Bar Farinet - named after a Swiss Robin Hood counterfeiter, nightlife wine

Named after Joseph-Samuel Farinet, the 19th-century counterfeiter who became a Swiss folk hero for fighting tax collectors in the mountains. Bar Farinet is Verbier's legendary nightlife spot where après-ski transitions into wild evenings. The wine list leans French (proximity to border) but the Valais section deserves attention. By midnight, the dance floor is a mix of ski instructors, oligarchs, and everyone in between.

What to do there

4 things to do

1. 1 Find the Bar Named After Switzerland's Robin Hood History · Free

   Joseph-Samuel Farinet (1845-1880) was a counterfeiter who became a Swiss folk hero. For 15 years, he flooded Valais with fake 20-rappen coins - over 40,000 of them. At one point, ONE THIRD of all coins in circulation in Valais were his fakes. Why'd he succeed? The Swiss Cantonal Bank had a crisis, people didn't trust paper money, and Farinet 'distributed the counterfeit coins generously to those who helped him' - Robin Hood of the Alps. In 1880, he was cornered by police near Saillon and died mysteriously. Walk into Bar Farinet (Place Centrale, main square - you can't miss it, it's the loudest place) and ask the bartender: 'Who was Farinet and why is this place named after him?' Watch their face light up.

   Backup: If the bartender's too busy, Google 'Joseph-Samuel Farinet' on your phone while you're there. The fact that you're drinking in a bar named after a counterfeiter who fought the system and won (for 15 years) is the story.

   Log Memory
2. 2 Taste Valais Wine at the Bar Voted Best Après Ski Worldwide Wine · Price: moderate

   Farinet Après Ski Bar was voted 'Best Après Ski Bar Worldwide' by Which. The vibe is electric - beer on tap, daily happy hour, 'compulsory bar dancing,' and a wine list that leans French but has a strong Valais section. Arrive between 4pm-6pm for happy hour at Hotel Farinet (4pm-9pm Après Bar, 4pm-2am Lounge Bar). Ask for Fendant by the glass if you want the classic pairing with après-ski energy, or Cornalin if you want the dramatic story (saved from extinction in the 1970s, now 'the greatest of Valais reds'). Ask the bartender: 'What's the local wine everyone drinks?' If the music's loud and people are dancing on chairs, you've found Verbier's soul.

   Backup: If the Après Bar is too chaotic, go upstairs to the Lounge Bar (open until 2am). Same wine list, more civilized. DJ sets from 9pm.

   Log Memory
3. 3 Hunt for a Real Farinet Coin in Circulation History · Free · Optional

   In 2017, Valais launched the 'farinet' - an alternative local currency accepted in many businesses across the region. It's named after the counterfeiter and designed to promote local commerce. The irony is perfect: a government-sanctioned currency named after a man who fought that same government by counterfeiting their money. After getting change at any Verbier shop or bar, check your coins. Look for anything that says 'farinet' or has unusual markings. Ask locals: 'Have you seen a farinet coin?' Or visit Saillon (30 min drive) where Farinet died - they have a monument and sometimes sell replica coins.

   Backup: Even if you don't find a coin, the search is the experience. You're hunting for a piece of currency created by a folk hero who died mysteriously 145 years ago. That's the kind of treasure hunt Farinet would appreciate.

   Log Memory
4. 4 Dance Until 4am at South Nightclub Under the Bar Adventure · Price: moderate · Optional

   After the Après Bar closes at 9pm and the Lounge Bar winds down around midnight, the real Verbier night begins. South Nightclub (basement of Hotel Farinet complex, entrance on Place Centrale) runs until 4am - a mix of ski instructors, oligarchs, seasonaires, and anyone who's not tired yet. The music is loud, the drinks are expensive (€15-20 for cocktails), and the vibe is 'we just skied 10,000 vertical meters and we're not done.' Show up after 11pm (before that it's empty), dress ski casual but no ski boots. Stay until 2am when the crowd peaks - this is where Farinet's rebellious spirit lives on.

   Backup: If South is too much, the Lounge Bar (upstairs) has DJ sets from 9pm and stays open until 2am. Same energy, less intensity. You can still say you partied at Farinet.

   Log Memory