I start this article with a bold conclusion: Verbier is without a doubt one of the best MTB and cycling destinations in the Alps. While most people will know this village in Valais as a renowned ski resort, in summer it is transformed into a true cycling paradise with great infrastructure. After all, the lifts are already there, and this is where they are widely used. Ella spent 5 days in Verbier for us exploring the area on mountain bike.
Text: Ella van der Veer - Photos: Ella van der Veer & Mark Prinsen
Verbier normally has mostly sunny days from May onwards, but as in the Netherlands, summer has a bad start here. Also, there was still a lot of snow, especially on the north side of the mountains, making some paths not yet passable. Exceptionally late in the year, normally at least the south side is snow-free from May onwards. During our stay, despite this, we explored all kinds of routes, with local guides showing us the most beautiful trails.
Race and Gravel
Even though we are here on MTB, there is huge potential for road and gravel bikes. On road bikes, you can explore the Val de Bagnes by cycling from Verbier to the Mauvoisin reservoir. Or climb the Croix de Coeur and descend to La Tzoumaz and Riddes, via the Col De Lein (on top of a bit of dirt) and Levron you can return to Verbier. If you want a bigger loop, you can continue via Nendaz, this route is attached. The Col Grand Saint Bernard Whether the Barrage d' Emosson via the Col de la Forclaz are also easily accessible from Verbier. Or ride the epic Tour des Stations and finish in Verbier? There are also a huge number of options for gravel, from Verbier but also on the other side of the valley, near Bruson. We've put some GPX routes in our Komoot collection for inspiration! All gravel is beautiful in terms of surface, but sometimes really Alpine steep if you go a bit further and higher into the mountains.
MTB in Verbier
We are here mainly to explore the area on mountain bike: and what a paradise it is! We are still a bit early in the year so not all lifts are open yet, so we were able to ride the trails from Les Ruinettes. Still, the summer season here is long, from early June to late October there are lifts open (snow-dependent) for mountain biking. It can be seen that there has been investment in cycling infrastructure for years. You especially notice this in the quality and good maintenance of the bikepark and enduro trails.
Something for everyone
There is something for every MTBer, from green and blue beginner flow trails to WorldCup quality downhill lines. In total, there are nine trails, good for 19km of downhill fun. As with ski runs, it is Swiss coloured though, a blue line in Verbier is trickier than most blue lines in, say, Austria or France. So on the red Wouaiy trail we did push some limits in terms of technical challenge. Fortunately, our guide Sam was also able to provide some tips to get through this trail properly.
Lots of enduro trails
Besides the shapely bikepark lines, there are some 180 km of Enduro trails in the wider region of Verbier, Tzoumaz and Val de Bagnes. After a day at the bikepark, we took two days to explore them. What is special is that you are allowed to ride all the trails in the area with the MTB. This creates a unique network of beautiful natural trails. Our guides, who also help maintain the trails, stressed the importance of sticking to the MTB code: Be nice, say hi! Walkers always have the right of way, and slowing down when you meet people or pass through a village is the norm.
Beautiful trails
Back to the trails: they are beautiful! From steep descents with roots and rocks where an enduro bike is recommended, to beautiful traverses where a downcountry bike will do just fine. We visited Col de Mille (2471m) and its Cabane despite the snow. With a regular bike, the last part is hike-a-bike, but this is absolutely worth it. In good weather, at the top you have epic views up to Mont Blanc, unfortunately in our case it was cloaked in clouds. Via the south side, you can take an easy singletrack and gravel paths back to Le Chable in the valley.
Enduro
If you're more into Enduro, you can descend via the north side. Here you link singletrack after singletrack during a descent of almost 2000m. Because of the rain and slipperiness, we skipped this one but it goes on our list to ride again. To make the most of your time in this paradise, I would recommend taking a guide, a list of guides can be found at here. This makes it easy to link together the most beautiful trails that suit your level. We also received many useful tips on how to push our limits a bit more. If you go out on your own, then the official website of Verbier also suggests scenic routes in the area.
Practical tips
Our stay is in a flat. Otherwise, there is no shortage of accommodation in Verbier. Verbier's popularity as a winter destination is to blame. If you prefer to sleep in a hotel, you'll find bike friendly hotels here. If you want to hire an e-bike or enduro/downhill bike, or something is unexpectedly wrong with your bike, you can find bike shops throughout the village. There are also plenty of restaurants and supermarkets, so you don't actually have to leave the village and can focus entirely on cycling. Verbier also organises an E-bike festival in summer where everyone, experienced or inexperienced, young or old, can learn about the sport. There is also plenty to do for the non-cyclist, including paragliding, several via ferratas, a large network of hiking trails and beautiful gorges. For the non-outdoor fan, there is the Verbier music festival, among others. So even for a family holiday where the focus is not 100% on cycling, Verbier is a good destination.
Everything within reach
The lifts are easily accessible from all over the village, and a lift also goes to Verbier from the valley (le Chable), making it easy to grab some altitude from there too to explore the bike park or natural trails. From a one-night stay you get a VIP pass, with this you can do all kinds of free activities. As a pedestrian, the lift is free to use with this pass and you get 50% discount on a day pass with bike. The first lift opens on the weekend of 1 June and from 29 June all lifts will be open and the entire bike park prepared.
No premature conclusion
I repeat my conclusion once again: Verbier really is a top destination for every kind of cyclist. Novice or advanced MTBer, gravel biker or with the road bike: everyone can enjoy their cycling heart here. We marvelled at its completeness, which partly stems from its popularity as a winter destination. It is impossible to fully explore this area in five days, or even a few weeks. We will definitely come back again. The only question is: with which bike?
