Skiing in Switzerland without breaking the bank: La Tzoumaz near Verbier

At 3,330 metres a metal platform and a heavy harness precede a 120 kilometres an hour plunge across the valley on the Mont Fort zip line, the highest in the world, with views of the Matterhorn, Mont Blanc and the Dents du Midi. It is an exhilarating start to a visit to Verbier, known for 410km of piste, alpine food and a lively après-ski scene, but also for high prices and celebrity clientele.

Stay in nearby La Tzoumaz, where accommodation can be half the price of Verbier and you are one chairlift away from the Four Valleys, and you can enjoy the same slopes with less financial strain. La Tzoumaz, with a year-round population of little more than 300, retains a village atmosphere; its name comes from the Valaisan “tzoumer”, meaning “the place where you rest”.

Boutique options such as Le Papill’on, run by Ana and Pico, offer 12 cosy wood‑panelled rooms above the restaurant and generous breakfasts with pastel de nata, and ski hire and the gondola are two minutes’ walk away.

Switzerland, La Tzoumaz

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