Verbier Summer

Skip the Beach; Why you Should Head to the Swiss Alps This Summer!

One can’t help but yearn for a sweet escape once summer comes knocking. Sun, sea and sand are often the usual requirements for the ultimate getaway, but to avoid the crowds and get a sense of real summer escapism, then head to the mountains for an unforgettable Alpine Adventure. 

Beyond the snow Verbier is a summer resort that could rival the best! It’s not all about phenomenal skiing and apres ski in Verbier, nor does the resort close as soon as the snow melts. Verbier comes alive with a whole wealth of events and activities throughout the summer. While Verbier is renowned for its hiking trails, with over 500km of marked trails, the real outdoor summer treat remains the mountain biking adventures for the speed lovers at Bike Park.

Adrenaline-pumping fun is guaranteed on 8 downhill MTB trails. Each summer, for more than a quarter century, music lovers from around the world have come together in the majestic Swiss Alps to take part in a community of exchange between great masters of classical music and the most promising musicians of the new generation.

For equestrian lovers, the Jumping International de Verbier is a renowned equestrian event involving the best Swiss and international riders. Since 1981 the 1st of August is Swiss National Day. Celebrated all across Switzerland, Verbier has a reputation for celebrating it in style. Bonfires and fireworks mainly on hills and other elevated spots, commemorate the expulsion of foreign bailiffs in the fourteenth century.

From biking to hiking, yoga to yodelling and reading to relaxation, there’s a Verbier for everyone to enjoy. So come and join us this summer and experience a side of Verbier that might just leave you speechless.

During the summer, Verbier is transformed from a skiing mecca to a glorious mountain retreat, with a laid-back lifestyle and jaw-dropping scenery. Whilst most visitors and locals swap their skis for their mountain bikes, the summer months of July and August host numerous events and festivals that have made Verbier a desirable year-round destination. Whatever your summer fix, Verbier has it all. 

Summer Events in and around Verbier

Verbier Wine Festival | 01-July-2023 until 02-July-2023

The second international festival dedicated to the best wines and grape varieties of the Alpine arc takes place from July 1 to 2, 2023 in Verbier. Around a tasting bar, conference dinners and ephemeral tables, Chefs and sommeliers will introduce you to exceptional wines.

Discover More: https://www.verbierwinefestival.ch/en

Trail Verbier x St Bernard Race | 07-July-2023 until 09-July-2023

The Trail Verbier St-Bernard by UTMB has joined the UTMB World Series, a global circuit, bringing together 30 iconic trail-running courses, immersed in the mountains featuring breath-taking vantage points. Offering 4 races from 140km to 26km at the heart of the Swiss Alps for an extraordinary experience on trails.

1. X-Alpine 140km 
2. X-Traversée 76km
3. Verbier Marathon 45km
4. Verbier X-Plore 26km 

Discover More: https://trailvsb.com/fr/

Verbier Festival | 14-July-2023 until 30-July-2023

Welcome to your Summer Music Retreat! Each summer, for more than a quarter century, music lovers from around the world have come together in the majestic Swiss Alps to take part in a community of exchange between great masters of classical music and the most promising musicians of the new generation. For 17 days, from 14-July until 30-July 2023, the Verbier Festival returns with its 30th edition, brimming with remarkable main stage performances, unforgettable new musical discoveries and engaging programmes to quench your curiosity. 

Discover More: https://www.verbierfestival.com/en/

Tour de Stations | 01-August-2023 until 06-August-2023

An extraordinary cycling endeavour! The Tour des Stations traverses Valais’s enchanting landscapes, from vineyards to the high mountains, passing through natural meadows, small traditional villages and internationally renowned ski resorts. The event aims to establish itself as the leading Granfondo cycle race in Switzerland, similar to the Marmotte Granfondo Alpes in France and the Maratona dles Dolomites in Italy.

