The Summer secrets of the world’s most glamorous winter destination
Most associate the Swiss resort of Verbier with adrenalin sports, A listers, and levels of wealth. But there are a surprising amount of affordable-cultural activities in this mountain haven that cater to the local population and tourists alike, most of whom have more moderate budgets.
Who said that art lovers and keen bikers can’t live together? Or holidaymakers looking for a sophisticated holiday can’t appreciate the traditions of a local community too? Discover everything in Verbier-Val de Bagnes’ press kit for summer 2023. This is a destination that brings together all walks of life into one fabulous valley.
What’s new this summer? Plenty. Including the exhibition of the Palp Festival and a collection of new accommodation. But that’s not all. Throughout the pages, Verbier-Val de Bagnes offers many opportunities to relax, recharge and reconnect in the magnificent mountains. Take a dip in a cooling lake, stroll through the vibrant-green pastures, sign up to a family-friendly activity, and above all, enjoy spending time together.
For every night spent in Verbier-Val de Bagnes and La Tzoumaz this summer, visitors will receive a free Verbier Infinite Playground Pass (VIP Pass) that offers discounts and freebies to the entire area.
We wish you a good read and are at your disposal if you would like any more information and/or images, or would like to discover the destination as part of a press trip in return for coverage.
We hope to see you soon!
Events:
30th Anniversary of Verbier Festival
For several years, music lovers from all over the world have been gathering in Verbier for the annual Verbier Festival in July. It has always aimed to encourage interaction and exchange between the great masters and young musicians from all over the world. But the 2023 edition will also mark the 30th anniversary of the Festival. The stars of the international classical scene, both regulars and newcomers, will converge on Verbier for this exceptional anniversary, as will young emerging talent who often come from the Verbier Festival Academy. Whether it is the multitude of stars, or the highlights organised over a period of more than two weeks (14 – 30 July), this edition will undoubtedly be remembered for a long time to come. www.verbierfestival.com
Opening concert (14 July)
The opening concert will be doubly symbolic: 30 years after conducting the first Verbier Festival concert, Zubin Mehta will return to open the festivities of this anniversary year with the Verbier Festival Orchestra. The energetic pianist, Yuja Wang, will set the tone with Rachmaninov’s Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 3. The work of the Russian pianist and composer, Sergei Rachmaninff, will be honoured in 2023 for the 150th anniversary of his birth.
Marthe Keller (22 July) and Isabelle Huppert (23 July)
For the 30th anniversary of the Festival, two notable patrons of the event are returning to Verbier to perform: the great actresses, Marthe Keller and Isabelle Huppert. The two performances in the Verbier Cinema will be emotional, intimate and poignant for the audience. Program
UNLTD is a creative lab promoted by the Verbier Festival. It’s an innovative concept that breaks with norms, pushes boundaries and stimulates curiosity around music. Think outdoor concerts in unexpected places, in restaurants or on summits, plus artistic explorations in conjunction with other disciplines and other styles of music etc.. The Unlimited showcases emerging talent and interactive performances for all generations and complements the Verbier Festival programme each summer. www.verbierfestival.com/en/unltd/
The Passage exhibition: 18 June to 10 Sept: This year’s Palp Festival exhibition will take on a subject as fascinating as it is frightening, death. Whether creating a playlist for your funeral, writing a death notice, going on a tour of flowers that can kill or visiting a haunted house, this year’s exhibition in Bruson will give you a different perspective. It will offer various points of view on the theme of death and that of funeral rites, to give visitors a moment to immerse themselves in how the dead have influenced us through time and in the present. www.palpfestival.ch/en/
A walk in three dimensions: Stroll along a path, facing the majestic mountains of the Combins, between La Chaux and Les Ruinettes, to encounter monumental works of art at the 3D Sculpture Parc. This year, Haroon Mirza will be the artist in residence in Verbier, developing a project focusing on the issue of climate change linked to water and energy, using materials, technologies and elements from Verbier’s Alpine environment. Everyone is welcome to come and experience this exhibition without walls at their own pace. www.3-dfoundation.com
What’s New?
