Verbier – Croix de Coeur_Savolyeres

Croix de Coeur and Savolyères together form a two-launch flying area above Verbier in the Swiss Alps at about 2,166 m, good for thermals, ridge soaring, cross-country flying and hike-up access, working in southeast, south and southwest wind. Savolyères is a grassy-slope launch best flown in the morning; Croix de Coeur is the better choice later in the (late) afternoon, and top-landing is possible there, though there's an airfield immediately behind the launch that pilots need to stay aware of. Getting up is easy either by car from Verbier or via the Verbier–Savolyère gondola followed by a short walk. Landing is at 'les Esserts', a golf-course landing zone that turns noticeably thermic — and bumpier — in summer, so pilots should expect a livelier approach on a hot afternoon. Swiss airspace rules in the area are intricate enough to be worth checking in full before flying. A flexible, well-connected mountain site with a launch for both halves of the day.

Launch & conditions

Two launches: Savolyères, a grassy slope best flown in the morning, and Croix de Coeur, better in the (late) afternoon, where top-landing is possible but an airfield sits immediately behind the launch.

Getting there & local rules

Reach the launch area by car from Verbier or via the Verbier–Savolyère gondola followed by a short walk.

Local rules & hazards

The 'les Esserts' golf-course landing zone gets noticeably thermic in summer, so expect a bumpier approach on a hot afternoon. Swiss airspace rules in this area are complex enough to check in full before flying.

Check conditions before you fly

A forecast for the valley is not a forecast for the launch. Before heading to Verbier – Croix de Coeur_Savolyeres, read the wind and thermals for the site itself, confirm the day's rules with the local club, and remember the standing rule — when in doubt, don't launch. In the free OutDare app you can open Verbier – Croix de Coeur_Savolyeres with a 7-day forecast built from high-resolution weather models, see who else has been flying, and get there with offline maps.