Peering out over an ivory sea of untracked, perfectly combed buttercream corduroy, high above the clouds under a blazing Helvetian sun, I tap my newest ski pal Rodrigue Latorre on the shoulder of his bright red jacket, and tell him I’m ready.

“Camera is rolling Rodrigue, and feel free to go full speed on this run, I’ll keep up, and if I don’t, we can do it again, because Plan du Fou is officially my favourite ski piste in the world now,” I add with a smirky grin.

“Plan du Fou” for those you who don’t “parle Français” is French for “Madman’s Plateau” – the name of an iconic summit area in Nendaz (pronounced “nun-DAH), a little gem of a ski town in Switzerland’s famed 4 Vallées alpine region – but also the newly crowned “favourite ski run in the world” in my personal pantheon of gorgeous groomers I’ve lit up over the years!

Unfortunately, as Rodrigue launches himself downhill, the iPhone in my hand pointing and shooting at every high-speed zig and zag he carves down Plan du Fou, is unable to capture the insane look of glee on my face as I rocket down the slope behind him – engulfed in the tsunami of snow his razor sharp skis are shaving off this majestic mountain’s face.

The run, while tame for some, is pure heaven for me, a tree-lined winter landscape painting you can rip on. Not too steep, not too flat – big, wide, groomed – with playful rollers in all the right places that won’t launch you into oblivion when the RPM gauge on your inner speedometer starts to redline!

At the bottom of Plan du Fou, after a pair of very snowy and satisfying hockey stops, Rodrigue asks me if I got what I needed.

“Good to go!” I tell him after taking a quick peek at the incredible video on my phone.

“That’s great, because there are so many other fantastic parts of Nendaz to show you before the day is done, maybe we’ll find you another ‘favorite run in the world’,” he says with a twinkle in his eye.

This incredible run was just one of many highlights from two jam-packed days I spent skiing, dining, and snowshoeing (yessssss night time snowshoeing to boot!) in Nendaz, the heart of the 4 Vallées ski region, high up in Switzerland’s breathtaking Valais canton last December. Here’s a look at what my itinerary looked, felt, and tasted like in case you want to try it yourself sometime…

Itinerary

After a very smooth and extremely scenic train and bus ride up to Nendaz from nearby Val d’Anniviers, I checked into one of the hippest and most original, sustainable and eco-conscious (it’s one of Switzerland’s carbon-negative hotels) ski resort hotels I’ve ever seen –  the super well located MAD Mount hotel, just a few short steps from one of the resort’s main lifts, and the town’s ample supply of shops, bars and restaurants.

One of the immediate things I’m struck by upon entry, is the amount of modern art on the walls, in the decor, and just about everywhere you look inside this very unique hotel. From the main lobby, to the walls next to the elevators, to the individual rooms, there are works of art, photographs, and multimedia installations on display in abundance. Even the uber-impressive, bunker-like concrete ski room where you house your skis, boots, and poles is art-zone. What I think loved most about MAD Mount, is that it makes you feel like you’re having a sleepover inside a really cool museum!

But great art isn’t the only positive thing at this singular hotel. MAD Mount also has a fantastic restaurant, bustling bar, and a gleaming spa that is the perfect way to re-energize after a day on the slopes, but more on that later.

Oh, and lastly, if you’re really lucky you’ll meet Nelio Da Silva at check-in, the general manager of the MAD Mount Hotel who is a local institution because he’s one of the friendliest, funniest, and warmest hoteliers you’ll ever have the good fortune of meeting…and he knows everything you’ll ever need to know about your stay in Nendaz, and he’ll be more than glad to share it with you if you ask.

With ski rentals picked up in no time from a great local shop called Mariéthoz I made my way to Siviez via car (15 minutes), on the outer reaches of the Nendaz valley for lunch and an afternoon on the slopes with some friends.

Siviez itself is known locally as the gateway to the giant 4 Vallées ski domain because you can access Nendaz, as well as Verbier, Veysonnaz, and Thyon which are also part of this spectacular snowsport wonderland. As it was early December, and the main “telecabine” lift in Nendaz was not yet open, Siviez was the best way to start exploring 4 Vallées on skis…but not before a fabulous lunch at Chez Caroline.

Located next to the main lifts of the Siviez ski area in Nendaz, Chez Caroline is a great place for a full sitdown meal, inside – or even outside on its massive patio with a view. I smashed a mouth watering “Raclette Burger” topped with onion confit, bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, a homemade secret sauce, and it was covered in a big warm blanket of the gooiest, tastiest, melted “raclette” cheese imaginable, the perfect way to fuel an afternoon on the slopes! Chez Caroline also has an in-house “Boulangerie” bakery, with an assortment of scrumptious treats (like their caramelized pear tarts) and freshly brewed coffee if that’s all you’re looking for.

