Verbier

A village on a south-facing terrace at about 1,500 metres on the east side of the Val de Bagnes, looking across at the Grand Combin massif. It is recognised as one of the premier off-piste resorts in the world, and the reason skiers settled here is in the terrain: steep slopes, varied conditions, and snow lying year-round in places. Permanent residents numbered 2,767 in 2006, but the figure can rise to 35,000 in the winter season, with a noticeable Scandinavian and British population among them.