Val Thorens, France Ski Packages
About Val Thorens
As one of the eight ski resorts in Les 3 Vallees (The Three Valleys) resorts, and highest in elevation, Val Thorens guarantees an unforgettable France ski vacation. The only way to truly appreciate the size and scope of this area is to compare it to the biggest North American resorts. Take Whistler, Mammoth, Squaw, Jackson Hole, and then throw in Vail and maybe Killington and Breckenridge, and you'd still have room left over in Les 3 Vallees.
With infinite terrain and the most sophisticated interconnected lift system in Europe, you could spend a lifetime exploring the limitless peaks and valleys, sampling all the delicious food at the fine French restaurants, and cruising through tiny villages without ever having to take off your skis. But of all of Les 3 Vallees resorts Val Thorens is the one you really want to ski at. As the highest ski resort in the Alps, over 10,500-plus feet, Val Thorens is magnet for snow. So be sure to bring your fat skis or powder board.
Val Thorens offers a pleasant, laid-back base village experience, with plenty of lodging options, namely ski in, ski out accommodations, and an overwhelming amount of off-mountain activities from tennis to squash to roller hockey, badminton, volleyball, swimming and indoor football (soccer). All thanks to an immense indoor sports complex.
Val Thorens Ski Resort
As the highest ski area of the largest ski resort in the world, you can bet that Val Thorens offers some of the best advanced skiing on the planet. La Masse and Cime Caron areas provide more challenging runs and wide-open above treeline solitude. This is the best on-piste area if there’s fresh snow. Intermediates can ski or board nearly everywhere due to the many blue and red runs, in fact some of Val Thorens blacks are great runs for advanced intermediates to challenge themselves.
Beginners, especially first-timers will especially enjoy the gentle slopes at the bottom of the resort. The magic carpet is a complimentary service. And because of the resorts high-Alpine location, beginners at Val Thorens enjoy better conditions than others.
Mountain Stats
4642'
Vertical Drop
5955'
Base Depth
10597'
Summit Depth
Activities
TerrainPark
No
Tubing
No
Night Skiing
No
What the experts are saying
No Frills Slopeside Lodging and Incredible High Alpine Terrain in Val Thorens
Massive ski with laots of options from beginner to expert
Val Thorens is the largest ski area in the world. Three large resorts are tied together by interconnecting chair lifts. As a result you have a vast array of options to ski. The snow conditions when we were there (late March) were fair to good. You had to pretty much stay on the trails as off piste was not viable. Given the right conditions and off piste skiing was an option you had unbelievable options as most of the mountain was above tree line or open glades were available. This place with good snow would be phenomenal. The weather was tough when we were there. Some high winds pushed through making conditions very difficult. On the second day we went over the ridge and moved away from Val Thorens and the weather improved dramatically. Our third day we could not get over as the lifts were closed due to the weather.
Val Thorens is "Off The Charts!"
I am 60 years old and have skiied all over the Eastern US , Western US, Canada & Europe. Val Thorens is the biggest and best place I have been. Other places that I have been that I really like are: Solden, Kitzbuhl, Cortina, Courmayeur/Chamonix, Val d' Isere Sugarbush, Aspen, Steamboat, Squaw, Vail, Telluride, Etc., but, Val Thorens/Meribel/Courcheval has them ALL beat. Incredible lift system, terrain, scenery, food & fun. It's humungous!
EXPERT REVIEWS (1)
- 3.0Spa
- 3.0Shopping
- 5.0Ski-in Ski-out
- 4.0Intermediate Skiing
- 4.0Activities
- 2.0Access
- 3.0Nightlife
- 5.0Budget Vacation
- 4.0Family Vacation
- 3.0Luxury Vacation
- 3.0Terrain Park
- 3.0Dining
- 5.0Expert Skiing
- 3.0Accommodations
- 3.0Beginner Skiing
Key
1=Poor 2=Fair 3=Average 4=Good 5=Excellent
Reviews
No Frills Slopeside Lodging and Incredible High Alpine Terrain in Val Thorens
Good
I didn't know what to expect when visiting Val Thorens as I really hadn't heard much about it or seen much of it prior to my arrival. Our ascent up to the area was a long one winding up from the valley floor, passing through neighboring Les Menuires ski area as the lower treed in runs were quickly replaced by wide open and seemingly endless high alpine bowl skiing. When we finally arrived at the resort I discovered it was featured a much more quaint mountain village area than most resorts in the Alps of similar scale. Just about every lodging establishment in the area is true ski-in/out and, as the village is so concentrated, within easy walking distance of everything the area has to offer.
This resort puts its focus far more on the skiing than anything else. While the village features plenty of things to do including a large indoor park and a wide range of dining options the real attraction is the huge amount of terrain and far smaller crowds than similar resorts. Because the entire village is ski-in/out, guest can book lodging of any quality level and be sure they can always step out their door and onto the slopes.
Val Thorens sits on one end of Les Trois Valles which is the largest ski area in the world and gives the resort direct ski access to Meribel, Courchevel and a number of smaller resorts as well. If your primary concerns are ease of access and incredible terrain, this resort is as good a value as there is in the Alps. That said, the fact that it is the highest resort in the area and more snow-sure than just about any other resort in the country, along with the extremely reasonable price point, are fantastic bonuses.
What we do
- Lodging
- Lift Tickets
- Equipment Rentals
- Flights
- Transfers
- Rental Cars
- Lessons
- Lessons
- Travel Insurance
Partnerships & Services
Company Information