With more than 410 kms (that’s a whopping 255 miles) of slopes to discover, serviced by 68 lifts from late November usually into May, there’s a decent chance you very well could find your own “favorite ski piste in the world” in Nendaz, or the overall 4 Vallées ski region like I did, and I say that sincerely.

While some parts of alps have been suffering from less than amazing ski conditions this winter, Nendaz and its neighbouring resorts (Verbier, Veysonnaz, and Thyon) were in tip top form in early December during my visit, likely due 4 Vallées’ relatively high elevation (1350-3330m) which definitely helps in the snow conditions department.

On this first afternoon out, I skied with a local ski instructor/guide named Rodrigue Latorre from Ecole Suisse de Ski Nendaz, which was a fantastic idea. Not only was Rodrigue fun to ski with, he had a wealth of knowledge about the resort, and tailored my ski experience like a Savile Row bespoke suit. Once I told him I was looking for challenging groomers I could unleash my inner Jack Crawford (2025 Hahnenkamm Champion) on, it was liftoff, and I clocked more vertical in a span of 3 hours than I think I’ve done before, and as described in the opening of this story, I fell madly in love with Plan du Fou, a ski piste ironically named after a madman, not unlike myself!

I’m not gonna lie, heaven for me is a good schvitz at the end of a perfect ski day, and the wellness area at the MAD Mount Hotel is like going to spa Nirvana. I even told a friend who was using the spa with me that if I was a billionaire, I’d have an exact replica of it built in my own home. Why am I so hot and sweaty about a big room where you go to get hot and sweaty? Here is a list of reasons (all of which you can experience yourself at MAD Mount’s spa):

1. Hamman with essential oils.
2. Gleaming, spotless, roomy, stainless steel, Japanese Onsen hot spring pool.
3. Tropical dry sauna (mild hotness).
4. Finnish dry sauna (super duper hotness).
5. Kneipp Hydrotherapy Walk-in/Walk-out Basin (sooooo cold…also remember to wear swim trunks, you’re no longer in Austria…speaking from experience here, d’oh!!!!!).
6. Outdoor hot tub with body jets.
7. Relaxation room with heated tiles you just lie on and fall asleep like a happy house cat.

Get the picture yet? Not kidding, this place was like spa Nirvana!

Okay, so as some of you who occasionally read my “Mountain Diaries” stories on SNOW Magazine’s website (where you’re reading now), or follow my @theskiwriter or @canadiandownhillers Instagram accounts already probably know, I’m in love with eating food, looking at food, and…taking social media-bound pictures of food.

Sadly there is no photo of the ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS four-cheese pizza I added black olives to at MADly Restaurant because I inhaled it before I remembered I wanted to capture it for posterity on my iPhone.

I did however manage to capture images of the exquisite, emerald effervescence of the superbly concocted “Cocktail du MoMount” (“Midori” Japanese melon liqueur, vodka, lemon juice, sugar), MAD Mount Hotel’s signature drinkeepoo I enjoyed with my pizza – and the super yummy Tiramisu I had for dessert. Absolutely loved this restaurant, and having it in the hotel lobby was a massive bonus!

It would be a gargantuan challenge to try to ski all of Nendaz/4 Vallées, and the other amazing ski resorts its connected to in a month, let alone in a day and a half on the slopes, which was the time I had to explore Switzerland’s largest ski resort, but why not try?

So when I met my new ski pal Rodrigue after a very delicious, made-to-order breakfast at MAD Mount, we drove back to Siviez, did a few warm-up laps on Plan du Fou, and then started to ski toward Mont-Fort, the highest skiable point in the Nendaz 4 Vallées territory.

Accessible via Nendaz and neighbouring Verbier (where we snuck in a few cheeky runs) Mont-Fort is a towering Goliath of a peak at 3330m (almost 11,000 feet) which you can rip down if you’re comfortable on really steep black runs with big moguls, or take a cable car up to if you simply want to take in some stunning panoramic views of iconic summits like the Matterhorn, Mont Blanc, and Grand Combin.

Another exhilarating attraction you can experience if you’re up here is the Mont-Fort Zip Line that rockets its riders at pulse pounding speeds of up to 100 kph (60 mph) over 1400m towards the Col des Gentianes, as they cast a high-velocity shadow over the Tortin Glacier below. I didn’t try it as I’m a shameless coward who claims vertigo is the only thing stopping him from ziplining in the Swiss Alps, but I did see and hear other folks who did, and it’s very clear they were having a blast!

