Week Snowboarding in Val Thorens
At an altitude of 2,300 metres, Val Thorens is the highest resort in Europe, a good 200m higher than nearest contender Tignes. Val Thorens is the crown of the 'Les 3 Vallees' ski area, the largest linked ski area in the world, which also includes Courchevel and Méribel as well as lots of little villages and hamlets. High above the small French town of Moutiers, it has been developed in a Savoyard style and promises a horseshoe of dramatic peaks with truly spectacular panoramic views. Offering a huge amount of terrain right on your doorstep and virtually snow sure skiing and snowboarding from November to early May, VT is perfect for all abilities with some epic off piste for good measure. Below we've set out the essential details you'll need if you've booked a holiday or are thinking of travelling to Val Thorens, covering the town, slopes, lift passes, ski hire, non-ski activities, food and drink, apres ski, transport and accommodation.
Slopes
The complete ski area of Les 3 Vallees is the largest in the world and is well linked by lifts and runs, allowing you to explore 370 miles (600km) of piste across 320 slopes to your heart’s content. It is perfect for all abilities of skiers and snowboarders with an extensive and varied terrain ranging from the gentle nursery slopes of St Martin to the more challenging runs of Cime de Caron. The conditions at VT are so good because of its high altitude and north-facing slopes, offering snow-sure conditions even at the beginning and end of the season when lower altitude resorts are bare. If you're worried about going on a ski holiday and there not being snow, then Val Thorens is a place you can go with complete confidence.
Beginners will love the range of nursery slopes covering a massive area in the centre of the resort, very easily accessible from your hotel or chalet. As you become more adventurous, you can progress to a variety of wide, gentle blue runs such as Col de la Chambre above the resort. Progressing to an intermediate skier or boarder has never been more enjoyable! Intermediates will have no excuse not to improve with miles and miles of piste to take on. The blue Moraine is perfect for working on sweeping giant slalom turns, whilst the range of runs available from the top of the Boismint chair lift are perfect when your ready to build up your speed and swoosh to the bottom. If your think you've got the fitness, why not try to go the distance on the red Combe du Vallon and if you're exhausted after trying that you can always take the Funitel gondola to the top of Peclet glacier to relax and take in the views before choosing form a range of red and black runs to get back down the mountain.
Advanced skiers and boarders can take on some of the most challenging terrain in the French Alps with lots of easily accessible off-piste. Whether you want to enjoy the feeling of fresh powder underfoot in the powder fields, the exhilaration of a cliff jump or thrill of steeps and chutes, they're ready and waiting for you at VT. Take the chair lift from the top of Funitel Peclet for some stunning glacier skiing or head to the Cime de Caron for stunning views from the highest point in the Les 3 Vallees with the option of two challenging blacks Combe de Caron and Combe de Rosael or slightly easier reds to make your way down. As well as being linked with Courchevel and Méribel, VT is also connected into the neighbouring fourth valley, the Maurienne, which makes for some excellent off-piste skiing and boarding.
VT also offers 5 terrain parks giving access to border cross tracks, quarter pipes and jumps with the quality being so good that world events are often held there. The snow park jumps and obstacles are graded from green to black, catering to anyone who wants to give them a go, plus a large air bag (chargeable whilst I was there) so you can practice your somersaults without having to worry about landing on your head. My advice for all abilities would be to watch the weather forecasts and keep an eye out for changing conditions as high above the tree line, visibility can reduce very quickly when the weather closes in.
Lift Passes
It is possible to buy a local area lift pass in each of the three resorts that make up Le Trois Vallees, giving you access to that particular area only. This is the best option for beginners, those travelling on a budget and anyone who doesn't want to venture too far. For intermediate to advanced skiers and snowboarders it's generally better to go for the full area life pass because of the huge range and variety of slopes on offer - 174 lifts providing access to 320 slopes around 600km of piste. The most popular passes are the 6 day area passes and there are special rates for pedestrian passes and family ski-passes. Whilst many people prefer to buy online in advance to avoid the hassle of visiting the shop when you arrive, my advice would be to wait until you get there, check the weather forecast on arrival and then consider the best option. Whilst VT is virtually always snow sure, I have been unfortunate enough to experience some very patchy conditions in early May in the past and if the visibility looks questionable on a lot of days you might want to decide against stumping up the extra cash to venture further afield.
Ski Hire and Equipment Purchasing
For ski hire and equipment purchasing, VT will keep you well serviced with both Intersport and Twinner stores. For high end snowboard equipment head to Ride and Style which stocks boards, boots and bindings for sale and rental, as well as all the latest outer wear.
Other Activities
There is also a large leisure centre easily accessible in the centre of town offering a swimming pool, aqua aerobics classes, table tennis, tennis, squash, trampolining and basketball. The centre run friendly tournaments now and again during the evenings. There is also a spa/wellness centre with a balneo pool, jacuzzis, hammam, sauna, relaxation space and steam showers. Additionally, you'll find lots of shops, a cinema, ice rink, bowling alley, tourist information centre, a few banks, pharmacy, etc in the village - basically everything you might need on a snow sports holiday. Back on the snow there are numerous activities including snow shoeing, snowmobile outings, ice driving (as featured in Top Gear!), ice climbing, paragliding, cross country skiing and telemarking. Anyone brave enough can also try ice diving. Last but certainly not least, VT boasts the longest toboggan run in Europe at 3.7 miles or 6km long with a 700m vertical drop from an altitude of 3,000m. The resort also has the highest zip wire in the world that descends from 3,200m.
