SWISSBLISS
SWISS LUXURY TRAVEL BLOG
Five Top Activities in Verbier
Switzerland
A guide for non-skiers
On a sunny day, if you want to avoid the hustle and bustle of the slopes, make sure you book a table at La Marlenaz for lunch. This is a lovely, rustic alpine restaurant, with a sun-drenched terrace and picturesque views of Verbier. It is a gentle 25-minute walk from the nearest bus stop, or a more energetic 90-minute walk uphill from the sports center for those wanting a little more exercise. You can then sled back down if you’re feeling adventurous!
The menu offers delicious Swiss mountain specialities like rösti and fondue, appetizing salads and tartines using local produce. It is also open in the evenings and is accessible by snow taxi.
Get pampered at La Cordée des Alpes
Walk up to La Marlenaz for lunch
The four-star hotel La Cordée des Alpes has a lovely rustic and stylish spa that is worth visiting, especially during the day time when everyone is out skiing, you will have the spa all to yourself!
The spa itself is bright and airy and has a beautiful 15-meter indoor swimming pool heated at 29 degrees, with lots of natural light and a high-beamed ceiling. It also has a stylish jacuzzi, a wet area comprising a spacious steam room and sauna. Surrounding the swimming-pool, there are a number of cosy alcoves beautifully decorated with pillows and curtains where you can relax whilst enjoying the open fireplace. It has three massage rooms offering a range of beauty rituals and massages from Les Cinq Mondes and Karin Herzog. It also has a small gym. I enjoyed an excellent deep tissue massage here. The therapist was very attentive to my request of concentrating on my back and shoulders, using a firm hand to unknot my tensions. And if you need a little more help with sore muscles, they even have an in-house physiotherapist.
Go snow-shoeing with Les Guides de Verbier
Snow-shoeing is a great winter activity that enables you to get close to nature whilst exercising gently. I met my guide at Le Châble as I was eager to explore beyond Verbier. I wanted to get away from the crowds and with the weather being so warm and the general lack of snow, heading to the woods was a safe bet for snow-shoeing. We went to the very picturesque mountain resort of Champex Lac, away from the hordes of half-term crowds.
With its small lake, frozen over for the winter, Champex offers numerous trails through the woods for snow-shoers and cross-country skiers alike. Here we found nature, beautiful scenery and pure tranquility. The only noise was that of the snow crunching under our snow-shoes, the gentle sound of the water trickling through the streams, and birds chirping in the trees.
My super-fit guide went out of her way to point out the various animal trails she spotted along the path, naming the various peaks on the horizon and teaching me about the 400-year old man-made irrigation canals that are typical of this area of Switzerland.
As we meandered through the woods, I was reminded of how enriching it is to share such an outing with a professional mountain guide. Not only did I spend three wonderful hours close to nature, but I learnt so much about the forest we walked through and the history of this tiny patch of Switzerland. The most surprising sight was that of the team of ducks who spend the whole winter in a small pool of water where the river flows into the frozen lake waiting for the ice to thaw!
Discover dog-sledding
As a dog-lover I didn't want to miss out on this fun experience. I booked a one-hour sled ride on a beautiful sunny day. I met Olivia who runs Eywa’s trails at Les Ruinettes a short cable car ride from Verbier. She runs two sleds that can comfortably accommodate two adults or one adult and two children. Eight dogs pull each sled, a mixture of Siberian huskies and malamute huskies. Interestingly, the leader of the pack on my sled was a rescued border collie. Apparently it now thinks it's a husky... We also had a blind dog in our pack. I was impressed by Olivia’s passion for dogs and her true professionalism when it came to handling them. She told me she owns 24 dogs in total!
We took off on a very scenic path, taking in the beautiful panorama of the Swiss and French alps rising in the distance. The dogs ran at a very good pace, averaging a speed of about 20-25 km an hour. After about 20 minutes we stopped to give the dogs a rest. This was definitely the highlight of the ride. Olivia introduced us to each dog and we spent some time petting them and taking photos. The ride back was quick with the dogs eager to get back. This is a really memorable experience. Eywa’s trails also runs half-day and full-day outings during which you learn to drive your own sled.
Unwind at Wholeycow yoga and fitness studio
As a keen yogini I was eager to join a yoga class in Verbier. What better way to make some time for yourself and relax whilst on holiday? Wholeycow studio did not disappoint me. It offers a broad range of fitness classes throughout the day right in the centre of the village, as well as massages. You can choose from yoga, pilates, circuits, spinning, TRX and boxercise. There really is something here for everyone. You can also book a private lesson with them, or even get a teacher to come out to your chalet for a session.
The studio is small (best to book ahead on their website), but well-equipped. The teachers are super friendly and really enthusiastic. I joined a yin yoga class that was perfect for loosening up my muscles and letting go of my tensions. Sian who led the class was very welcoming. Classes are taught in English and are very reasonably priced.
And when you've completed your five activities, don't forget to indulge in some chocolate...
Last but not least, check out the Chocolaterie de Verbier. This boutique based on the concept of an art gallery, exhibits and sells the creations of artisanal Swiss chocolate makers from all over the country. Not only do they have a gorgeous little shop, but they also have a lovely, cosy tea room where you can savour a hot chocolate – what else?
23rd February 2017
Sitting on a sunny terrace at 1500m, Verbier is best known for its fantastic skiing offering challenging ski runs both on and off-piste. As I discovered during my children's last school holiday, when we spent a week in Verbier, it also offers a number of activities for non-skiers. Read on to find out more!
Photo credit: Jo Winterson Hartley @joblueskies
Useful information
A dog-sledding outing with Eywa's trails starts at Chf 160.- for an hour and can be booked at www.chientraineau.ch
A massage at La Cordée des Alpes starts at Chf 65.- for 20 minutes www.hotelcordee.com
A half-day outing with Les Guides de Verbier is Chf 300.- www.guideverbier.com
A yoga or fitness lesson at Wholeycow is Chf 25.- (drop in, non-member rate), book online at www.wholeycow.ch
To book a table at La Marlenaz call: + 41 (0)27 771 5441
And check out La Chocolaterie de Verbier.
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For an inspiring place to stay, check out my review of the W Verbier.
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