One of the newest restaurants in Nendaz 4 Vallées is Le Hameau de Tortin, a chic, self-service, cafeteria-style restaurant with a wide selection of popular local dishes from the Valais, but also a great place to have an absolutely earth-shaking lasagna experience, if layered pasta really turns your crank. Trust me when I say French speaking Swiss folk, who clearly know their way around cheese, are master lasagna makers. OMG the lasagna at Le Hameau de Tortin was amazing, as was the French onion soup I had just before it!

But if you just want to wet your whistle, Le Hameau de Tortin also has a fabulous bar with all manner of beer, wine, and cocktails, with a chaser of jaw dropping views of the surrounding peaks from both inside and outside on its kingsized patio.

In terms of location, this place is A+++, as it’s situated at the doorstep of the Gentianes cable car and the nearby Siviez chairlift, which is perfect for folks starting and ending their ski day in Siviez on their way to Mont-Fort, as was the case for me and my ski pals.

As much as I’m attracted to the MAD Mount Hotel’s incredibly appealing spa, I’m just as drawn to the irresistible notion of chilling out for a couple of ours in an equallying alluring wellness enviroment, and then sitting in a luxurious cigar lounge smoking a stogie with a glass of high quality Scottish single malt in my hand…which is exactly what I did by popping down to the Hôtel Nendaz 4 Vallées & Spa, which was a two minute walk (or drive) from the MAD Mount Hotel.

This luxurious, 4* Superior hotel has a very cosy bar and accompanying cigar lounge, a great restaurant that serves traditional local fare, and a super posh spa. All are open to the public. I’m so happy I indulged, and this is definitely the kind of hotel I’d love to stay at sometime in the future!

Breaking news…snowshoeing with modern snowshoes is not the horror show of yesteryear when the only options available were gigantic wooden tennis-racket-looking monstrosities (allegedly strung with the innards of kitty cats) that you would constantly trip over in deep snow.

Why am I telling you this? Well because I wasn’t exactly thrilled by the idea of hiking in darkness (albeit with headlamps) up the side of pitch black Swiss mountain through deep snow in snowshoes – a winter outdoor activity I was convinced might ultimately give me a heart attack.

The reality is, the modern, high tech snowshoes on my feet made me feel like Usain Bolt, as I bolted uphill and downhill, in the dark, in deep snow, like a nimble-pawed snow leopard!

This magical nocturnal outing can be booked through the local tourist office in Nendaz, and is well worth it if you love winter, fine Swiss wine, homemade artisanal bread, delicious local charcuterie, exquisite Raclette cheese from the Valais melted by an open fire…and finally, gazing at billions of bright stars in the night sky, by a babbling brook lit by moonlight, as you peruse freshly left footie-prints made by the woodland creatures who were probably standing in the same spot you were 15 minutes before you snowshoed your way up the side of a Swiss mountain…phew…you get the picture? This night-snowshoeing-picnic thing in Nendaz is NOT TO BE MISSED, and was THE PERFECT way to cap off two unforgettable days in one of the world’s most stunning alpine regions!

MORE INFO ON NENDAZ 4 VALLÉES:

To find out more about Nendaz 4 Vallés, go to: https://www.nendaz.ch/en/

Nendaz 4 Vallées has a wide assortment of hotels for every budget.

For my visit I stayed at MAD Mount Hotel. For more info about MAD Mount go to: https://www.madmount.ch/en/   Another great option, if you happen to be a yoga lover, and a vegetarian with a penchant for vacationing in ultra-luxurious wood cabins with mind blowing panoramic views of the Swiss Alps, is to book a stay at MAD Retreat, MAD Mount’s sister hotel/resort in Nendaz 4 Vallées. For more info on MAD Retreat go to: https://www.madretreat.ch/

GETTING TO NENDAZ/4 VALLÉES:

Nendaz 4 Vallées is easily accessible via bus, train, car and is under two hours if you drive from Geneva Airport. I purchased Travel Switzerland’s all-in-one Swiss Travel Pass and traveled to Nendaz via train and bus which was super easy. The Swiss Travel Pass lets you use trains, buses, boats with one ticket for 3, 4, 6, 8 or 15 days. This pass will also get you into over 500 museums in Switzerland for free, as well as get you discounts on other travel related excursions in Switzerland. For more information on the Swiss Travel Pass, go to:

https://www.swissrailways.com/en/buy-swiss-travel-pass