A Guide to Europe's highest ski resort | Val Thorens France
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Have you ever wondered what it’s like to experience Europe’s highest ski resort for yourself? Val Thorens is the ultimate adventure playground, not only will you find great ski conditions until early May, there are countless activities in Val Thorens for skiers and non-skiers providing mountains of entertainment for everyone to enjoy.
This guide will share what a ski holiday in Val Thorens is like, what’s on offer for non-skiers and what you need to know before you visit. Val Thorens is guaranteed to get your adrenaline pumping with unique and exclusive experiences that will leave you with unforgettable memories.
France has over 300 ski resorts to choose from, which can make it a difficult task when planning which one to choose for the best ski holiday. If you’re looking for more inspiration of which French ski resorts to choose from, read our guides to Tignes, Les Menuires, Megève and Monts Jura (Pays de Gex).
Where is Val Thorens located?
Val Thorens is a high-altitude resort within the Savoie department in the heart of the French Alps. Situated in a unique and beautiful location, Val Thorens sits in the uppermost part of the St Martin de Belleville valley. It emulates the shape of an amphitheatre and the village is located in a natural cirque surrounded by glaciers.
The neighbouring village is Les Menuires, and below Les Menuires is St Martin de Belleville. Val Thorens is included within the large 3 Valleys ski area which is the largest ski area in the world which includes the areas of Les Menuires, Courchevel, Méribel, Saint-Martin-de-Belleville, Brides les Bains and Orelle.
What is Val Thorens known for?
Val Thorens sits at a height of 2300 metres, which makes it the highest ski resort in Europe and allows skiers and snowboarders to enjoy snow until early May. The village is perched at the end of the valley in an amphitheatre shaped arena, surrounded by incredible mountain panoramas.
Primarily designed as an adventure playground for skiers and snowboarders, there’s also numerous non-skier activities to choose from including toboggans, zip lines, fat bike riding, snow tubing, ice bars and ice driving. Val Thorens was opened in 1971 as a purpose built ski resort, with a mix of modern and traditional architecture. Today, it is know for great choice of food options and a fun aprés-ski atmosphere.
How to get to Val Thorens?
By plane
The nearest airport to Val Thorens is Chambery airport and Grenoble, however they both have limited flight options from international destinations. Geneva airport has a variety of flight options from the UK and other major international cities, making it the most convenient and in many cases most affordable option. The drive from Geneva airport takes around 2 hours 20 minutes. There are bus services that run from most of the airports (Chambery, Lyon and Geneva) and it’s recommended that you book your tickets online in advance. An alternative option is booking a private shuttle offered by companies including Alps2Alps, Ski-Lifts and Mountain Rescue where you will be dropped off outside your accommodation.
By train
If you are a more eco-conscious traveller and enjoy slow travel with a more scenic route, then travelling by train is an option to Val Thorens. Travelling by train is also a relaxing option, where you won’t be waiting in airport queues or be charged for extra bags carrying your winter gear to the resort. There are ski trains from London that allow you to take a high-speed TGV from Paris which finally stops at Moûtiers (closest train station to Val Thorens) and takes a total of 10 hours. Local buses run regularly from Moûtiers and the journey from the train station takes over an hour to reach Val Thorens.
By car
If you are driving from the UK, the toll route from Calais takes over 9 hours and the alternative non toll route takes 13 hours to drive. The route from Moûtiers is fairly steep up the valley along the D117 road, follow the road signs to Les Menuires and do not follow your navigation up D96. This road is not suitable for driving in winter and is very narrow, so make sure to avoid it!
Val Thorens is mostly a car-free area, which means there are a number of car parks that require booking online to guarantee a parking place before arriving, as street parking is not permitted. There are both covered and uncovered car parks available and it’s recommended to book your parking space at least a week in advance during busy periods.
P0, P1 and P2 car parks are within Val Thorens whereas P3 and P4 require you to catch a free shuttle bus into the resort. You can drive to your accommodation to unpack your luggage and not have to carry it up in the shuttle bus from the car park. From each car park you can use the free shuttle to your accommodation which makes it easy to arrive and get around Val Thorens.
