Verbier BikePark Spot Check – Switzerland’s Mountain Bike Paradise?
We went to Verbier for the bike park, but it was so much more! Their bike park is top-notch, but the adventure really begins once you head beyond and into the enduro trails. Check out this gorgeous part of Switzerland and the trails that lead far beyond the vistas.
Intro
Verbier has a reputation for being an expert-level ski destination, and it is just as serious about bikes during the rest of the year. There are 12 km of downhill trails in the park and an astounding 220 km of mapped enduro trails that extend from 2475 meters all the way down to 822 meters. If you want a posh trip in an expensive private chalet, it is available. But there are also outstanding promotions and reasonable prices for the more frugal visitors down in the valley where the gondolas begin. But in Verbier, it is really about the trails that seem to be never-ending and push your limits as a biker. Get in shape before you go because you will need all your strength to navigate the mountains.
Getting There
Verbier is located east of Geneva and can be reached from the airport with less than a two-hour drive on well-maintained roads. You arrive first into Le Chable which sits along the river and then ascend a twisty road up to the village of Verbier.
Le Chable is the base station for the first gondola up the mountain. It has a large parking area which is easy to find and access the rest of the town. If you choose to drive up the mountain to Verbier, you will find that there is less parking although you will be close to the base of the bike park. Most downhill bikers park in the spaces that sit next to a mountain access road just up the road from the gondola. There are enduro trails that extend all the way down to Le Chable, but the bike park actually terminates in the village of Verbier.
Infrastructure
The first gondola is from Le Chable (822 m) to Verbier (1527 m). The second gondola, Médran, is from Verbier (1527 m) to Les Ruinettes (2200 m). The third chairlift, Chaux-Express, extends from Les Ruinettes (2200 m) to Fontanet (2475 m). There is also the gondola from Les Creux (1595 m) to Savoleyres (2348 m) and chairlift from La Tzoumaz to Savoleyres (2348 m) which are only open during the months of July and August.
The Trails
In most resorts, you can get by just fine with either a DH bike or an enduro for all of the trails. We advise that at Verbier you decide what type of riding you plan to do and bring that bike. In our case, we brought both DH and enduro bikes and it was well worth the extra hassle. Yes, it is possible to ride the DH trails in the bike park with an enduro bike (our guide Trifon did this, although we think he is part mountain goat) but you’ll benefit from a DH bike. Bikes are available for rent in the village if you change your mind.
Impressions
The Bikepark
There are seven trails in the bike park and while they range from beginner to expert, we assess that solid bike handling skills are needed for all of the trails. There are numerous mountain roads that can accommodate true beginners, but the bike park is quite advanced because the mountain is steep.
Médran Gondola
From the Médran lift, you can access Tire’s Fire, Tsopu, Tu Cuci, Wouaiy, and Woooohhh.
Tsopu is the beginner trail with loads of flowy turns and fun rollers mixed with some small table top jumps. For an experienced ride, it is quite easy, but it will likely still prove quite challenging for a beginner.
Tire’s fire is the official race track and it is marked as an advanced trail. It is possible to make it down at a reasonable cautious speed but when you start to go faster things get very interesting. Despite the fact that it can be technical, it flows very well and allows for some creative line choices. High speeds and tight trees make the middle part of the trail feel like you are riding one of the speeders from Star Wars.
Wouaiy is an advanced trail that ranks among our favourite European bike park trails. It is technical, physically demanding, long and it is fun! Take it easy the first time down because there are some surprises along the way with drops and unique lines.
Tu Cuci is a poppy jump trail that weaves between Tsopu and Tire’s Fire while Woooohhh is a hyper-technical DH trail that will demand every bit of remaining energy before it spits you out back at the gondola for another trip back up. You’ll find Numerous connector trails filled with northshore elements and jumps as you explore the Médran part of the mountain.
Chaux-Express Chairlift
From the Chaux-Express chairlift you can access Bortabitche and Rodze. The iconic photos of Verbier Bikepark were probably taken up on this part of the mountain.
Bortabitche is an advanced trail that starts with a twisty and steep flow section and then crosses a massive boulder field via a northshore wooden path. It is iconic, unique, and beautiful.
Rodze is also an advanced trail which is made up of 65 jumps. It is incredible. The jumpline traverses the face of the mountain with staggeringly gorgeous views. The jumps are all easily rollable, so ride it even if you are more comfortable with your wheels on the dirt – it is worth it.
