Verbier in summer – 12 things to see and do

Writer: Peter Bergström

Updated: July 2026 | Verbier… The Swiss Alps are something very special, and it's hard to put your finger on why. I went hiking for a few days and it's just wow! Follow along and I'll show you why.

Verbier in summer – more than skiing

Verbier in Switzerland is known as a winter destination with many ski slopes and off-piste skiing. But now I was going to experience Verbier in the summer – a press trip focusing on hiking, mountain biking, food and experiencing nature without snow.

Where is Verbier located?

Verbier is located in the southwest of Switzerland in the municipality of Val de Bagnes, in the canton of Valais. In addition to ski slopes, there is a huge selection of mountain bike routes and hiking trails.

Hiking in Verbier – towards the Corbassière Glacier

The trip to Verbier didn't quite start as planned

The flight left Arlanda at 6:30 and I was there and landed at 8:40. I now had an hour until the next flight, but it turned out to be much longer. There was a strike at KLM and my flight was delayed 8 hours.

Now I miss the Mauvoisin pond where I had planned to take out my drone and take photos. Instead, I'm waiting for my flight in Amsterdam, with a good beer and a tear in my eye.

A night at Cabane Brunet

My flight left at 3pm and landed in Geneva at 4.30pm. From here I would take a train for just over two hours to Martigny, where a taxi would pick me up. I got to ride in a Saab, haha, and the taxi driver loved his car (that makes you a proud Swede). It took 50 minutes straight up to 2,103 metres, oh, on insanely beautiful winding roads to the cabin we would sleep in.

It's getting dark and I don't care about my packing when we arrive, because photography comes first and it's insanely beautiful.

I run like a small child and take pictures of a big cabin and two small sheds with all the nature around me, as if I will never experience this again. The cows are playing their tune with their bells around their necks and you can see snow on the tops of the mountains. Come on ... this is really beautiful!

I go in and choose something to eat and it's cheese fondue and a beer. I familiarise myself with the female guide who has been coming here for 50 years (started at 15) and two photographers from France. The air is really thin and I lack oxygen but I fall asleep after being up for almost a day at 23.00.

The hike starts at Cabane Brunet

Up at 06:00 to watch the morning sun over the Swiss Alps. Photographed for an hour and then had breakfast before we slowly packed up and set off at 08:00. Helicopters are everywhere delivering food to the various locations around Verbier.

Today we will first hike 5-6 hours up to the Corbassière glacier and it is a climb of 550 meters, and then straight down for three hours. We will also pass two suspension bridges on our way and everything seems very amazing.

Over the Passerelle de Sery suspension bridge

After an hour of hiking, we came to the first suspension bridge (Passerelle de Sery) which was about 25 meters long. By this time we had climbed about 100 meters in height and the hike was quite pleasant, and incredibly beautiful.

Over the Passerelle de Corbassière

Three hours with several steep joints and for me it was heavy. I have been taking cortisone for a year for a strange inflammation, and have gained 15 kilos, which I am not used to, and it really felt in my body. The guide was great and took it more slowly and if you rest more often and concentrate on your breathing, you will eventually get up.

We walk around streams, sheep and high mountains and suddenly all the green disappears. We have stepped into the glacial landscape and have arrived at the Corbassière bridge, which is 210 meters long and goes 70 meters over the glacier. On the other side, another part awaits us up to where we will have lunch. This is a really cool suspension bridge and it swings well when we cross.

Arrive at Cabane FXB Panossière

After another 1 hour and 30 minutes we have arrived at a fabulous place 2641 meters above sea level. Here there is a restaurant with an incredibly beautiful view of the entire glacier and the mountains. Grand Combin 4314 meters above sea level is the one we see straight ahead and the highest in the region.

Petit Combin, Corbassière Combin and the top Tournedos Blanc etc. In all these cabins/restaurants you can sleep and eat. We had wonderful weather and I had a big hearty, lovely soup with bread and cheese and damn how good it tasted, and the view to it.