By campervan or motorhome
If you plan to stay in Val Thorens in your campervan or motorhome, P2 car park has an uncovered car park area that has limited space for campervans and motorhomes and has ‘Flot Bleu’ services (water and wastewater disposal) available at an additional cost. The car park is located right next to the slopes and the free shuttle bus stop is nearby. We parked our campervan for 4 nights which cost a total of €70/£62/$77 including tourist tax.
How to get around Val Thorens?
There is a regular free local bus shuttle that drives around Val Thorens resort and makes it easy to explore the village without having to walk up and down the hill. If you have parked in P3 or P4 there is a free shuttle that will drop you off in the centre of Val Thorens bus station, from there you can catch the free shuttle that runs a circular route around Val Thorens to your accommodation.
The bus shuttle runs every 20 minutes from the bus station (Gare routière) to Les Balcons which is the highest point and the bus will return and continue the circular route. If you want to locate the buses in real time, you can download the zenbus app.
There are buses that run between Val Thorens, Les Menuires and Saint Martin de Belleville which run less regularly than the Val Thorens shuttle bus (4 or 5 during the day) and are also provided free of charge. We’ve written a detailed guide on what to do in Les Menuires which is the closest village.
What to know before visiting Val Thorens?
Driving in France during the colder months requires preparation for any winter weather conditions. When driving to Val Thorens, you must have one of the following; winter tyres, snow socks or snow chains. This is a legal requirement, which if you are found not to have could result in a fine and not to mention you will be putting yourself and others at risk.
When we arrived in Val Thorens the roads were clear and there hadn’t been any snowfall in the last few weeks. However, on our last day a snowstorm had started leaving heavy snow on the roads. Most stores in Val Thorens sell snow chains, however we would advise that you check that your snow socks or snow chains fit and you know how to put them on and off before you arrive.
The main roads up to Val Thorens were cleared regularly by snow ploughs for the buses and cars, however the side roads and most roads in Val Thorens were quickly covered in snow. Before you travel to Val Thorens by car, make sure to check the road conditions on your route and be prepared for winter conditions. A useful tool is to check the regional road conditions map which includes road works and road conditions.
When is the best time to visit Val Thorens?
If you have flexibility, then sign up for Val Thorens snow alert and ski on fresh powder, in addition to this check the weather forecast for future snowfall. Avoid school holidays if possible, including Christmas as these are the busiest times to visit, whereas January and March are great to avoid large queues for ski lifts.
Val Thorens offers an impressive ‘snow guarantee’ as 99% of the ski area is above 2000 metres which means you can book your ski holiday to Val Thorens without any worry that there wont be any snow. In April, spring showers lower in the valley will transform into fresh snow in Val Thorens, in addition to great snow conditions there’s a chance you’ll find a great deal at the end of the season.
What’s it like to ski or snowboard in Val Thorens?
Val Thorens is part of the 3 Valleys ski area and the remaining areas that make up the combined ski area are; Les Menuires, Courchevel, Méribel, Saint-Martin-de-Belleville, Brides les Bains and Orelle. In Val Thorens, there are over 150 km of runs with 84 runs in total, which means you are spoilt for choice. Our advice is you can’t really go wrong in Val Thorens, explore the many runs and you might discover a new favourite. The ski season starts on 19th November until 8th May which makes it one of the few areas open for skiing this late into the season.
At the beginning of the season prices for a Val Thorens area only ski pass start from €50.40 and prices change throughout, make sure to check prices online for any offers. They offer deals for groups of 3 people or more, where prices start from €37.46 euros each per day for a total of six days minimum. There is also a deal for families of 2 adults and 2 children (5-17 years) where each will pay the children’s rate at €40.30 euros per day for a total of six days of skiing minimum. Ski passes for children under 5 and adults over 75 years are free with proof of age.
