Some ski slopes, at more than 3,000 meters, allow you to guarantee good quality snow from November to May. It stands as the highest resort in Los 3 Valles, the largest ski area in the world with 600 km of slopes, 200 lifts and 25 mountain peaks.
The ski area
Currently, Val Thorens offers less advanced skiers numerous slopes where they can practice their technique, unlike other resorts where beginner areas are scarce and long queues form at the lifts leading to the easier slopes. Among the easiest slopes are: Chalets, Moraine, Genépi and Gentiane, which are accessed by the Deux Lacs, Moraine and Moutiére chairlifts.
These are joined by Plein Sud, which is reached via the cable car of the same name, ideal for start skiing. For skiers with intermediate levels there are many recommended slopes such as: Christine, Col, Fond 2, Mauriennaise, Col de Laudzin, etc. Ski experts looking for more risk should not forget La Combe de Caron, La Combe de Rosaël, Marielle Goitschel and the Arolles slopes. Although it is not common to have long queues at the ski lifts, given the diversity of slopes, Val Thorens has modern ski lifts with the capacity to evacuate many people quickly. The drags are somewhat slower, but they tend to disappear.
Val Thorens enjoys great panoramic views due to its altitude. However, the most impressive area corresponds to the Caron Summit, rated as one of the best views in Europe, from where you can see the French, Swiss and Italian Alps. Access to this point of the resort (3,200 meters) is via a large funicular, which allows all skiers to visit, because if you are not prepared to ski the red slopes that start from this point, You can return to lower levels through the same device.
Another of the most impressive areas of the resort is the Peclet Glacier (2,930 meters), where you can ski during the summer, and from which you can see the other side of the Alps. It is advisable to dress warmly, in any case there is a small cabin where you can eat and warm up.
A must-see, for people with an average level of skiing, is the 3 Valleys excursion. To do it you have to have a full day and the route includes: Val Thorens- Les Menuires- Méribel- La Tania and Courchevel. It is about skiing from one valley to another, in which It is considered the largest ski area in the world. To do this you must have the Valthorens ski pass and pay a supplement to access the other valleys during that day. It can be done on your own or by signing up for guided excursions organized by the Ski School.
Val Thorens, on its 140 km of slopes, allows you to practice a wide list of ski types: snowboard, snowblade, skwval, telemark, snow shoes, big foot, cross-country skiing, bike skiing, among others. In addition, there are various itineraries where you can practice off-piste, these are areas with marked routes and whose safety is guaranteed, but which are not subject to maintenance. Among these areas, a track parallel to the Cima del Caron, Col de Pierre Lory and Pointe de la Masse stands out.
It is also possible to hire descents guided by teachers. Cross-country skiing also finds its forum here, but for this activity the resort of Les Menuires is recommended, which has more kilometers of slopes dedicated to this practice. Likewise, this station is more suitable for walks with snowshoes, since it has numerous trails. Les Menuieres borders Val Thorens, but is developed at lower elevations. Both belong to the town of San Martín de Belleville, but access is with different ski passes. These are more expensive than in Spain, but there are no big differences. There is also the possibility of renting sleds.
As for classes, there are instructors for all ski modalities and they can be hired both at the French Ski School, which has 170 professionals, and at the International Ski School and can be requested at the desired language. The prices are similar to those in Spain and are taught in groups or individually.
After skiing
At 4:45 p.m. the last chairlift in the resort closes, but there are numerous après-ski activities. Almost all of them are concentrated in the Sports Center, which with 9,000 m2, stands as the largest in the Alps. Ideal for exercise and relaxation, it has a swimming pool, sauna, jacuzzi, squash courts, ping-pong, tennis, etc. And where a playground for children between 2 and 6 years old is also included.
But there are other alternatives for leisure time such as snowmobile excursions along the slopes (from 5 to 10 p.m.), skydiving, cinema, ice skating... Half-day walks afternoons are also very pleasant since Val Thorens is a station whose car traffic is restricted and parking controlled, which guarantees the safety of pedestrians and skiers who access the slopes from their hotels and apartments. Thursdays are mandatory attendance at the classical and jazz music concerts offered by the Musical Association, free of charge, in the church.
It also doesn't hurt, both in the mid-afternoon and at night, to go to the breweries in the area. There you can have a drink or taste genepi, the typical liquor of the area, very strong for the palate, but suitable for low temperatures, in the months of January and February, in the center of Val Thorens, these do not exceed 5 degrees.
When it's time for dinner, there are many restaurants on offer to satisfy your appetite. The specialties of the area (Savoyard food) are: fondue (meat or cheese), raclette (half a cheese that melts) and tartiflette (a base of potatoes, bacon and onion with cheese on top).
If you do not speak French, you should not worry, because everyone speaks English and, in some places, Spanish. This is the case, among others, of the ski shop Goitschel Sport. If you have any questions, there is the Tourist Office, located next to the French Ski School, where a Spanish girl named Nerea also serves. If you have to change currency, the best exchange rate will be at the Post Office, located in the same place.