The hike down to Fionnay

It was time to get down and the first two hours were a wonderful walk with just the right amount of downhill. There are lots of marmots here, and you hear their singing and you think it's birds.

After that came the steep climb for a whole hour. It felt like if I didn't hold back I would reach 50 km an hour. It was also rocky, winding because you can't go straight down and after 30 minutes I asked to rest.

My thighs were shaking and I didn't trust myself to hold myself back. The last half hour was actually really hard, and my thighs were sore 7 days after I got home, haha. We got down to Fionnay and my legs were shaking but what a trip, and what a wonderful day.

Back to Verbier

The guide dropped me off in the town below Verbier called Le Chable, because that's where you get the train to and from Verbier. From here, the lift goes up to Verbier or if you have a car, you wind your way up alongside the lift. Next to the lift and the train is also the tourist office, and this is where I picked up my suitcase that I couldn't take with me on the hike.

It's awesome to drive into the town you're going to stay in, and Verbier isn't that big but most things are very close. My hotel Bristol was five minutes from the lift with a wonderful view of the Alps.

Pack up and off to dinner and it was a light salad and chanterelles on a bed of potatoes, and a test of a new wine (Ned noir) which was really good. It is not possible to eat melted cheese every day even though it is good. Back to the hotel and unload cameras, videos and all the gadgets I had with me.

Climb Pierre Avoi – 2,472 meters above sea level

By electric bike up in the mountains

New morning and new challenges. Pick up an electric mountain bike in the middle of town and we'll cycle 1 hour and 30 minutes up another mountain of course. It's super easy to get up with an electric bike and it's a nice morning. When we park our bikes, the fog comes.

The hike to the top of Pierre Avoi

We still have 45 minutes straight up to reach the top of the mountain Pierre Avoi 2,472 meters uh. Now it's getting really tough again and the oxygen is running out but I'm fighting on and it's very steep.

View of the Rhône Valley

When you get up there should be a 360 degree view but the fog is messing with us a bit today, but it's still awesome with the entire Rhône Valley below.

When we cycled back, we had lunch at the famous ”La Croix de Cœur” at 2,173 meters, and there we had another soup with bread and a large hearty meal.

Food and drink in Verbier

Beer tasting at V Bier Brewery in Verbier

In the middle of town there is a microbrewery/restaurant/gym that I was invited to sample beer at. The guy who took the initiative was Swedish so there was a lot to talk about at V Bier Brewery.

The IPA was the best, and we talked so much that I lost track of the time to the restaurant I was going to for dinner. Apparently it was a famous chef but I arrived an hour late and he had closed. That's how it can go and it was chips and wine from the mini-bar at the hotel ... always something!

Update: The V Bier Brewery, which we visited in 2019, no longer exists under the same name. The brewery has since continued under the name Bière de Verbier.

Raclette and Swiss cheese

The last day before I was to go home, there was also a visit to the famous cheese factory in town, Laiterie de Verbier. No 1 Raclette and a guided tour of the production. These were really nice guys... The father's name is Roger and the son's name is Marc, who has his family business and has won the "Swiss Cheese Awards" many times.

I bought Raclette cheese and Gruyère to take home with me and outside the store there is a large vending machine with all the products to make fondue, if you come across it in the evening when it's closed, haha.

12 things to see and do in Verbier in summer

Verbier is perhaps best known as an exclusive ski resort, but there is plenty to experience even when the snow has melted. In summer, the Swiss Alps beckon with hiking, mountain biking, mountain peaks, glaciers and, of course, Swiss food experiences. Here are 12 things to see and do in Verbier and the surrounding area.

1. Hike to the Corbassière Glacier

One of the great nature experiences around Verbier is the Corbassière Glacier. There are various hiking trails in the area and we did a longer hike from Cabane Brunet, via the suspension bridges Passerelle de Sery and Passerelle de Corbassière, to Cabane FXB Panossière. It was a long and at times demanding day, but also a fantastic experience in the Swiss Alps.

