Skiing in Switzerland: Why the Val de Bagnes area is the perfect place to explore skiing in Switzerland

My trip to the Pays de Bagne s area of Switzerland (which includes cosmopolitan Verbier, wild Upper Val de Bagnes, authentic Bruson, discreet Vollèges or family-friendly La Tzoumaz) was perfectly timed just as the snow started to fall but before the white-out storms hit. As a result we had picture perfect conditions.

Our base was in the more affordable Le Chable, a relaxed village at the bottom of a lift which connects to either Verbier or Bruson depending on which gondola you take and which direction you decide to head. Last time I was in the Four Vallées I didn’t make it to the picturesque tree-lined slopes of Bruson but the Pasay chairlift has had a makeover.

The four-seater chairlift, installed in 1990, has been replaced by a six-seater chair with bubble, ideal for comfortable skiing in all weathers. And thanks to this brand-new infrastructure, journey time has now been reduced from 11 minutes to less than five, perfect for getting in that extra run. It also means that at the weekend and during school holidays you can avoid the queues for the gondola to Verbier and head out to the quieter Bruson area.

Another piece of good news is that the Pasay snack bar has been given a facelift. Completely renovated and expanded, the little buvette has been converted into a stunning modern mountain restaurant serving local products, including the excellent nettle soup, with a panoramic terrace perfect for sunny lunch breaks. (lapasay.ch/en) A picnic room is also available for skiers who simply want to stop and have a quick bite to eat before getting back onto the slopes – perfect for those who have one eye on the budget as Swiss mountain restaurants aren’t the cheapest.

Because environmental issues are now a serious concern, and activists have vandalised snow-making facilities in this and other European resorts, Téléverbier has introduced a number of measures to create a greener mountain aimed at limiting the impact of tourism and winter sports on the environment. Using renewable and local energy, installing equipment that uses less energy, improving snow grooming and snowmaking systems, encouraging alternative forms of transport – all these measures are in place to reduce our carbon footprint.

Replacing the resort’s oil-fired heating system with a pellet-fired system has reduced greenhouse gas emissions from the buildings by more than 90 per cent, which in turn reduced oil consumption by more than 70,000 litres per year, and has resulted in a reduction of CO2 of more than 158 tonnes per year. We were staying at the small family run B&B Hôtel A Lârze in Le Chable. Built in 2015, it is mostly constructed from the wood of the larch from which it gets its name.

The ten en-suite bedrooms are sumptuous and the breakfast impressive, there even a snug with honesty bar and a sauna. As the A Larze is five minutes up the hill a little we were able to use lockers in the gondola station to allow us to store our skis and boots.

Le Chable has a good choice of bars and restaurants offering great atmosphere with a mixture of French locals and expats who choose to lives away for the bright lights of Verbier. We had fantastic food with plenty of local wine at Le Giétroz (https://hotel-gietroz.ch/en/)The second day we headed up to Verbier to explore its impressive ski area, perfect for those who enjoy challenging reds and some exhilarating off piste refreshed by new snow fall, expertly shown to us by Xavier de Le Rue – the Olympian and Freeride World Tour winner. But it isn’t just on the piste that Verbier excels. We got time to pop into SunGod a British performance eyewear brand, founded in 2013 with offices in London and Verbier, Switzerland.

Renowned the world over for its lively and cosmopolitan nightlife, Verbier’s legendary après-ski bars and dynamic nightclubs come alive in winter. For starters, head for the places that have given the Valais resort its reputation: the Mont Fort Pub, Le Rouge, Le Fer à Cheval (where we came across singer James Blunt who has a chair lift named after him), not forgetting the Farinet with live concerts daily. Then the party continues at No 8 – formerly the T-bar. A note of caution: if you miss the last gondola back to Le Chable it will cost CHF60 to get a taxi down the mountain.

What also makes Le Chable the perfect base to explore the Pays de Bagnes is the train link from Geneva. With just one change and taking little over two hours it is a convenient and economic alternative to the normal ski transfer. All kinds of skiing (alpine, freeride, touring) have made themselves at home in Les 4 Vallées - the largest ski area in Switzerland that also includes several legendary slopes and peaks you can climb up or slide down – there is even a zip wire – the Mont Fort Zipline is the highest in Europe. With all the snow that has fallen recently it looks set to be ski stellar season after all.

A seven-night stay at Hôtel A Lârze, starting March 6 2023, costs from CHF510 (£455) pp, based on two sharing a room with balcony. Breakfast included. Return direct flights from Manchester to Geneva with EasyJet. The Swiss Travel Pass offers unlimited travel on consecutive days throughout the Swiss Travel System rail, bus and boat network. An adult lift pass for the Verbier 4 Vallées sector costs from CHF75 (£66) for 1 day. Ski hire from Montagne Show in Le Châble. Ski guides were European Snowsports, Element and Independent Snowboarding. www.verbier.ch