The ski resort of Val Thorens is located in the upper part of the Belleville Valley, at the foot of the Peclet peak (3562 m). It is the highest mountain resort in Europe, often called the “Roof of the Three Valleys” – the village itself lies at an altitude of 2300 meters, and the highest point of skiing begins at 3300 meters. Such a high location ensures the highest quality of snow on the slopes, a wide variety of slopes and a long winter season. However, the winds here are quite strong, and without special clothing and experience, skiing can be uncomfortable.

Val Thorens is one of the most budget places for active winter recreation in the country – there are no such popular alpine chalets here, multi-storey buildings prevail. The resort “takes” stunning views, snowy hills and majestic mountains.

The village of Val Thorens was created specifically for skiers. Therefore, the slopes and hotels are located in such a way that skiing is possible, as they say, “from the door”. And the number of other sports facilities is impressive – the longest toboggan run in France (6 km long, has night lighting), children’s and adult ski schools, a sports center with an indoor tennis and squash court, a gym, a fitness center, a climbing wall, a roller skating center, several areas for team games, a large playground for children from 2 to 6 years old, an aqua club, a well-equipped snow park, a bordercross track and about 4 km of flat skiing. At the same time, there is enough evening and night entertainment, and on Tuesdays (at 6 p.m.) jazz concerts are held in the Val Thorens chapel.

In Val Thorens great attention is paid to environmental protection. The resort is developing taking into account all environmental requirements. Hydrocarbon monitoring is carried out, car traffic is limited in the resort, and the Mountain Riders association encourages skiers who visit the resort to actively participate in protecting the environment.

Val Thorens was recognized as the best ski resort in the 2016/2017 season, according to the annual international World Ski Awards.

Weather in Val Thorens

Before you go to Val Thorens, find out what the weather will be like there on the selected dates.

The tourist season in Val Thorens begins in late autumn and ends in late spring. It is during this period of time that all high-altitude slopes are full of smooth and crispy snow. To make your vacation as colorful and unforgettable as possible, you need to know the weather forecast in Val Thorens in advance. Meteorological reports can help you with this, which tell not only the weather in Val Thorens, but also the direction and speed of the wind, the presence of snowfall.

As for the climate of the ski resort, it is quite moderate here, transitional to alpine from mid-continental. Abundant precipitation in the form of snow lasts from four to six months a year. In January, the air temperature usually drops to -10 ° C. Fog is often observed in autumn.

Knowing the weather forecast in Val Thorens for 3 days, you can understand what things you should take on your trip. To make your vacation as perfect as possible, you should study the weather in Val Thorens in detail for a week in advance, or even further. When going to a ski resort in the winter months, there is a high probability that the weather in Val Thorens for 14 days or longer will be as suitable as possible for skiing on any slopes and trails.

The weather in Val Thorens for 5 days in the summer months does not rise above + 10 ° C, so you can see the snowy slopes and ride them even in the hot season.

How to get to the ski resort of Val Thorens in France

There are several ways to get to the ski resort of Val Thorens.

The most convenient and popular is by plane. You will have to get to the nearest settlements to the resort – Chambery (110 km), Geneva (150 km) and Lyon (180 km), and then from them – to Val Thorens. For example, a transfer from Chambery to the resort will cost 80 euros.

You can also get to Val Thorens by train. You need to get to the nearest railway station to the resort, Moutiers. From there, you can get to the resort by taxi or bus for 10-12 euros.

If you decide to get to Val Thorens by car, you should take the roads to Chambery (A43) and Albertville (A430), and then the N90 to Moutiers and the Three Valleys.

Slopes and lifts

The Val Thorens slopes converge towards the ski resort and village of Orel from eight mountain peaks and six glaciers. There are about 66 slopes with a total length of over 140 km (14% “black”, 37% “red”, 31% “blue” and 18% “green”), and almost all of them are at altitudes over 2000 meters, which means that they are mostly suitable only for experienced skiers. Several routes (only “black” and “red”) have been laid through the high mountain passes, allowing you to ski from Val Thorens to other resorts of the Three Valleys, and the slopes of the Pointe de Thorens peak (3266 m) are famous for their spacious virgin fields. Only in the very bottom of the valley, at altitudes from 1800 to 2300 meters, there are about a dozen or so “blue” and “green” slopes available to novice athletes.

