With such beautiful surroundings, you will need to get active to get the most out of Verbier and there is plenty to help you appreciate the great outdoors.

Skiing/Snowboarding
You can gain access to Verbier's main ski area from Médran - a short walk from the Place Centrale. Take a gondola ride from here to Les Runiettes, the 2,200-metre mid-point or alternatively a gondola will bring you from Le Châble.

Les Attelas, at 2,260 metres, is linked to La Chaux by the new lift, while a jumbo cable-car will take you to Col des Gentianes at 2,950 metres and on to Mont-Fort, according to skiclub.      

Les Runiettes, along with the second ski area Savoleyres, offers easier runs, while the north face of Mont-Fort has more radical slopes with its B52 and Poubelle variants.

Night ski-ing
Full moon ski/snowboard - what could be more romantic than a moon-lit ski? Running from Attelas, this is not to be missed. Full-moon sledding also runs from Les Planards or Clambin

Snowshoe Trails
New snowshoe itineraries, of varying degrees of difficulty, have been set up this year to offer nine extra trails in the immediate vicinity of Verbier at Le Chateau, Saint-Christophe and La Dent.

Sledging/Bob sled
Visitors will find a ten-kilometre tobogganing track from Savoleyres to Tzoumas and can rent sledges and bobsleigh from a number of sports shops nearby.

Other Wintersports
Les Esserts fun park - offering you the chance to fulfil all your wildest snow-related dreams. The park is open between 5pm and 9pm local time and provides facilities for new snow sports such as tubing, snow-carting and snow-cross. This is great fun for the whole family.

Mountain biking
This can be as extreme, or as relaxing as you desire. Verbier is home to the world famous O'Neill Verbier Freeride, which takes place over the weekend of March 24th 2007. Now in its 11th year, the O'Neill Xtreme by Powerade Freeride claims to be "the grandest manifestation of freeriding in the world" and is certainly not for the faint hearted. Competitors will need to qualify in Austria or France beforehand, with only the best riders being selected to demonstrate their skills on the 55-degree slopes of Bec des Rosses.

However, for those seeking more down to earth pursuits, Verbier offers a fantastic variety of mountain biking tracks, with hundreds of kilometres of alpine trail featuring every different type of terrain and gradient imaginable. Adventurous novices and experienced off-roaders alike can appreciate the breathtaking scenery of the Alps on epic cross-country rides, while adrenaline-pumping downhill blasts are also a firm favourite.

Verbier Multisports Centre
Escape the chill with a trip to the sauna, indoor swimming pool, solarium or Turkish baths. Visitors can also carry on the sporting activity with tennis, squash or curling, while those really wanting to show off their skills should make for the skating rink.

Hang gliding and parascending
Take to the skies to enjoy the view, Verbier offers some of the best hang gliding possibilities in the Switzerland.