Discover More: https://tourdesstations.ch/

E-Bike Festival | 10-August-2023 until 13-August-2023

The Verbier E-bike Festival will take place for the third time this Summer, in Val de Bagnes, with 4 days dedicated to e-biking! Open to every level of rider including total beginners, the Verbier E-bike Festival has activities dedicated to road, downhill, and cross-country disciplines;

– E-Bike Test
– Gourmet Hike
– Discovery Course
– Val de Bagnes Challenge
– Bosch E-MTB Challenge
– E-Tour of Mont-Blanc

Watch E-Bike Festival Promo Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=L0kpOHQBUGE
Discover More: https://www.verbierebikefestival.com/

Inspire Yoga Festival | 25-August-2023 until 27-August-2023

Come join us in the beautiful mountain location of Verbier for a weekend of yoga and self-discovery in nature. Drop in for a few classes or take an unlimited pass for three full days to create your own retreat experience. The Festival offers participants of all levels the opportunity to explore classes, workshops and holistic therapies, meet new people and share experiences immersed in the beautiful Swiss Alps.

Discover More: https://www.inspireyogafestival.com/

Explore the Verbier Summer Events Calendar for more information and inspiration 

Activities in Verbier

During the summer, Verbier is transformed from a skiing mecca to a glorious mountain retreat, with a laid-back lifestyle and jaw-dropping scenery. Whilst most visitors and locals swap their skis for their mountain bikes, Verbier provides a wealth of summer activities for all ages. So why don’t you think twice about that beach holiday and enjoy the alpine views and fresh air this summer?

Hiking
Whether you’re looking for a gentle introduction to hiking or you’re looking to conquer the face of Mont Fort, the hiking opportunities in Verbier are endless. With more than 500km of marked trails, themed paths or treks lasting several days, hiking in the 4 Valleys takes you into the heart of nature. Discover the local fauna and flora, marvel at the surrounding landscape, inhale the fresh alpine air… Verbier will stimulate all your senses.

Discover more about Hiking in Verbier

Mountain Biking
Over 800km of pure mountain-biking pleasure awaits, as Verbier, Val de Bagnes and La Tzoumaz combine to offer a wide range of activities for all ages and biking abilities. Discover the ‘Bike Park’, with 8 downhill trails, 213km of enduro trails with the majority of single tracks and over 500km of marked forest trails for cross-country or e-biking.

Discover more about Mountain Biking in Verbier

Climbing & Via Ferrata
With 560 routes and 30 climbing sites, Verbier is a climber’s paradise. In this magnificent setting, seasoned climbers can conquer new peaks, while beginners practice new skills on the outdoor climbing walls. For the ultimate experience, test yourself on the Via Ferrata in the Mauvoisin Gorge. The first section (Saxifrage) is accessible to everyone, although the second section (Tichodrome) is suitable for athletic climbers only.

Discover more about climbing in Verbier

Golf
The Valais offers the very best for golf. Golfers can choose from among eight wonderful golf courses, nestled in unparalleled landscapes with Snow-clad peaks surrounding the greens. Every course has a unique character – from Golf Club Verbier, situated just above the village to Crans-Montana, where the European elite come together for the Masters Cup.

Golf Club Verbier
Valais Golf Courses

Fitness & Yoga
We are all aware of the importance of a fit and healthy lifestyle and Wholey Cow are Verbier’s fitness and yoga specialists, offering a range of classes to keep you fit, active and happy! Wholey Cow have brought together some of the best instructors and therapists in town. They are true enthusiasts for what they do and will help you achieve your goals. Their comprehensive timetable has something for everyone… from Circuits to Pilates, Piloxing to Spinning and TRX to Yoga.

Discover more about fitness & yoga in Verbier

Paragliding
For an alternative view of the Alps, why not takes to the sky for a fun-filled, adrenaline fuelled experience with Verbier Summits. Verbier offers a great playground for paragliding, featuring a breath-taking view of the Alps and the Mont-Blanc and Combins massifs. With numerous take-off points, all offering more than 1,400m of descent, experience the thrilling sensation of soaring like a bird before landing in Le Châble at the bottom of the Val de Bagnes.

