Thinking of summertime in the Alps again and considering Verbier this year. Any thoughts, advice, suggestions and links?

Cheers

S

http://www.bikeverbier.com

You’ll need a guide or local knowledge to find the good stuff. The bike park isn’t that great but some of the footpaths etc are mega.

Thanks folks.

Is Bike Verbier the only company in Verbier?
I’ve been to Morzine, Les Arcs and Zermatt – how does the riding compare?

Cheers
S

Any excuse… Spent a week with BV in summer 2009 and much to my wifes annoyance, I keep reminding her it was the best week of my life. Possibly helped by the fact it didn’t really drop below 30degrees whilst we were there.

Riding towards Le Chable on day 1 (6600m of vertical descent that day!):

20 minutes later looking down the other side of the mountain towards La Tzoumaz (sp?):

Loads of stuff like this all week:

Top of the St Bernard Pass (think we were officially still in Italy at this point). Rode all the way down to that big mountain in front of us, and then down the valley to the right back to the chalet:

Yep, that little snake of singletrack was as good as it looked:

Awesome facilities for tinkering on an evening:

Top of Jackass, one of the best descents of the week. The chalet is down there at the bottom:

Top half of the descent was mostly like this:

With the bottom being a flat out blat through the trees and then the fields to the chalet. Unbelieveably good.

The top of “The Brazilian”. 20km (?) of amazing downhill. Quite an effort to get to the top but well, well worth it:

The prize at the bottom. A warm lake to have a swim in:

Nearing the top of Toboggan which was another mind blowing descent (with another swim at the bottom where a bikini clad girl was riding her horse around the lake – GOOD times!):

One from the last day:

Lots of stuff like this (the pic doesn’t portay just how steep and tight that is!):

Oh, and I think there is another company based in Verbier, a Dutch (?) run outfit? We met them a few times out on the trails.

Verbier because…

every year I don’t get to go there is a year that just isn’t as good as it could have been 🙂

Think we’re going to try and do a summer holiday there next year. Take the bikes, hire a chalet with a pool for the wife and nipper to chill out in and get as much riding in as possible!

As well as being awesome for riding, its close’ish to Geneva etc so makes a pretty good holiday destination!

Thanks for the pics DBW! Looks like a good mix of riding there – also like the idea of jumping in the lake at the end of the trail.

We went for the best part of a week last summer, stayed in a hostel due to budget but hired a (Dutch) guide from MTB Verbier for one day.

If going again we would get a guide for more than one day. The bikepark is actually pretty good if you like it steep, tight and technical. Not like most we saw in the Alps anyway. But the other trails blow it away and we only scratched the surface.

Some pics then, top of nuthouse…

Riding down La Zuma(sp?)…

Views were alright…

Heading down Jackass…

I will be back next year!

You took DH bikes down Jackass?

A couple of the guys were on DH bikes. The rest a mixture of 140mm, 160mm and 180mm.

Kinell, take it they could throw nicely rolling endos?

Bike Verbier. Go with them. Awesome riding, food, guiding, accommodation etc etc etc. End of thread as you need look no further. 😀

With the Swiss Franc finally getting more affordable again, it makes things a lot more palatable than when it hit a low of 1.19 to the pound! Even when we were there when the pound was at an all time low last September, we still got great value for money as the set up Lucy and Phil have is top notch.

Just figuring out how to squeeze a return trip in this year with other overseas trip plans for Ventoux, the Haute Route and a trip to the Basque Country. 😀 I need more holidays!!!!!!!!

Powder and Dust are one of the other bike companies based in Verbier. Run by a Fin and a Sweed who are both awesome guys. I’m not sure what their chalet plans are this summer but its worth contacting them even if you are just looking for a guide. Verbier is somewhere you need a guide or a local. All the good stuff is unmarked, all the great stuff is even harder to find.

http://www.powderanddust.com/dust/index.html

Bike Verbier are a top outfit and Verbier is lovely place for a family holiday. They have a full on summer season there now, Jazz festival (i think), classical music festival (one of the best in Europe) and there is a week when the whole town fills up with folk on horses.

Loads of stuff to do with the kids too, they have a fabulous outdoor public pool where you can sit in the water and gaze up at a glacier. Some of the best hols we’ve ever had.

Anyone ever ride with Bike Verbier on a day by day basis? I might try and get out there for a long weekend, would be good to ride with a group.

Another vote for Bike Verbier, had to miss last year due to Katies operation, this year is already booked, well worth every penny

Deffo Phil & Lucy at Bike Verbier – you won’t be sorry!

The bike park is bloody excellent and the Red Run is like crack. Its great for a couple of days if you want to maximize your tech riding time.

If you are halfway thinking about going for a week: BikeVerbier. You won’t regret it.

Verbier is great! Chuffing steep though 🙂 If BV are full then the Powder&Dust guys are worth a shout.

+1 for Bike Verbier. It’s an amazing place and these guys do amazing holidays to match. Funnily enough, although the riding in Verbier itself is great, much of the best stuff is a bit more backcountry, away from the resort, and you’ll need Bike Verbier’s knowledge (plus their van and trailer) to reach it. Personally, I think you’ll miss out big-time trying to self-guide. Besides, the food, accommodation and atmosphere with Bike Verbier is absolutely spot on. Totally unforgettable holidays.

Hi Simon,

I know you’ve already been to Les Arcs but how about trying the other side of the valley? Get yourself over to The White Room on one of their Backcountry Weeks. It’ll be better and cheaper than Verbier 😉

White Room Trip 2011 – Flickr

And, whilst you’re at it get yerself back down to Dartmoor sometime 🙂

Thanks for the comments everyone – some great pics too!

Mr S Wash – good to hear from you! Have heard of the White Room and will check them out.

Will definitely do some plotting to get down to your neck of the woods (or moors) by Spring. I’ll see if Chris fancies getting on the saddle too!

Another option maybe?
http://www.summitdown.com/
OR;
http://www.bikevillage.co.uk/

Bv is ace, best holiday I ever had and they looked after MrsT who is a non biker. She was just looking for some “me” time and a place to chill and it was all that and more 😆 (old chalet btw)