The trails are served by 31 lifts with a total capacity of about 52 thousand people per hour. Moreover, it is in Val Thorens that the largest cable car in Europe is located – CARON (the cabin is designed for 150 people), which lifts skiers to the highest point of the valley, Cime de Caron (3200 m), from where a beautiful circular view of the French, Italian and Swiss Alps opens – about a thousand peaks in total! And the Funitel cable car, which goes from the valley to the foot of the Funitel glacier, lifts up to 3 thousand skiers per hour.

There are ski schools, equipment rentals and even a kindergarten for the little guests of the recreation area.

Ski schools in Val Thorens

At the Val Thorens ski resort you can take lessons in alpine skiing. To do this, you just need to enroll in one of the four specialized schools. Experienced ski instructors will show you the basics of alpine skiing in detail, and if necessary, they will give alpine skiing lessons not only in French, but also in English, German or another language.

In addition to alpine skiing, there is an opportunity to learn snowboarding, freestyle, freeride, visit organized snowshoe hikes or perform at night skiing with torches.

You can also visit such a specialized school with children. Individual lessons in such an educational institution will cost those who wish 49 EUR. There is also the possibility of purchasing a three-day group course for 89 EUR. The price range for training varies depending on which school you choose to study at.

Val Thorens has the longest toboggan run in Europe – six kilometers long – Le Toboggan.

The Val Thorens slopes are very convenient for skiers – they are wide, with comfortable slopes, well lit and divided into the following zones:

Borgne with blue and two black slopes. The highest point is 2850 meters. In addition, from here you can reach the ski resort of Méribel via the Lac De La Chambre descent.
Peclet with red, blue and green runs. The highest point is 3101 meters.
Thorens for extreme sports with the steepest and longest black run Combre De Cardon.
Bouchet with a border cross track. There are two glaciers here – Du Bouchet and De La Pointe Renod.
Cascades is the largest area. A large snow park is located here.

SPA treatments in Val Thorens

If there is time for rides, then you need to find time for relaxation and improving your health.

When going on vacation, you need to enjoy all the charms of the chosen resort to the fullest. SPA resorts Val Thorens can reward you for hard work throughout the year, as well as replenish your vitality. The time of rest on a ski holiday is characterized by an extreme, festive and unhurried atmosphere, where you can please your soul and body with all kinds of procedures.

The Val Thorens Sports SPA Center will provide everyone with a range of services, including restorative pools, massages, hammams and jacuzzis, which will help you fully enjoy your vacation. This is the only place in the resort where the “Solfeggio massage” is available, which can improve the shape and silhouette of the body, as well as relax it.

The most popular spa services in Val Thorens also include a shower of impressions, a salt wall, an ice fountain and a solarium. In numerous massage rooms you can get rid of accumulated stress, anxiety, aggression.

The main attractions of Val Thorens

The town of Val Thorens is rich in its many years of history, so it has many places that would be of great interest to vacationers. With the advent of a new era, the imprints of the past were deposited on buildings, and its own style of architecture and art appeared.

The main attractions of Val Thorens are its mountains. The abundance of all kinds of trails and the picturesque landscapes of the French Alps amaze with their grandeur and scale. It is precisely in order to admire the local beauties that crowds of vacationers come here. On the map with the sights of Val Thorens, one cannot fail to note the slopes and the highest points, from which views of amazing beauty open. In clear and snow-free weather, from the highest point of this mountainous area you can even see the top of Mont Blanc.

Mountains in Val Thorens

One of the most popular places in this resort is an amusement park for snowboarders, which has jumps, hills, ditches and chutes. A map of Val Thorens with landmarks, the highest slopes and access routes to them can be purchased directly upon arrival here.