Enduro Trails
Two words describe the enduro trails – expansive and overwhelming. There are 220 km of enduro trails, of which 90% is singletrack. How can you ever find your way around that network? Well, you are in luck because Verbier has taken care of you. You can follow the well-developed maps, hire a guide, download the GPS tracks from the website for free, or simply rent the GPS device with the trails already loaded directly from the tourist office for just € 15 a day. There is no good reason to miss out on the enduro trail network.
The 21 enduro trails are divided into four sections; Cote Verbier, Cote Tzoumaz, Cote Bruson, and Cote Mauvoison. The trails are marked as easy, advanced, and very difficult. We concur with their assessment of the trail difficulty. We would consider some of the enduro trails to be more difficult than the bike park trails especially when considering that your bike will have less travel. You will appreciate the single crown fork when executing nose-turns.
While the lift to the top of the mountain doesn’t open until June, the rest of the mountain is accessible for quite a long season. The Médran is open weekends as early as late April and through late October. When the snow comes at higher altitude, it is still possible to ride the extensive network of trails accessed via the Chable-Verbier gondola which are open and passable for nearly 9 months of the year.
The Cote Tzoumaz portion of the trails is easily accessed from the long dirt road that traverses the face of the mountain from the top of the Médran gondola. Trails that drop down the back side of the mountain are incredible with verdant green forests filled with moss and ferns. These fresh and loamy trails were some of our favourites and demand a visit. Unfortunately, the lift back to the top only runs during July and August so be prepared to pedal back up during the rest of the year.
Food, Drinks, and Lodging
The mountains surrounding Verbier are dotted with more dining choices than you can imagine. Huttes with local cheeses and meats are specialities, but both pizza and haute-cuisine are available in Verbier, or head to Le Chable for additional choices. We enjoyed pizza and burgers at Restaurant le Fer à Cheval and fresh fish at Chez Martin in Verbier, but maybe the most memorable was grilling local sausages at the dirt jumps with our host, Trifon. Its hard to beat a session on the jumps followed by regional wine, cheese, and meats.
Verbier has a reputation for being an expensive vacation town but we found that there are still great deals to be found. We stayed at the Hotel Les Chamois which was just a stone’s throw from the gondola in Verbier and the rooms were as low as 100 bucks per night with multiple beds. The Verbier tourist association has also created several fantastic packages that include lodging and bike park passes. The budget package is 99 Swiss Francs for 2-day passes, one light lodging in Le Chable, and access to the Verbier Sports Center which includes the swimming pool.
The Region
What else is there to do when you aren’t on the trails? Plenty. An asphalt pump track and concrete skatepark were recently completed near the Le Chable gondola station. There is also a dirt jump park in Le Chable that is conveniently located next to a lake for an after-session swim. The bike park intersects with one of the golf courses which creates an odd mix of armour clad DH warriors with the plaid and pastel garments of the golfers. Hiking, climbing, and all the other usual mountain hobbies are available, but to be honest, you’ll be so tired from riding your bike that you’ll just want to relax and enjoy the view with a refreshing beer.
The Bottom Line
The bike park at Verbier is terrific and will challenge you no matter your level of riding. But don’t be surprised if you are drawn to the enduro trails for extended periods. In three days we spent probably only half of a day in the bike park because we were out exploring the rest of the time. The amount of challenging, legal singletrack surrounded by absolutely gorgeous views is shocking. And when you think you have finally figured out how to ride a trail, you will notice that there is another trail nearby which demands your attention as well. We could have easily spent twice as much time in Verbier but our bodies would likely not have been pleased as we were exhausted. The variety of terrain and the long riding season will surely merit another visit when other resorts begin to shut down for the season.
Location, Opening Hours, and Prices
Name: Verbier Bikepark
Location: Verbier, Switzerland
Price: per day – Adult 35, Youth 30, Child 18
Trails: 7 DH trail (12 km), 23 Enduro routes (220 km), 18 XC routes (600 km)
Hours: 9 am to 4:30 pm
Expert Tip: When reviewing the enduro trail map, there are two numbers listed for the length of the trails. The first number is total length and the second is the length of singletrack!
Lifts:
- Gondola Le Chable to Verbier
- Gondola from Verbier to Les Ruinettes
- Chairlift from Les Ruinettes to Fontanet
- Gondola from Les Creux to Savoleyres
- Chairlift from La Tzoumaz to Savoleyres
More Information
- Bikepark Verbier – verbierbikepark.ch
- Restaurant Fer a Cheval – Fer A Cheval Verbier Facebook
- Restaurant Chez Martin – chezmartin.ch
- Hotel Chamois – hotel-chamois.ch
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Words: Evan Phillips Photos: Evan Phillips, Verbier Tourism
