The ski resort of Valmorel is located near the Vanoise National Park, in the heart of the French Alps in the southeast of the country.

As the last of more than 50 purpose-built French ski resorts, the design of the ski resort of Valmorel had the advantage of taking into account the mistakes made in the construction of the resorts over the previous two decades.

As a result, Valmorel was planned to highlight not only all the advantages of a ski resort built for winter sports, but also as a traditional Alpine village that tries to meet the needs of skiers and boarders.

It was decided to create attractive villages in the traditional style, wooden buildings with slate roofs and stone facades, rather than concrete boxes of residential buildings.

Having tried this approach, Valmorel immediately won praise from skiers and boarders, as well as reviewers, when it opened in 1977, and today it is still gaining popularity on the world stage. The new company Club Med has big plans for the development of the resort (it has invested more in development so far), while MGM has opened a new 5-star hotel since the end of 2012.

Despite these ambitious projects, the French ski resort of Valmorel is keen to highlight its amazing environment. Buildings in the resort cover only 3% of the area, and the buildings are certified to the highest standard of environmental management.

There is no car traffic in the resort itself and everywhere can be reached on foot or on the snow on skis, snowboards, which only contributes to the image of a family-oriented resort.

Valmorel’s Grand Domaine ski area, linked by lifts to the neighbouring ski resorts of Cellier, Doucy-Valmorel and Saint-François-Longchamp, covers 3,600 hectares with 152 km of pistes. Work has been carried out on these slopes, installing new lifts, increasing the capacity, speed and comfort of access to the slopes.

Recent additions include ultra-modern gondolas capable of carrying up to ten people in each cabin, and a new six-seater chairlift.

France, Savoie (73), Valmorel, massif de La Vanoise, vallée de la Tarentaise // France, Savoie, Valmorel, Massif de La Vanoise, Tarentaise valley

Location

The ski resort of Valmorel is located near the Vanoise National Park, in the heart of the French Alps in the southeast of the country. The resort is the first major ski resort to be reached by road from Chambery (one hour’s drive west) or when driving from the north.

The slopes

Valmorel’s Grand Domaine ski area has a good mix of terrain with an impressive 152 km of groomed ski runs. They are well suited to beginners and those with little experience. There are also more challenging areas for advanced skiers and boarders.

The Valmorel ski resort has no less than six learning areas, which is especially useful for beginners, where you can learn to ski well. This is a unique offer in France. Two of them have ski kindergartens just for young children, two more are in Malatrai, while the others are in the Creve-Cer and Doucy Combelouvière areas.

Most of the ski runs are for intermediate skiers, which is good for most people. Among the best offers are long and fast runs up to 4 km in length.

Although Valmorel is not very popular with fans of difficult descents, there are also difficult runs. In particular, red and black are located at Col du Mottet, as well as on the Massif de la Lauzière. The eight black runs include the 3 km difficult section of Riondet.

Local mountain guide offices will be happy to help you with off-piste skiing. When the weather is good, one popular off-piste route is the long descent down the Belleville Valley to end up below in Les Menuirs in the Three Valleys ski area.

You can also sign up for a two to four-day ski safari through the wider ski area with a mountain guide.

For freestyle and snowboarding enthusiasts in France, Valmorel has several specially designed sectors located within the ski area. The “Snow Zone” has a boardercross course, a snow park and a freeride area. There are three snow parks (at Gaul, Prariod and Bodin), boardercross courses (at Arenouillaz and Charmette) and two more areas for snowmobiling (at Gaul and Riondet).

Where to stay, hotels, chalets

Regardless of the type of accommodation you choose, beautiful views of the mountains and slopes will open from the window. In addition to the main area with the comfort level of “4 tridents”, there is exclusive accommodation with increased comfort (the “5 tridents” quarter). Its guests have additional privileges: maid service, breakfast in the room, a mini-bar and a separate ski room.

You can also stay in apartments of 2-3-storey chalets (with 2 to 4 bedrooms). A convenient option for a large company.

