Verbier is, without doubt, one of my favourite places in the world to ski, with a near-perfect blend of great pistes, challenging off-piste and raucous après. But some days you just want to escape into the wilds, enjoy a cruisy morning of big carvable slopes on your way to a slow lunch with friends.
When I’m in that mood, I go to Chez Dany, perched at 1,722 metres in the whisper-quiet hamlet of Clambin. Under new stewardship from Laurent Royer (of Hotel Farinet’s Nomad Sushi Lounge), and with head chef William Canny infusing contemporary twists into Bagnes Valley classics, Chez Dany has emerged from a subtle facelift more inviting than ever – cosy hearths, candlelit nooks and a terrace with jaw-dropping views.
Chez Dany doesn’t have the hurried bustle of many piste-side spots, but rather a warm, familial hum. Pets amble freely, kids scamper to deck chairs for impromptu sun-soaks. Suppers have the added bonus of being able to sledge back under a velvet moonlight sky.
The menu, scrawled daily with fresh, local strokes, marries Swiss sturdiness with global finesse – think escargots in garlicky herb butter followed by a courgette farcie au sérac, stuffed with creamy whey cheese, a light counterpoint to the valley’s hearty fare. Mains come in the guise of bavette steak, grilled to rosy perfection and served on a scorching stone, and the star – a truffle-infused cheese fondue, molten and earthy, paired with crusty Valais bread and pickled silverside.
For the adventurous, Canny’s updates include gluten-free vegetarian options like grilled alpine fish with foraged greens, or a foie gras terrine that melts in the mouth. Portions are generous without excess, wines from nearby slopes (try a crisp petite arvine) flow affordably, and prices – while Verbier-steep (mains CHF 35-55) – deliver value through unflashy excellence. No molecular wizardry here; just produce from Clambin’s micro-farms.
Chez Dany isn’t Verbier’s loudest roar, but that’s its draw, and what will keep me going back year after year.
Ham. de Clambin 10, 1936 Bagnes, Switzerland; @chezdanyverbier
