Freeride capital of the Alps — Mont Fort, Valais sunshine
Verbier is the Swiss Alps' premier freeride destination — a south-facing resort in the Valais canton at 1,500m, connected to the Four Valleys ski area (410km of pistes) and dominated by Mont Fort at 3,330m. It's less formal than St. Moritz, more adventurous, and reliably sunny. The Verbier Festival is one of Europe's premier classical music events every July. The nightlife at Farm Club is genuinely legendary, and British public school alumni account for a disproportionate share of the population every February.
Verbier was a tiny farming hamlet until the first ski lift was installed in 1950. Development accelerated rapidly in the 1960s and 70s, when British and Swiss investors built a resort around the superior snow conditions on Mont Fort's north-facing slopes. The Verbier Freeride World Tour stop established it as the freeride capital in the 1990s. Unlike many Swiss resorts it lacks a village centre with historical character — everything was built for skiing.