CGH Résidences & Spas La Grange aux fées 4-star hotel

Résidence CGH La Grange aux fées is located in Valmorel. It offers an indoor pool and a spa and wellness centre. Free WiFi is available throughout.

The accommodation will provide you with a flat-screen TV, a seating area and a balcony. The fully equipped kitchen comes with a dishwasher and an oven. The private bathroom comes with a shower over the bath and a hairdryer.

Other facilities offered at the property include a fitness centre, massage services, a shared lounge and luggage storage. Grocery deliveries are available.

The Lanchettes cable car station is right next to the property and Altispace 1 and Télébourg ski lifts are an 11-minute walk away.

Hôtel du Bourg 3-star hotel

With stone arches and wooden balconies, Hôtel du Bourg is located in the heart of Valmorel ski resort, a 5-minute walk from various shops, ski equipment rental, restaurants and cinemas. The ski slopes are 100 metres away. Free Wi-Fi is available in public areas and some rooms.

All rooms are equipped with a flat-screen TV and a telephone. Each has a private bathroom with a bathtub.

Guests can enjoy a cocktail or an aperitif in the Pub du Bourg bar with a fireplace. A buffet breakfast is served every morning.

Opposite Hôtel du Bourg is the Piou Piou Kids Club, a kindergarten and a ski school for children aged 18 months to 6 years. Guests can relax in the sauna and book a massage at the hotel’s spa.

Public parking is available next to the hotel.

La maison de Marie 4 star hotel

A detached chalet, La maison de Marie is located on a in Valmorel, 100 metres from Rocher Ski Lift. Barbecue facilities and free private parking are available at the property. Free WiFi is available throughout the property.

The kitchen is equipped with a dishwasher, an oven and a microwave, as well as a coffee machine and a kettle. A flat-screen TV is featured. The private bathroom is fitted with a bath or shower.

The area is popular for skiing and horse riding. La maison de Marie is 200 metres from Bois de la Croix and Altispas Ski Lifts. Active guests can also enjoy cycling, fishing and canoeing. Chambéry-Savoie Airport is 48 km away.

Apartment Cotes 26

The air-conditioned Cotes 26 apartment is located in Valmorel, a few steps from Altispeix 1 Ski Lift and 200 metres from Telebourg Ski Lift. This holiday home is less than 1 km from Bois de la Croix Ski Lift and an 11-minute walk from Cheval Blanc Ski Resort.

The kitchen is equipped with an oven and there are 2 bathrooms.

Popular points of interest near the accommodation include Valmorel Ski School, Pierrefort Ski Lift and Thuil. The nearest airport is Meythet Airport, 88 km from Cotes 26.

Chalet le Cornet

Featuring a garden, a terrace, free WiFi and garden views, Chalet Le Cornet is located in Valmorel. It features mountain views. The holiday home is a few steps from Altispéis 2 Ski Lift and 200 metres from Pierrefort Ski Lift.

The chalet features 4 bedrooms, a flat-screen TV, an equipped kitchen with a dishwasher and a microwave, a washing machine, and 2 bathrooms with a bath.

If you would like to discover the area, hiking is possible in the surroundings.

Popular attractions near the chalet include the Altispeix 1, Morel and Prarid ski lifts. The nearest airport, Meythet Airport, is 89 km from Chalet Le Cornet.

Attractions

The Valmorel ski resort has a lot to offer besides skiing and hotels, although most of the options involve outdoor activities. Ice climbing, paragliding, snowmobiling, quad biking and even the newfangled Segway, which is available for rent.

Speed riding, ski-sailing, ski jumping and snowboarding on the big air hill, these and many more are available at the Valmorel resort. For indoor relaxation, a good option is the spa at the nearby La Léchère hotel.

The main attraction in the region is the Vallées d Aigueblanche ski area, which offers thousands of hectares of gentle landscapes covered in deep snow, perfect for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

In fact, Valmorel is considered the only place in the world where an eight-seater gondola was built to access the Belvédère du Bozon, which is 2,000 m above sea level, from a non-mountainous area.

In addition, within the Vallées d Aigueblanche area there are 40 km of cross-country ski trails that run through the two interconnected plateaus of the Naves Valley, the first of which is not far from the Grand Nav and is good for training, and the second, near the Grand Plan, offers several trails for all levels of ability.

