SWISS GOLD

Pillaging Mountain Bike trails in Verbier, Switzerland

Switzerland is the planets 9^th richest country and if all that wealth has a winter home it’s the

ski resort of Verbier.

  This small town perched on the lip of a south facing bowl that gives grandstand views of the Mont Blanc and Combin Massifs is so decadent that during the winter it’s not unusual to see Lamborghinis sliding around in the snow. There are more art galleries than ski shops and the chalets, some of which are linked by private trains to underground nightclubs, regularly sell for hundreds of millions. In spring as the snow melts, the money drains away and with it go the huge entourages who feed on those fortunes. Between May and November Verbier, Switzerland’s biggest ski area, is deserted… But the lifts stay open, offering mountain bikers access to a vast playground that offers nearly every type of terrain and rides long enough to swallow weeks whole. Welcome to one of the world’s best mountain bike resorts that remains perfectly disguised by its reputation for luxury.   To prove my point, last July we invited a crew over from the HQ of MTB in the Alps, the Portes De Soleil. Charlotte Frost, Russ Paver and Callum Wood made the journey from Morzine to examine the wares of Verbier collectively known as the 4 Valleé. One of the real selling points of this area is the length of the season, the bike season starts at the beginning of June and ends on October the 31^st. Yes, the end of October, insane isn’t it? While all of the French bike mecca’s shut up shop at the end of August so that they don’t have to put lift staff on permanent contracts, the Swiss resorts try and stay open as long as possible.     I opted to show them the Tsoumaz side of the resort that faces north into the Rhone valley. There aren’t many trails on this side of the hill, but there is some wonderful terrain and you’ll be lucky if you see another soul. The runs are long and start with an overgrown world cup run that still has enough traffic to keep a testing single track in shape, but you’ll need a local to help you find the entry point. There is a brand spanking new flow trail that only covered the top third of the hill last year, but will be extended again for summer 2019. And if you’re really keen, there’s another single track delight called Maggie Thatcher; because it’s on the far right and a bit of a bitch. Tsoumaz is just one spec of this truly huge area. In the main bowl above Verbier, there is well maintained bike park for the triple clamp brigade. It’s not Chatel; there’s no super XL Nico Vink line, but I’m guessing that 99% of people reading this will have just breathed a sigh of relief. Instead you’ll find a great selection of trails from a DH run that is still used for the Swiss Nationals and has a bit of everything – to flowing blues and steep rooty reds to a steep and wonderfully testing black. Through the height of summer, the top lifts open and offer access to the aptly named 63 Jumps, where everyone channels their inner Brandon Semenuk. The one thing to recognise though, is that this mountain is steep – there is a good reason why this is a freeride mecca in winter. The mountains around here are sharp, so prepare for blues to feel more like reds in terms of gradient, if not technicality. Beyond the bike park the trails here sprawl like a vast web that stretches as far (if not further) than your imagination and potentially, bravery. The family trails are as gentle as the scent of the lifties breakfast wine, but don’t be fooled, the single track retains the same theme as the bike park. One run in particular, Jackass, had a mate end up hanging off a root system while his bike tomahawked down the 80m cliff below him. Descents of over 2000m vertical are common, so to make the most of Verbier’s big trails you’ll need to be fit and you’ll need a guide. The pick of the bunch are Phil and Lucy from Bike Verbier (http://bikeverbier.com) they know every corner of this region and they’ll be able to tailor rides perfectly to your ability.     In winter, everyone wants to boast about staying in Verbier itself, because staying in town means the snow is guaranteed and you can listen to twats boasting that they’ve done all the blacks in one of twelve tourist themed après bars. In contrast, the valley town of Le Chable is where all the resort staff live, so it has a great atmosphere, direct access to the gondola, is half the price for accommodation and best of all, most of the bike trails will eventually spit you out in this half price heaven. If you want to ride a bike on a budget in Switzerland, then Le Chable is where you want to start.     As I’ve said, the best part of all this is that it is very nearly deserted, even in the height of summer you’ll be lucky to bump into more than twenty people on the hill. So while the masses queue up in Morzine, Les Gets and Chatel, follow your nose over the border into Switzerland and experience the resort that the rich forget about in summer.

 

Photos: Callum Wood

Riders: Charlotte Frost, Russ Paver and myself Ed Leigh

 

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