Worldwide Ski Resorts • France • Val Thorens

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Overview

One of the highest resorts in France, the resort of Val Thorens is an attractively compact, purpose built village that provides full and easy access to the famous Trois Vallees ski region. It is a pleasant friendly resort with traffic free streets and plenty of facilities such as shops, bars, restaurants and of course, hotels concentrated around the central Place de Caron. There is plenty of accommodation here that ranges from catered chalets to hotels of every level of comfort and plenty of self catering accommodation that is reported to be of an exceptionally high standard throughout. There is an excellent choice of restaurants in the village and it also has the benefit of a well equipped sports centre for those non ski days.

Profile

Val Thorens stands at 2300m and has 170 km of local pistes that are served by 30 lifts. Its location provides ideal access to the 600 km of pistes over the entire Trois Vallees range that has a network of 197 lift systems. As a result of its exceptional altitude and the fact that most of the slopes tend to face to the north, the resort has an above average record for snow cover and again because of the altitude, the snow retains a delightfully dry powdery consistency that makes off piste skiing especially pleasurable.

The local slopes are best suited to intermediate skiers, but experts have the entire Trois Vallees to explore and will find a number of seriously challenging blacks to test their abilities and off piste country that offers some of the best sport to be found anywhere. Intermediates will find plenty to do even if they decide to stay local. The skiing around the resort is some of the best intermediate country in the entire region with easy reds and blues everywhere. Snowboarders of all abilities will be in heaven here with plenty of on and off piste potential together with a terrain park and few drag lifts. Novices have a choice of first class nursery slopes and plenty of easy green for progression conveniently close. Ski schools are believed to be good, particularly with children.

Mountain Information

The slopes here are all above the tree line and are inclined to be very bleak and prone to closure in strong wind conditions. A gondola will take you from the upper part of the village to the Peclet Glacier with its three red runs that link up with a wide area of intermediate friendly pistes. Experts and advanced intermediates may wish to explore over towards the Maurienne, or ‘fourth valley’ as it is known, which takes you on to the Pointe du Bouchet and the Cime de Caron giving access to the rest of the Trois Vallees and where some of the best red and black runs are to be found as well as good off piste country. Good restaurants abound all across the mountain.

Apres Ski

Val Thorens is unusually lively for such a high altitude village. The Red Fox bar at Balcons with its daily karaoke is a favourite when coming off the slopes. In the village, the Frog and Roastbeef is a British haunt and the cellar bar at the Malaysia is renowned for its live bands. Those looking for quieter venues descend on O’Connels and Mich’s.

French Resort Guide

Resort Information • Val Thorens

Resort Height Resort Height 2300m
Top Station Top Station 3200m
Bottom Station Bottom Station 1750m
Vertical Descent Vertical Descent 1450m
Drag Lifts Drag Lifts 9
Chair Lifts Chair Lifts 16
High Capacity High Capacity 5
Opening Dates Opening Dates Nov - May
Rating Expert Rating Expert 8
Rating Intermediate Rating Intermediate 8
Rating Beginner Rating Beginner 7
Apres Ski Rating Apres Ski Rating 7
Snow Reliability Snow Reliability 10

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