Vercorin Ski Resort Switzerland
Vercorin is one of a plethora of small Swiss ski resorts unknown to the rest of the world. That's a shame, because Vercorin, and many others like it, provide the kind of fabulous, uncrowded ski experience that so many have forgotten or only dream about. With 1,034m of skiable vertical on cold north & northeast aspected slopes, Vercorin is all but deserted mid-week. Its charming village sits beautifully on the mountainside overlooking the Rhone River valley and Val d'Anniviers.
Skiing & Snowboarding, Lift & Terrain
The Vercorin skiing & snowboarding terrain is geared toward long cruising but can also be for the adventurous. It is a small to medium sized ski area with 35km of trails, the majority of which are intermediate. The longest trail is over 6km in length and runs the entire 1,034m vertical from Mont Major (2,374m) to the gondola base in the village (1,340m). Interestingly too, the resort can also be accessed from neighbouring Grimentz via the adventurous backcountry descent into the Vallon d'Orsival (from Grimentz's Roc d'Orzival). We have skied this area in deep powder (but descended into St Jean) and can vouch for its awesomeness!
See the current trail map for Vercorin below.
The most important lift in the resort is the 2-stage gondola rising a full 1,000m vertical from the village to the Crêt du Midi peak at 2,336m altitude. Half the ski terrain can be accessed via the gondola. Prior to the construction of a new chairlift on the upper mountain for season 21/22, the other half was served by numerous, excruciatingly long surface tows. Several still exist but are of less importance. The new Tracui chair climbs up 500m of skiable vertical to the top on Mont Major (2,374m), replacing both the old Tracui & Cabanon surface tows, and greatly improving the skiing & snowboarding experience.
Lift Pass Valid in Val d’Anniviers
Depending on duration, the multi-day local lift pass at Vercorin is valid at the two other Val d’Anniviers ski resorts. A pass of 3 or more days is also valid for use in St Luc-Chandolin & a pass of 6 days or more is also valid in Grimentz Zinal. Despite this excellent multi-resort pass, getting to the other resorts can be problematic for much of the season. Whilst regular daily bus services link (free for skiers/snowboarders) link Grimentz & Zinal to St Luc & Chandolin via Vissoie, bus links from/to Vercorin are highly seasonal i.e. less regular (a few weeks during Christmas/New Year; a few weeks from mid Feb top early March; Easter period)! So if in Vercorin outside those periods, a car is needed to check out the other resorts.
To get a sense of the broader lay of the land, see the Val d’Anniviers ski resort map.
[AdListings Filter="Vercorin Guiding"]
Where is Vercorin Switzerland?
Vercorin is in the French speaking part of the Valais canton in south-west Switzerland, splendidly located overlooking both the Rhone River valley and the Val d'Anniviers. If considering a visit to Vercorin, your best gateway airports are Geneva (GVA) or Zurich (ZRH). By road, travelling by rental car, Vercorin is 185km (2hr) east of Geneva and 300km (3½hr) south-west of Zurich.
The recommended mode of travel is the train (you are in Switzerland after all). Trains can be taken direct from the airports and take between 2 to 3hr to get to Sierre (Siders) station (located between Brig & Montreux). From the station get a taxi, private transfer to the cable car valley station at Chalais which is only 5km by road from the train station. Take the cable car up to Vercorin village. Alternatively take the local bus (route 441) from the station direct to Vercorin village.
Search & book here for train tickets to Sierre/Siders.
For hints, tips & warnings about getting to Switzerland ski resorts in winter, see our Travel in Switzerland page.
Vercorin Accommodation
Vercorin is a classic Swiss mountain village, located at 1,300m elevation, overlooking the broad Rhône River valley and surrounding mountain peaks. There are many lodging options to choose from in the village.
[AdListings Filter="Vercorin Lodging"]
The alternative to the resort village is to stay in the valley. Only stay in Sierre if desperate.
Search & book here for all Vercorin ski accommodation.
Review
The Powderhounds were within a whisker of visiting Vercorin in 2019, but only got as far as all of its neighbours- the fabulous Crans Montana, Grimentz Zinal & St Luc Chandolin. Despite being close enough to get a few clear photos on a nice sunny Val d'Anniviers day, it was just a 'bridge too far'! We will re-visit the region again next season and will add more info once we do. Meanwhile read our thoughts on the other ski resorts in the region via the links above or in the left column.
See how the European ski resorts compare on the Europe ski resort ratings page.
Follow Powderhounds Europe on Instagram to see where we are currently skiing. Follow our main Powderhounds page on Facebook to stay in touch with up-to-date info, tours, and discussions.