No 8 Bed & Bar is a cosy new three-star hotel in the middle of the resort. The name comes from its central position at number eight on the Place Centrale, the beating heart of Verbier, close to the lifts, bars and popular restaurants of the resort. A small three-star hotel with nine fully renovated rooms and a warm design, No 8 also offers a bar. Alternating between café, bar, and après-ski, events are arranged throughout the year, bringing together locals, regulars and one-time visitors who share the energy for which Verbier is famous. https://numero8verbier.ch/en/homepage/
Le Mazot: Hidden in the middle of the Upper Val de Bagnes, in the old village of Fionnay, the Mazot lies at the crossroads of the region’s most beautiful hikes. Initially a restaurant offering home-made local cuisine based on seasonal ingredients, Le Mazot now provides a new bed and breakfast option too. In two chalets tucked away between the larch forest and the river, Le Mazot in Fionnay offers five completely renovated warm, cosy rooms, ideal for visitors who are either passing through on a hike or looking for a base to explore the region. www.lemazot-fionnay.com Is it worth adding a price from?
Restaurant La Pasay and chairlift: Following the success of their first winter season, Emmanuelle Roduit and Michael Egloff are opening their restaurant at La Pasay for the first time this summer. The celebrated couple offer local fayre with a Bagnes-valley twist. The new chairlift of the same name will also be open, boosting the number of possibilities for hiking and cycling in the hills above Bruson. https://lapasay.ch/en
Papill’on Boutique-hotel: The Papill’on restaurant opened its doors a year and a half ago and has made a big impression. Ideally positioned on the Rue Centrale in the village of La Tzoumaz, the place is surprisingly creative with its original cuisine and a hint of edginess, all in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. This year, the Papill’on is embarking on a new project with the opening of a boutique-hotel with a real family feel, much to the delight of guests who will be able to enjoy the nine double rooms in cosy Alpine style. The venue also offers events and musical entertainment throughout the year, including concerts and wine tastings featuring small local wineries making a local, fresh and welcoming cultural programme. www.papillon-latzoumaz.ch/en/
Le Carrefour
Le Carrefour is a lively place from where the Palp runs its activities in the heart of the village of Bruson. Open to all, it is a place where everyone can share, exchange and taste local products. It is both a café and a restaurant, a place of creation, of residency for artists and researchers. It organises screenings, concerts, exhibitions, workshops and all kinds of events. People don’t just come to the Carrefour to eat, however, it is a place for meetings, discussions, reading and creation, and you can also sleep there, rub shoulders with the inhabitants of the village and visitors to Bruson, and feel at home! www.palpvillage.ch
Creative Space Verbier: The Verbier 3-D Foundation is launching a new concept this summer: Creative Space Verbier. Its aim is to provide an artistic and cultural venue in the heart of Verbier, offering a creative space to the local community as well as a first-class visual arts programme. Creative Space will offer courses and an art education courses for all ages, while providing professional artists with workspace and facilities. Guest artists will be brought in to teach a wide variety of workshops accessible to everyone, such as painting walks in Verbier and the Val de Bagnes. Creative Space will also host exhibitions, film screenings, and will have a boutique creating a cultural hub open to all. www.3-dfoundation.com
Val de Bagnes mountain huts route – three days of hiking
Six mountain huts are dotted throughout the Val de Bagnes. This itinerary takes you to half of them in three days on a route that is as varied as it is spectacular. Taking the shuttle bus to the Cabane Brunet, the first day begins with the ascent of the Col des Avouillons (2,649 m) overlooking the tongue of the Corbassière glacier and ends at the Cabane de Panossière, which sits on the moraine of the same glacier, facing the Massif des Combins. On the second day, another pass, that of the Col des Otanes (2,845 m), then a descent to the top of Lake Mauvoisin, before reaching the Cabane Chanrion hut, at the very bottom of the Val de Bagnes. On the last day, return to the valley via the other side of Lac de Mauvoisin, finishing at the foot of the dam where the buses leave for Le Châble.
Total: 35.2 km / Ascent 2,293 m / Descent 2,553 m / 13h
Day 1: Cabane Brunet – Cabane Panossière / 7.4 km / Ascent 922 m / Descent 396 m / 3h30
Day 2: Cabane Panossière – Cabane Chanrion / 17.2 km / Ascent 1,089 m / Descent 1,251 m / 6h20
Day 3: Cabane Chanrion – Barrage de Mauvoisin / 10.6 km / Ascent 282 m / Descent 906 m / 3h10
www.verbier.ch/cabanes-de-montagne
How to get to Verbier: Jump on a plane (direct flights from Aberdeen, Belfast-International, Birmingham, Bristol, Dublin, Edinburgh, London-City, London-Gatwick, London-Heathrow, London-Luton and Manchester.) or train (from London St Pancras) to Geneva – Le Châble is only two hours and 40 mins by train from Geneva Airport and is linked to Verbier (between 05.00 – 23.55) and Bruson by cable cars that leave directly from the village.
More information at: www.verbier.ch
Image Copyright © Altypic-ThierryKrummenacher.
