<p>Our guide to the top ski schools in Verbier helps you discover the best ski school for you.</p>
Photo: Altitude Ski & Snowboard School

Top Ski Schools in Verbier

Our guide to the top ski schools in Verbier helps you discover the best ski school for you.

Advice
Published at: 15 May 2020
Last updated at: 9 Nov 2023

Verbier has a large variety of ski schools to choose from which can be a little overwhelming. To help you pick the right ski school for you we've rounded up our recommendations for the best ski schools in Verbier.

Serena Norton
Serena Norton

Adrenaline Ski School - best all-rounder

With over 20 years of experience in Verbier, you can be sure you are in good hands with Adrenaline Ski School. A member of Swiss Snowsports and the International Ski School (ESI) Association, Adrenaline’s instructors hold internationally recognised qualifications and offer lessons for all levels.

Should you opt for private lessons, you can choose from a full or half day session. Two hour lessons are available for beginners or those in need of a refresher and for children from the age of two and a half upwards, there’s the option for a one hour private lesson.

Children’s group lessons are limited to six students with children grouped according to their age and ability. At the end of the week, participants will receive a medal, certificate and souvenir video. There are also dedicated groups for teens looking to learn about freeride and freestyle skiing. For adults there are four categories to choose from - first timer, beginner plus, intermediate and advanced. Off-piste guiding and ski touring are also available for those who want to discover Verbier’s backcountry.

For non-skiers, Adrenaline offers snowshoe tours, sledging, cross-country skiing and private yoga lessons.

Altitude Ski & Snowboard School - best for internationals

Set up in Verbier in 2001, Altitude Ski School has now expanded to include seven schools across Switzerland and France. They have an international team of highly qualified and experienced instructors who are passionate about teaching skiing and snowboarding.

Private and group lessons are available in over 10 different languages with a wide variety of instructors who can meet different needs, whether that be an enthusiasm for teaching children or great knowledge of off-piste skiing. Altitude offers two and three hour private lessons or a full-day six hour lesson.

Adult groups run every week of the season, starting on a Sunday or Monday. There is usually a three half-day minimum booking but it is possible to join for just one day if your level is already running .

Children’s lessons are available from the age of three with groups split by age and ability. Polar Bears Club is available for children between the ages of three and five. Partnering with Petit Verbier, they offer a full day option which includes skiing in the morning with an add-on of a hot lunch and indoor/outdoor afternoon activities. Extreme Kids is available for those aged six to sixteen who are looking to improve carving, powder moguls, racing or explore off-piste. Private high-performance and off-piste coaching and guiding are also available.

Element Concept - best for tailored programmes

Started by ski instructors Emma and Guy in 2015, Element has a small team of hand-picked, committed ski instructors who are passionate about Verbier and know it like the back of their hands.

They offer private ski lessons and coaching tailored to the way you learn. Private coaching is available as three-hour, four-hour or full day lessons and there is no limit to the number of people in your group and no additional charge for extra people joining the group if you happen to bump into a friend at lunch.

Element are renowned for their off-piste coaching, introducing beginners to off-piste skiing as well as testing the most experienced skier. Private off-piste lessons take place with an expert Brevet Federal qualified skier with a maximum of six to a group for safety reasons.

Another string to Element’s bow is the mixture of weekend and week long Women’s Camps which run throughout the winter. These camps focus on the psychological and physical aspects specific to female skiers. Ski instructor training, either as a Gap Course or training for the ISIA BASI Level 3 is also available.

Adrenaline Ski School in VerbierPhoto: Alp Images/Adrenaline
Altitude Ski School lessonPhoto: Paul Keppel Photography/Altitude
Element ski school in VerbierPhoto: Element Concept

European Snowsport - best for young children

With a large team of international instructors, European Snowsport have been providing professional coaching since 2003. Offering private and group lessons for children and adults, European Snowsport caters for all abilities and ages.

Ideal for toddlers is ES Penguins, a safe learning environment on snow for children aged 3 to 5 years old. The aim is to help your children get moving on the snow with the emphasis on fun. With a maximum of just four to a group, you can be sure your child will be well looked after.

Collaborating with Petit Verbier, ES also offers an Afternoon Club straight after skiing with structured activities such as arts, crafts, music and yoga. All Penguins are awarded a medal, certificate and goody bag at the end of their time with ES. There’s also a Kids Academy for those aged between 6 and 12 and a Freeski clinic for 11 to 17 year olds. The ES team speak over 12 languages and all the children are tracked by GPS during lessons.

For those that like a test, ES offers the “Big 5 Challenge”, a day with an ES instructor, skiing the top 5 itineraries in Verbier - the steepest, the longest, the biggest moguls, the best tree skiing & the most beautiful itinerary runs. There is a set price of CHF 595 for the day, regardless of the group number.

New Generation - best for corporate groups

Since 2006, New Generation has been teaching clients to ski in Verbier. With a team of highly qualified instructors (BASI LEVEL 3/ISIA level or above), you can be sure to elevate your skiing to the next level. Bear in mind that New Generation does not teach snowboarding in Verbier.

New Generation offers group lessons for adults and children as well as private lessons and off-piste coaching. They are also experienced in organising bespoke packages for corporate groups; Coca Cola, Sports Direct, British Military Fitness and Vodafone are all previous clients. Adaptive ski lessons are also available, enabling those with disabilities to experience the thrill of skiing in a safe manner.

Performance Verbier - best for private lessons

With an emphasis on fun, Performance Verbier has a small team of experienced instructors that are sure to give you an enjoyable day on the mountain. Only private lessons are available with Performance, meaning lessons can be totally tailored to suit your requirements.

Shorter two hour lessons are available as well as half-day and full-day sessions. Generally lessons will commence between 9 am & 10 am or 1 pm & 2 pm but they are willing to be flexible.

European Snowsport ski lessonPhoto: European Snowsport
New Generation ski lessonPhoto: New Generation
Fresh tracks in verbierPhoto: verbier.ch/Melody Sky

Powder Extreme - best for specific off-piste training

Powder Extreme is an off-piste ski school specialising in improving your off-piste technique as well as showing you Verbier’s hidden gems. Private coaching sessions focus on developing skills on-piste, in the terrain park, in powder or over bumps.

Powder Extreme also runs ‘Powder Camps’ throughout the winter season which includes five full days of coaching. Group sizes are limited to six people of similar ability to ensure you get the attention you need to progress. There are also two day ‘Off-Piste Clinics’, designed for skiers wanting to explore Verbier’s challenging off-piste terrain in a safe environment. Group sizes are limited to three for these.

Warren Smith Ski Academy - best for serious skiers

Since 1995, Warren Smith has been offering a full range of courses in Verbier. Breaking skiing down into digestible segments which are reinforced during the week, the courses cater for intermediate, advanced and expert skiers. The concept of the courses is to build up skills and confidence on and off-piste, enabling you to ski the whole mountain and not be restricted by specific terrain.

Courses cover a wide range of the skiing spectrum, from skiing moguls, powder skiing and ski race training to ski instructor training and heli-skiing. For serious skiers who want to dedicate a large chunk of time to improving their performance, the academy runs a five to nine week seasonal training programme. In general, the courses are five days long although there is a two-day weekend option available once a month.