As I climbed higher in my chair lift, I couldn’t suppress the silly grin that seemed to be a permanent fixture on my face for most of the week. Crisp blue, sunny skies embraced me as I looked upon the white dramatic peaks of the Swiss Alps. I didn’t ski every day, but loved taking the lifts up and watching skiers zig and zag through the slopes below. The sun shone so brightly that the snow appeared to be encrusted with diamonds that literally sparkled as I drifted higher. I leaned back into my silent carriage and breathed in deeply—trying to exhale every last bit of London grime from my lungs.
Verbier, Switzerland is undoubtedly a skier’s paradise that manages to cater to just about everyone. It can be posh and sophisticated—with upscale boutiques, restaurants, and even classical concerts on venue. But as one might expect, it is also a bit of a party town with clubs catering to young, hip international crowds. In many ways, it may remind you of Aspen, but with French and British accents. Yes, I said British. Now that the pound is so strong, this expensive ski destination is much more affordable to those from the United Kingdom—a main reason why there are so many British ski clubs and ski instructors.
Luckily for us, this resort is extremely family friendly as well, with three kids’ crèches in the village and many ski clubs and classes to choose from. In summer, there is horseback riding, kids’ camps, climbing walls, mountain biking, etc. But in winter, it’s all about skiing. We stayed for a week mid-February and enrolled our six-year-old son in the Adrenaline Ski School—one of the older schools with mostly French speaking instructors. His teacher was delightful and although William knew no children in the group, he quickly made friends. He also caught on like a champ and rose from the very beginning level on a Monday to tackling intermediate Blue runs with his daddy by Friday. The transformation was incredible! A perk with Adrenaline is that all kids get to ride in cool Jeeps to the kiddie slope instead of packing into the town’s public transportation where they don’t always get a seat. Since I was on the kiddie slope myself, I saw many wee kids from other ski schools struggling to stand on the bus while holding polls and skis. Adrenaline cost 360 chf for five half days, which is around $330, and worth every penny.
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