Resort Guide for Nendaz, Switzerland

Resort Profile

Verbier and Nendaz are the two main centres that make up The 4 Vallées Ski area which is one of the largest lift-linked areas in the world and the largest truly-linked system wholly in Switzerland. The maximum skiable vertical, when conditions are right, involves a trail of 15km (nearly 10 miles ) descending more than 2,500m ( 8230 feet) again one of the biggest and best verticals in the world. Verbier has a good percentage of high-tech lifts able to shift large numbers of skiers quickly, most famously 'Le Jumbo' cable car, which carries 150 people at a time up to the Fort glacier (also open for skiing for 6 weeks during the summer). The revolutionary new Funispace lift contains giant gondola cabins on twin wires each cabable of carrying 30 passengers. Experts will be especially enraptured by what's on offer around Verbier. Highlights include the legendary Tortin snow bowl with its huge bumps, the extreme couloirs down from Les Attelas, the steep skiing around Mont Gele and the notorious Gentianes run below the cable car. Ski safaris are organised by the ski schools to French and Italian resorts in the area and heli-skiing is another popular option. Ski mountaineering is yet another of the Verbier's strengths, lying as it does on the legendary 'Haute Route' between Chamonix and Zermatt (6 days). Intermediates inevitably have the greatest choice with hundreds of miles kilometres of trails in the bluered category. The huge Lac des Vaux bowl with lifts rising in every direction is one of the many options. Beginners may feel daunted by the skiing mecca all around them, but none-the-less have sunny nursery slopes just above the village centre. One of the newer additions to Verbier's many on-snow attractions is the Fun Park at Les Esserts which is open some evenings so that anyone can try out new sliding techniques such as tubing, snow cart (cross between a sledge and a go-kart), snow scooter and snow cross (or dirt monster - mini motorbike with snow tyres). 'LaMega' night descent by snow cross, cart or scooter from les Attelas at 2730 m is organised weekly. Cross country skiers have half a dozen 4 and 5km (2.5- 3 mile) loops to choose from starting in the various Vallées villages, and there is a 30km ( 18 mile ) route through Val de Bagnes.

Resort Statistics

	Resort Height : 1365
	Top Station : 3330
	Bottom Station : 1365
	Vertical Descent : 1965
	Drag Lifts : 21
	Chair Lifts : 6
	Opens : Dec - April
	Expert Rating : 6
	Intermediate Rating : 7
	Beginner Rating : 8

Accomodation & Après Ski

Accomodation data not available.