2. Cross the Passerelle de Corbassière

The spectacular Passerelle de Corbassière suspension bridge is an experience in itself. The bridge is 210 meters long and crosses the Corbassière glacier area. Here you are in the middle of a dramatic alpine landscape with high mountains and the glacier below.

3. Visit Cabane FXB Panossière

At an altitude of 2,641 meters lies Cabane FXB Panossière, an alpine hut with a restaurant and the possibility of overnight stays. Here you can settle down after the hike and look out over the Corbassière glacier and the surrounding mountain peaks. In front of us rose, among others, the Grand Combin, which reaches over 4,300 meters above sea level.

4. Climb Pierre Avoi

Pierre Avoi is a mountain peak at 2,472 meters and a great destination for those who want to combine hiking with magnificent views. We did part of the way by electric mountain bike and then continued on foot. The last stretch is steep, but from the top you can get a fantastic view of the Rhône Valley and the mountains around Verbier in clear weather.

5. Mountain bike in the mountains

Verbier is a great area for mountain biking and there are plenty of trails for all levels. We tried out the electric mountain bike, which made it much easier to get up the long and steep climbs. A fun way to get far out into the mountains without having to use a lift or car.

6. Discover Fionnay

The small village of Fionnay is located in the Val de Bagnes and is surrounded by high mountains and beautiful nature. For us, Fionnay was the end point of the long hike from Cabane Brunet via the Corbassière glacier. The area is also a good starting point for several hikes.

7. Experience a Swiss Alpine Chalet

Eating or staying overnight in an alpine hut is an experience that is part of Switzerland. We stayed one night at Cabane Brunet, just over 2,000 meters above sea level. Here, mountains, grazing cows with bells around their necks, and classic cheese fondue awaited – about as Swiss as it gets.

8. Take a lift and see Verbier from above

The lifts around Verbier are not only used during the ski season. They can also take you up into the mountains in the summer and serve as a starting point for hikes and other activities.

From Le Châble the cable car goes up to Verbier and during the summer season several lifts are open further up the mountains. They are used by both hikers and mountain bikers. Check the current opening times as they vary between different lifts and during different parts of the season.

9. Stroll around Verbier

Also take some time to visit Verbier itself. The resort is beautifully situated at an altitude of around 1,500 meters with views of the Alps. There are hotels, restaurants, cafes, shops and plenty of opportunities to just sit down and enjoy the mountain environment.

10. Taste local beer

After a few days in the mountains, a beer might be a good idea. When we visited Verbier, there was a local microbrewery where we got to try different beers. For those interested in beer, it might be worth looking out for local breweries and Swiss craft beers in bars and restaurants.

11. Eat raclette and Swiss cheese

You can hardly travel to Valais without eating raclette. The region is strongly associated with this classic Swiss cheese dish. We also visited a local dairy in Verbier and bought both raclette cheese and Gruyère. Cheese fondue is of course another classic to try during your trip.

12. Head up towards Mont Fort

If you want to go even higher up in the mountains, Mont Fort is one of the major destinations in the area. The peak is located at an altitude of 3,330 meters and an impressive alpine landscape awaits you here. Check which lifts are open when you visit Verbier, as opening times and seasons vary.

Film from Verbier

Here's a film from beautiful Verbier in Switzerland!

See more in the neighbourhood

Of course, there is much more to see and experience in Switzerland. Here you will find more tips and reports:

• Nendaz
• Zermatt

My impressions of Verbier in the summer

Is it enough that I write wow! Well ... this is how it is or a bit like this is. Verbier may be an awesome skiing destination but it's a crazy beautiful place to visit in the summer. It's more beautiful when the snow has disappeared and a perfect long weekend (4-5 days) of hiking and relaxing. It's expensive in Switzerland as we know, but in summer you can get many discounts and after being in this wonderful dramatic nature you want more and you never forget it.