Val d'Isere - France
Whilst Bono and Richard Branson come here all the time to enjoy 5-star chalets and fine dining, you are also just as likely to find snowboarders who live and breathe their sport. The main thing is that, whatever your preferences, it seems that once you’ve visited you’ll keep coming back! With access to over 300km of slopes, awesome off-piste and a plenty of blue-sky days the Espace Killy region is one of the big hitters in European skiing.
Three villages make up the resort. (Click here for our quick guide) La Daille is in great proximitiy to the slopes, and some of the best runs end up here. Val d’Isere is a less attractive traditional ski town. Finally, Le Fornet is a picture postcard village at the end of the Isere valley. Apres ski in Val d'Isere can be as quiet or as lively as you wish and off-slope activities are everything you’d expect of a top international resort. In summary, Val D’Isere is a good old-fashioned all-rounder of a resort!
At a glance
| Resort altitude | 1850m - 1850m |
|---|---|
| Highest lift | 3455m |
| Lowest lift | 1550m |
| kms of piste | 300km² |
| Black pistes | 12% |
| Red pistes | 27% |
| Blue pistes | 46% |
| Green pistes | 15% |
| Snow parks | 1 |
| Glacier | Yes |
| Snowmaking | Yes |
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Five to try
- Have a go at a local pastry cookery class with top chef, Patrick Chevallot
- Try out one of Val’s cultural evenings which include concerts and music recitals at the congress centre
- You must try the driving school at Circuit de Glace for the change to drive on ice in a car, quad snowmobile or 4x4 Panda
- Go snow shoe hiking for the day
- Try a sledge race – for both under 12s and adults
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Planning your trip
Although Val is not as close as other resorts to the major airports the resort and quality of pistes make up for this. The majority of airlines fly into Geneva (Switzerland), which is 177km away and has the most transfer options. The next biggest airport is Lyon St Exupery, which has public buses to the more...
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Where to stay
Val d’Isere has an enormous choice of accommodation, ranging from exclusive hotels to backpackers’ hostels, so you should be able to find something to suit your needs and budget. A good proportion of the accommodation is ski in, ski out but even those that aren’t are never too far away from the slopes. There more...
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Food and drink
Usually for French resorts, the safe formula for good eating is to stick to what the French do best; French cooking, but in Val d’Isere you’d be missing out on a vast array of other offers from seafood platters to good old British curry. The proximity to Italy means pizza and pasta feature heavily and children are more...
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Things to do
Whether you are a non-skier, bad weather has driven you off the slopes or you just simply want a change there are a host of other things to do in Val d’Isere, although neighbouring Tignes may also be worth a look. Even if you decide to go to Val as a non-skier there will be plenty to keep you occupied including more...
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On the piste
One word sums up the Espace Killy - awesome. Reaching across the Alps, it has miles-upon-miles of snow-covered mountains. Whether its backcountry powder or long wide pistes that get your heart racing, Val d’Isere has access to it all. Val has a well-deserved reputation for its excellent off-piste but there is more...
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MadDogView
Resort of the rich and famous, renown for its party scen (particularly in January when university trips hit the town) and a hardcore of serious skiers and boarders. You too can do it all.
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Map
- Download piste map
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Our favourites
L'Arolay
Not officially on the piste.... In Le Fornet about 200m down the hill back towards Val from the bus stop in Le Fornet, on the left. Lovely view across the Isere gorge and into the valley below. Open fire and an authentic mountain chalet feel. Prices are more reasonable than some of the other restaurants (probably because of the walk) so you can have a slap-up lunch without worrying too much about the bill. -
Useful stuff