There are also 15 km of snowshoe trails and Nordic walking trails, which are good for trekking. A 200-meter toboggan run, dog sledding, and 50 km of prepared trails that are maintained daily for winter tourism.

Family vacation

With its pedestrian safety, convenient infrastructure and easy access, Valmorel ski resort is a good choice for families. In recognition of its achievements in serving family tourists, Valmorel is currently the holder of the French Government’s “Family Plus” certificate, which contributes to creating even more comfortable conditions for families.

For children, there are two Piou Piou kids clubs, exclusively for children aged 18 months to six years. The chalets where they are located are equipped with all the necessary facilities for children, as well as areas for playing in the snow. Children under three years old can play under the supervision of teachers, while children aged three to six can start learning to ski.

Older children can join the regular ski school.

There are discounts on the cost of day classes and lessons at the ski school for families consisting of four or more members. There are also discounts on the lift when one or more adults or two or more children aged five to 17 (under five free).

Shopping

Valmorel does not have a reputation for being a shopping destination. There are around 25 shops in the resort. The Valmorel ski resort, like most resorts, has ski shops, rental shops that provide clothing, skis and equipment and other essential shops such as mini-supermarkets, bakeries and dry cleaners.

On Wednesday evenings, like most ski resorts, there is a shopping night, and bakers from the Marian bakery demonstrate traditional bread baking methods. Alternatively, you can try the local Beaufort cheese and other regional Savoyard delicacies at the Coopérative Laitière in Bourg-Morel.

SPA treatments

To visit La Léchère thermal spa, you need to drive 15 minutes from Valmorel to Vallée du Morel. Although there is also a stationary treatment center here, there is something special about the new spa with its magnificent giant windows. The original spa was recently opened on three levels and includes 15 treatment rooms, an aqua zone with four pools, an equipped beach and relaxation areas.

There is also a wellness center with a steam room, saunas, balneotherapy rooms, massage treatments and mud applications. The thermal water rises from a depth of 200 meters from the ground and has a natural temperature of 61⁰ C. This helps to warm up well before the spa treatments.

Après-ski

Valmorel, like most purpose-built resorts in France, is not a place for noisy nightclubs, but there are a dozen bars. From the original offers: entertainment takes place four nights a week. This includes a toboggan run under floodlights on Mondays, ski school demonstrations on Tuesdays, and RC racing on Thursdays.

Popular bars include Le café de la Gare, Jimbo Lolo, 29 Bourg-Morel and the very popular Le pub du Bourg, a lounge bar with a fireplace, billiards and games. All of them are open until the early hours. Alternatively, after skiing, at the top of La Source, and 3 Bourg-Morel at the base of the slopes, which offers a good drinks menu, including a variety of cocktails.

Ресторани, кафе

На гірськолижному курорті Вальморель існує кілька десятків ресторанів, і спостерігається зростання числа варіантів в 4-х і 5-зіркових готелях пропозицій послуг для гурманів. Але більшість ресторанів у Вальморель простіше і підходять для сімейного відпочинку. Це такі як Джимбо Лоло, 29 Бург-Морель, які оформлені в атмосфері Південної Америки, де вам подають тапас з Мексики, і це до закриття в 02.00.

Le Café Alpin, 5 Бург-Морель біля основи схилів, добре готують піцу.

Для регіональних страв від простих млинчиків crêpe до повномасштабного обіду, La Flambée є гарним вибором, у той час як інший улюблений місцевим населенням Le Petit Prince та 7 Бург-Морель, пропонують елегантну кухню, включаючи pierrades (м’ясо, приготоване на гарячих каменях, що доставляють у ваш номер).

Ще один хороший вибір ресторан Le Prariond, який пропонує високоякісну кухню на тлі приголомшливих видів на Монблан.

Як дістатися

Найближчі аеропорти: Шамбері (CMF); Женева (GVA)

Відстань до курорту: 90 км; 125 км.

Час в дорозі: 60 хвилин; 150 хвилин.