Between the snows, from early June’s spring flower meadows to October’s golden larches and autumn colours, the mountains are a paradise for walking, climbing, biking, paragliding or simply gentle exploration through ancient villages and stunning scenery. This summer all visitors will get free up lift and buses during their stay - even more reasons to explore the area.
The Race of Five 4000m Peaks is one of the finest and oldest mountain marathons in the world. 31 km, 2200m ascent and 800m descent through incredible scenery, it is open to pro and amateur alike. Base yourself at Chalet Edelweiss for pre-race training and acclimatisation, excellent nutrition and race-support.
Mountain biking & cycling
The valley has an extensive network of signed biking routes, using fire trails and single track. There are also more technical downhill routes and a serious bike park in St Luc. The main ski lifts run until end of October for access.
The big cross country event is the epic Grand Raid, 125km from Verbier to Grimentz each August. A bit of training would be a good idea, even if you just go for the 37km option from Evolene.
Road biking the valley and beyond gives circular routes on quiet roads and traffic-free tarmac tracks through the vineyards of the Rhone Valley to Lake Geneva. Local post buses are equipped with bike racks, for easy return to base.
Paragliding
The Zinal cable car gives access to perfect launch areas; Vercorin is the other prime spot in the valley. Both are favourites with experienced paragliders while Zinal’s stable weather conditions make it a great to place to learn or to take a tandem flight.