Val Thorens attractions with names do not need intrusive advertising. In this region, everything is done so that the vacationer can be transported from a noisy, gas-filled metropolis to a cozy corner of the earth, which lives its own life and obeys only nature. The description of the sights of Val Thorens and its beauties cannot be put on paper or expressed in words. This beauty must be seen.

Val Thorens: with children

Val Thorens belongs to the family of resorts marked with the Famille Plus brand. And despite the rather significant height of the resort, it is comfortable with children of any age in Val Thorens. Most of the village is exclusively pedestrian, without cars, you can reach the apartments and hotels by ski, and every day there is an entertainment program for young guests. Above the resort is the largest toboggan run in France, 6 km long (open daily until 3 pm and three times a week in the evenings), toboggans are brought to the top by a lift. The resort’s sports center has a children’s center with an area of 600 sq.m – trampolines, inflatable castles, a dry pool, game modules and a playground.

Hotels and ski passes in Val Thorens

The approximate cost of accommodation and recreation in Val Thorens is a little cheaper than in other resorts of the Three Valleys, and the hotels are located so that you can easily reach the nearest lift by skiing right at the hotel door. A one-day ski pass Val Thorens – Orelle will cost 37 euros for adults (13-59 years old), 32 euros for pensioners (over 59 years old) and 26-28 euros for children aged 5 to 12 years old, a six-day pass – 178- 182, 151-155 and 125-127 euros respectively. The Vallee de Belleville ski pass (common to the entire Belleville Valley, 330 km of slopes) costs 220-225 euros for adults, 187-193 euros for pensioners and 165-169 euros for children, and a 13-day pass – 455-475, 368-386 and 332-350 euros respectively. The Trois Vallee ski pass, which is common to the entire region, is sold on general terms. Renting a set of ski equipment or a snowboard will cost an adult 160-190 euros for 6 days, for a child – 100-120 euros, for visiting the swimming pool or baths of the sports complex you will have to pay 6-12 euros, for 6 days of classes in a children’s sports school (with meals) – 200 euros, for adults (for half a day) – 115 euros.

The ski season lasts from the end of November to the beginning of May, but already in November and until the beginning of July you can ski on the Pecle glacier.

In the immediate vicinity of the skiing areas of the Val Thorens ski resort there are many hotels, most of them with access to the slopes.

5* Hotel Koh-I Nor Val Thorens

Hotel Koh-I Nor Val Thorens 5-star hotel

The Koh-I Nor is located in Val Thorens, the highest resort in the Three Valleys ski area. It features a spa, 2 indoor pools, a terrace with panoramic views and 3 restaurants.

The rooms have a marble bathroom with bathrobes and free toiletries. They offer views of the mountains or the village. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel.

The fully equipped spa includes a hot tub, sauna, hammam, relaxation areas and a salt wall.

Breakfast is served every morning and can be served in the room. The hotel also has 3 restaurants, serving local and international specialities. They can be enjoyed on the terrace with panoramic mountain views.

The hotel has ski storage and a ski shop. A shuttle service is available within the resort. Moutiers Train Station is 37 km away and Chambéry Airport is 112 km away.

5* Hôtel Fitz Roy

5* Altapura

5* Chalet des Neiges Koh-i Nor

4* Le Val Thorens

4* Fahrenheit Seven

4* Hotel Le Hameau Du Kashmir

Hotel Le Hameau Du Kashmir 4-star hotel

Le Hameau Du Kashmir is located in Val Thorens Ski Resort, next to the ski slopes. It offers a sauna and an indoor swimming pool. За додаткову плату в спа-центрі проводять масажні та косметичні процедури. У готелі працює безкоштовний Wi-Fi.

Люкси мають у своєму розпорядженні балкон з видом на гори, 2 спальні, 2 ванні кімнати з халатом і феном. У деяких люксах серед зручностей вітальня з телевізором з плоским екраном. У всіх люксах можна користуватися електричним чайником.

Вранці для гостей сервірують сніданок «шведський стіл». У 2 ресторанах готелю подають страви місцевої та французької кухні, а також стейки. У барі можна замовити напої.

