Verbier (1,490 m) is the largest ski area in Switzerland, by virtue of its 205 kilometres of pistes. It is a five-star resort for any and all kinds of skiers. Extreme ski aficionados come here, looking for monster moguls and death-defying couloirs. The Geneva and Paris elite are present as well, enjoying the pistes, the gourmet restaurants and the private parties.

The names of La Tzoumaz, Nendaz, Veysonnaz, Bruson, Les Collons or Thyon are not as well known, but they, together with Verbier, make up the Four Valleys and bring the statistical totals of the entire region to an impressive 400 kilometres of pistes.

Verbier is one of a handful of resorts that have, through the years, established such a good reputation among off-piste fanatics that it has, by now, become difficult to find much powder without hiking. To get the goods on one of the classic off-piste routes here, you have to get up very early on the first morning after the first snow has fallen. After day one, hiking is the only option for finding untracked powder. Verbier ski season lasts from December until April.