Discover more about paragliding in Verbier

Explore the Verbier Summer Events Calendar for more information and inspiration 

Beyond Verbier

Although Verbier itself offers a plethora of ‘fun for all’, beyond Verbier we can arrange a limitless range of activities, excursions and adventure. Verbier’s unique location with the Valais Canton, ensures easy access to vineyards, glaciers, lakes and even the ability to pop over the boarder and explore neighbouring France and Italy.

Lake Geneva
Falling in love with Lake Geneva is easy; whether it’s a stroll through the numerous historic towns, a sunset cruise, pushing your boundaries on the zip-line adventure or just an afternoon of relaxation. No matter the season, Lake Geneva will excite, inspire and entertain children and adults of all ages. A visit to Geneva itself is a must. Located at the southern tip of the Lake, Geneva is a diplomatic hub with luxury shops and a cobbled old town.

Discover more about Lake Geneva

Montreux
Montreux is a traditional resort town on Lake Geneva, nestled between steep hills and the lakeside. It’s renowned for its mild temperatures bur probably best known for the Montreux Jazz Festival, held annually in July. Since its beginning in 1967, the festival has developed into one of Europe’s largest events featuring jazz, blues, rock, soul musicians and world music.

Discover more about Montreux Jazz Festival

Valais Vineyards
Valais is the largest wine region in Switzerland, and is responsible for almost half of the nation’s total wine production. Located in the mountainous south-western corner of this small country, the main vineyard area of Valais runs east-north-east for 30 miles (50km) from Martigny to just beyond Sierre. Drinking wine is one of life’s greatest pleasure, so why not discover the local Valais vineyards this summer?

Discover more about Valais Vineyards

Explore the Verbier Summer Events Calendar for more information and inspiration 

Verbier Snow and Lift Report

By Air
We recommend flying into Geneva, with many scheduled and chartered airlines frequently flying into the ‘Gateway to the Swiss Alps’. Getting to Verbier from Geneva Airport is simple, with a transfer time of approximately 1 hour 45 minutes. Other options include the smaller regional airport of Sion. Transfer times from Sion to Verbier are only 45 minutes by car. Due to Verbier’s location, close to the French and Italian borders, other airport gateways include Zurich, Bern and Milan

Airport Transfers
The quickest way to get to resort is with a transfer bus. We work with a reliable, local service to provide you with a stress-free journey to and from resort. For group bookings, a private transfer is cheaper than you think, and you can often make a saving compared to the price of individual return transfers. Please contact us for prices and to book.

By Rail
If you would prefer to make your own way to the resort, there are regular trains from the Geneva Airport to Martigny. From here, you take another train to Le Chable before either travelling up to resort by cable car or local bus. The total transfer time is approximately three hours, and the train journey offers fantastic views of the Swiss scenery. Geneva also has excellent railway links with numerous European cities and there is even a direct train from Paris to Martigny (less than a 5 hour journey). Eurostar are offering a limited service throughout the winter from London St Pancras to Lille / Lille to Martigny.

By Road
Calais to Verbier takes approx. 8 to 9 hours to drive. We recommend that you drive via Geneva, especially during the winter, as the Besancon route via the Jura Mountains can be a bit icy and hairy. Via Geneva, the route is on autoroutes all the way from Calais to Martigny (30 Km short of Verbier). You will need to buy a Swiss Vignette (40 CHF) to drive on the Swiss autoroute when you cross the border. Car hire from Geneva Airport can be very reasonable and often works out cheaper than a private hire transfer, with the added benefit of giving you the extra flexibility of, for instance, taking a day trip to Nendaz, Chamonix or Zermatt. Not all of our chalets offer parking spaces, so please let us know if you are travelling by car so we can make the necessary arrangements. Whether your transport mode is trains, planes or automobiles, you’ll be sipping bubbles on the balcony and breathing the fresh alpine air in no time at all… welcome to Verbier!