Val Thorens caters for beginners with dedicated spaces and three free ski lifts for beginners, including a few magic carpets in the Rond-point des pistes area. Is there anything better than skiing on fresh powder?! Val Thorens understands that there is no better feeling and offers a fresh powder alert service that notifies you when there is new snow on the slopes and this can give some of the best skiing conditions.
Before planning your day on the slopes, it’s worth checking the Val Thorens live webcams to see current conditions on the slopes and is very useful to see how busy lifts are. There is a live ski map which shows which pistes are open, closed and which runs have been groomed.
We both snowboard and most of the runs we didn’t have to worry about the gradient being too flat. Some of our favourite runs were the Col de l’Audzin where you climb the Caron lift, an epic journey in itself and takes you to the starting point of the slopes at 3200 metres. There are viewing platforms to admire the beautiful panoramic views from the top. Another favourite was taking the VT3 Plein Sud chairlift and going down Corniche or Plein Sud. If you want to experience a sunset ski, catch the Péclet Funitel cable car which runs until 6:30 pm from Monday to Friday.
What are the best things to see and do in Val Thorens?
Cosmojet toboggan run
The Cosmojet in Val Thorens holds the record for being the longest toboggan run in France, at a total length of 6km. To get to the start of the run, you will take the Péclet cable car to 3,000 metres just below the Péclet glacier, where you will make the descent via toboggan and takes approximately 45 minutes to complete. The track is full of exciting bends and thrilling turns along with views above Val Thorens. There is the option to do the toboggan run at night for a unique ride under the stars. A helmet and toboggan are provided in the price of the ticket and make sure you wear gloves.
Snow tubing - Moon Xperience
A fun experience for both children and adults, snow tubing down a slope at speed spinning along the way is an unforgettable experience in the snow. You can take the magic carpet back up to the top to enjoy several rides down the slopes. Our tip would be to ask for a little spin for some extra fun! Make sure to bring a helmet and your gloves for this experience.
Zip line over the slopes
Experience a birds eye view of the slopes from up high and at speed, there’s not one, but two zip lines in Val Thorens! The first is La Bee, accessible to both pedestrians and skiers; it sits at a height of 65 metres and runs at a total length of 1800 metres for the ultimate adventure thrill. Prices are cheaper in the morning, so it’s worth getting up a bit earlier to the top of the Moutière chairlift which takes you back in style to Val Thorens.
Val Thorens is also home to the highest zip line in the world, La Tyrolienne starts at 3230 metres where you can reach speeds over 60 miles per hour! La Tyrollienne is only accessible to skiers from the Bouchet chairlift in Orelle. To reach La Tyrollienne from Val Thorens you can get to either access from Cime Carron or Col de Rosael and ski from both to reach Peyron and Bouchet.
Climb to the top of Cime Caron
If you’re not a skier, make sure you climb to the top of Cime Caron via the Cime Caron cable car. It will take you to a height of 3200 metres, the second highest point in the 3 Valleys and presents one of the best views of the French Alps. Leaving the cable car you’ll walk over a metal grated platform, an exhilarating feeling to see the drop below. Cime Caron has an impressive, minimalist cable car structure perched on top of the mountain. On a clear day, Cime Caron has panoramic views of Mont Blanc, Écrins, Meije and the Matterhorn.
Where to eat and drink in Val Thorens?
Igloo Village
A magical experience is to visit the Igloo village, where you can enjoy a delicious savoyard fondue surrounded by ice. Relax at the ice bar for a refreshing drink after a day on the slopes, or perhaps you’ve always wondered what it would be like to stay overnight in an igloo. The Igloo village is an impressive 180 m² and is located on Combe de Thorens green slope making it easily accessible for everyone to enjoy this unique and chilling experience.
L’Auberge des Balcons
Located at the bottom of the Plein Sud slope, L’Auberge des Balcons restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner with an option of traditional Savoie dishes in a cosy chalet atmosphere with friendly staff. We recommend you try Boîte chaude Cuisson which is Mont d’Or cheese cooked in the box served with wedges, cured meats and salad, it’s cooked fresh and worth the wait! You can read more about our experience staying at Les Balcons here.
