to be operational, with the exception of some un-pisted itinerary runs.  See here for live information on lift and piste status throughout the season.  

 What to do for lunch and refreshments

If munching a picnic on the piste or in the free access picnic room is not your style, there are some mountain restaurants open for the pre-season.  We tried the Restaurant Olympique at the top of the Funispace lift (2,730m)  and its self-service section with lunch for two (soup and an omelette or sausage & chips with a drink) for around 40 Swiss Francs.  There is a full-service restaurant upstairs with even more stunning views across the Mont-Blanc Massif.  From November 22nd, there is also refreshment available at the traditional Mayentzet restaurant and the famous Chalet Carlsberg, halfway down the piste from Attelas to Ruinettes with its new enclosed apres-ski terrace.  From December 13th, the Restaurant des Gentianes opened under new management.