VT Dining Options
VT has a massive array of restaurants to choose from which are generally better value for money than other nearby resorts such as Courchevel. For lunch on the piste, self service restaurants are usually a good call offering traditional local cheese, potato and ham heavy dishes such as tartiflette, fondue and gratin dauphinois as well as British and Italian-inspired food such as pizza, pasta and steak and chips. You'll also find things like steak tartare (raw steak) on the menu at a number of places, although being high up in the mountains and probably 100s of miles away from the nearest cow you'd be a braver man than me to try it! There are also some welcoming and cosy mountain lodges offering table service: for tartiflette in front of a roaring open fire try the Chalet des 2 Lacs or the Boulevard Cumin or Chat Les Sonnailes for a quiet and quaint eating experience. When the sun’s shining, head up to the top of the Doran chair where you’ll find La Ferme, with its lovely sun terrace and fabulous views of the valley below.
For evening meals back in resort, Val Thorens has a vast array of restaurants ranging from the Michelin star restaurant in the Oxalys complex to traditional local restaurants as well as pizza and other takeaway options. Good options include La Joyeuse Fondue and Le Vieux Chalet. For pizza try Funitel or Le Scapin, Mexican El Gringo, pub food the Frog and Roast Beef at the top of Rue de Balcons and for burgers try John's. If you're in hunt of VT's best wine selection look no further than Le Blanchot. Steak Club serves good food with refreshing decoration close to the main area of bars for post meal entertainment, whilst families may wish to try Face West right in the centre of VT which offers a good range of food with friendly service.
Val Thorens Town and Apres Ski
Val Thorens is a purpose built resort, compact and easy to get around, centred on the main bowl ski area with everything in easy reach and most resorts ski in-ski out. The town could not be described as traditional or quaint, but it's clean and well maintained and offers everything you could need on a ski/snowboarding break. The most lively bar on the slopes is the Floie Douce, located just under the Plein Sud and Les Pionniers chair lifts. Offering hot chocolates on the terrace or a comfortable seat inside the chalet in the morning, it is normally bathed in sunshine for the afternoon when the party starts getting going. The music starts at noon and at 3pm the bar switches to the famous Folie Douce ambiance with live DJs and ski boot dancing on the deck and sometimes the tables. It is now possible for non skiers to use the chairlifts to come up to La Folie Douce & La Fruitière via Les Pionniers. The pass is on sale at every SETAM office at 9,90€.
Back in resort, VT has a plethora of French, Irish, English and Dutch bars to choose from as well as a few clubs in the centre of town ready for you and your dancing shoes after a day on the powder. The Frog and Le Saloon are two of the most lively venues with live bands, a popular happy hours. The Frog will also give you the bragging rights of telling your mates you've been to the highest pub in Europe when you get back home. Alternatively, The Viking offers free pool and wi-fi whilst the Red Fox gets the karaoke machine going every afternoon if that's your thing. If you're looking for a more European feel with beats from big name DJs try the Underground or Beach Mountain; Le Tango for Scandi-style apres ski and if you still want to keep going into the early hours venture to Malaysia, which will probably still be open. If partying in Les Menuires, we would recommend Croisette for bars and nightlife, whereas St Martin has the Dahlia and the Pourquoi-Pas to name a couple.
Transport
The closest airport to Val Thorens is Chambery, situated just 75 miles or one and a half hours away. From Chambery there are a number of different methods of transport to get you up to resort, ranging from private taxi, mini bus, coach or of course car hire/self-drive. The next best options are Grenoble (3.5 hours, 125 miles) and Geneva (3.5 hours, 125 miles). All three of these airports are well serviced by the major airlines and each has its own pros and cons. Whilst Chambery is closest it sometimes closes in bad weather, resulting in flights getting diverted elsewhere. Geneva is very well connected to VT by mini bus and coach, but self-driving the route if you go for the car hire option is trickier. The nearest train station is Moutiers with train transfer around 45 minutes (15 miles). The town of Val Thorens is pedestrianised and visitors are asked to park their cars in the underground car parks provided with roadside parking only allowed for a small amount of time to unload luggage.
Accommodation
The lack of trees at Val Thorens means that at times you can feel more like you're in a lunar module than in an alpine village. That said, there are some excellent hotels in VT and access to apres ski that you won't find in any other resort. The true beauty of VT doesn't lie in its architecture but in its snow sure nature with the longest season in France and a guarantee that at least 70% of the pistes will be open when you visit. You have three broad options when staying in Val Thorens - the main part of the resort at the very top of the valley, Les Menuires (about a third or the way down) or right at the bottom in St Martin de Belleville. All are connected by lifts all year round, so getting around is pretty straightforward from all three. The hotel Fitzroy and hotel Le Val Thorens offer 4* and 3* accommodation respectively and back directly onto the piste. For 4* self catered apartments try the Village Montana which has its own shops, bars and restaurants. Alternatively, if you're looking for top end food and drink, the Oxalys complex with its 2 Michelin star restaurant and extensive wine selection is probably what you're looking for.
