A MESSAGE FROM OUR MANAGING DIRECTOR, TOM AVERY
Ever since I was a boy, skiing has been my life and passion, a passion I know we all share.
Easter is one of the great times of the season; the long, balmy days, magical skiing on glistening spring snow, al fresco lunches watching the parapenters ride the thermals overhead, the sweet scent of the pine trees, a glass of Dole Blanche on a sun-drenched terrace. Life doesn’t get much better. Verbier at this time of the year is normally a hive of activity. The resort bustles with families, whilst the world’s best skiers assemble to compete in events such as the Verbier High Five races, the Freeride World Tour Finals, the Boss des Bosses mogul competition and the Patrouille des Glaciers ski mountaineering race. But not this year.
Since the ski lifts closed on March 14th, a decision mirrored right across the Alps, the mountain and the resort have been largely deserted. Even more frustrating was that we had until then been blessed with a record-breaking winter. At the time the lifts closed, four metres of snow blanketed the pistes, setting things up perfectly for the Easter holidays. Only the marmots, chamois, ibex and lynx get to enjoy them now.
We were looking forward to welcoming many of you to Verbier over the final few weeks of the season, and we are as disappointed as you are that you have not been able to join us. But the mountains, the snow and the sunshine will still be there next winter. And so will we, ready to welcome you back with open arms. We will all go skiing again.
As the world faces up to the unprecedented challenge posed by Covid-19, our primary focus has been the safety, health and wellbeing of our guests and staff, our suppliers and our chalet owners. Our amazing team has worked tirelessly over the last few weeks, initially helping our guests return home smoothly and safely, and then closing down our sixteen chalets (always working a safe distance apart). They’ve done an exceptional job all season, and our average guest satisfaction score of 9.5 this winter is all down to the incredible service, professionalism and care they have given our guests.
Who knows how the next few months will pan out. It’s impossible to predict at this stage if the travel restrictions will ease in time for our summer season. Whatever happens, we will be keeping in touch by sharing stories from Verbier, our partners, and our team, to rekindle happier memories and inspire future holiday ideas. We may not be able to return to the mountains for now, but we are allowed to daydream.
Finally, I want to thank you, our guests, without whom Ski Verbier Exclusive would simply not exist. We are enormously grateful for your understanding and patience during this extremely difficult time. Thank you for your many messages of support, which have been greatly appreciated by the whole team. The one silver lining of all this is that it has brought us closer together in ways I never imagined, and I know that we will come out the other side all the better and stronger for it.
On behalf of the whole SVE team, I send you my warmest best wishes for a very Happy and Healthy Easter.
Tom Avery
Founder and Managing Director