У розпорядженні гостей готелю Le Hameau Du Kashmir тераса з панорамним видом і лижний магазин. Гості можуть користуватися безкоштовним приміщенням для зберігання лиж. Місця на приватній парковці надаються за додаткову плату і за попереднім бронюванням. Залізничний вокзал міста Мутье знаходиться в 38 км

4* Hôtel Club MMV Les Arolles

4* Chalet des Neiges Hermine

3* Le Sherpa Val Thorens Hôtels-Chalets de Tradition

Le Sherpa Val Thorens Hôtels-Chalets de Tradition 3-зірковий готель

Готель Le Sherpa, знаходиться в самому центрі Валь-Торансу. Він пропонує розміщення в будівлі в стилі шале поруч з підйомником. З готелю відкривається прекрасний вид на вершину лижного району Труа-Вале.

Готель Le Sherpa – це сімейний готель з комфортабельними номерами з дерев’яними меблями, оформленими в теплих тонах. Проведіть вихідні в затишній атмосфері.

Крім всіх стандартних зручностей, в кожному номері є супутникове телебачення та балкон, з якого можна милуватися чудовим видом.

Для вашої зручності, в готелі Le Sherpa є ресторан, де подають сніданок “шведський стіл” і обід з 5 страв. Відпочиньте біля каміна, насолодіться свіжоприготованими місцевими фірмовими стравами і вишуканою кухнею в гостинній атмосфері обіднього залу.

Після захоплюючого дня, проведеного на лижних трасах, можна розслабитися в лаунджі або насолодитися процедурами в салоні краси і спа-центрі готелю. Він має у своєму розпорядженні сауну, турецьку лазню та джакузі.

3* Langley Hôtel Tango

3* Le Cheval Blan

Де поїсти у Валь-Торансі

На гірськолижному курорті Валь-Торанс безліч кафе, ресторанів, барів і клубів, так що проблеми «де перекусити або щільно пообідати» тут точно не існує. Є й демократичні місця, що працюють до ранку, – для цінителів простої кухні, які розуміються в цих веселощах. Є і більш помпезні заклади, де вам подадуть ростбіф і жаб’ячі лапки.

Відпочиваючи на гірськолижному курорті Валь-Торанс, ви напевно складете свій власний список улюблених місць для сніданків, обідів і вечерь.

Чим зайнятися на Валь-Торанс, заходи

Курорт Валь Торанс славиться своїми трасами і гірськими спусками різної складності. Щодня серед майстрів гірськолижного мистецтва і відчайдушними сноубордистами проходять вражаючі змагання, які спонукають всіх присутніх до того, щоб стати такими ж професіоналами. Щорічно на початку грудня в містечку проходить «Тиждень сноуборду». Такого роду змагання в Валь Торансі не залишається непоміченим. Для того щоб прийняти в ньому участь на курорт з’їжджається маса відчайдушних екстремалів і роззяв.

Серед розваг в Валь Торансі варто виділити безкоштовні концерти класичної і джазової музики. Щороку тут проходять різного роду змагання і шоу програми. Найбільш популярним з усіх вважається Троффі Andros – гонки на автомобілях по льоду. Всіляких розваг тут настільки багато, що людина з будь-якими пристрастями і бюджетом може знайти те, що припаде до душі саме йому.

Валь-Торанс має славу курорту для студентів і молоді. Тому безліч закладів працює тут якщо не до раннього ранку, то до пізньої ночі – вже точно. Національна датська, англійська, французька музика, гучні дискотеки, більярд – і це далеко не повний перелік ваших можливих заходів на вечір.

Крім того, на Валь-Торансі є спорткомплекси, сауни, лазні, роллер-центр, тенісний корт, безкоштовна бібліотека, велодоріжки, можливість покататися на санках, снігоходах, квадроциклах – так що нудно не буде.

Ну а основна «родзинка» Валь-Торансу – значних розмірів опен-ейр La Folie Douce, майданчик для заходів та диско-паті, розташована на висоті 2600 метрів. Цінителі більш спокійного проведення часу можуть послухати джаз і орган в церкві курорту.

Нехай час, проведений у Валь-Торансі, залишить найяскравіші спогади!