Why ski Val Thorens?

Why ski Val Thorens? The resort is excellent for intermediate and expert skiers and is very good for learners and snowboarders too. It is comprised of 11% black runs, 40% red runs, 37% blue runs, and 12% green runs. The lifts have the capacity to bring 56,770 skiers uphill. Snow cannons can augment natural snow, and given the high high altitude, excellent powder days are easily assured, but the area is also vulnerable to bad weather conditions.

Val Thorens: A Quick Peek

Why Ski Valthorens? Being the highest ski resort that could be found in Europe, it can afford to give reliable snow all throughout the season and all other benefits that every skiing enthusiast could glean with the 2,300 metres of altitude. Sitting in the Taretaise Valley, Savoie, France, Val Thorens remains as the second largest linked ski area in the worldwide, connecting via lifts to other ski resorts like Brides Les Bains, La Tania, Saint Martin de Belleville, Courchevel, Les Ménuires, and Méribel. Val Thorens has limited apres ski, but the resort has been revamped and improved recently to cater to the non-skiers who want to enjoy life in the snow. Snow is guaranteed, but because of high altitude, the place can be susceptible to bad weather and probable white outs.

Access

Val Thorens is in France and is arguably a very popular resort. Wherever you are from, it is advisable to plan out your journey and shorten travel time. The quickest way to arrive there is to travel via rails. If you are coming from UK, you can take a train service going to Paris. From there, you will be escorted by a French SCNF transfer to bring you to Moutiers, which is a 37-kilometre drive. To reach the resort, the final vehicle transfer would be taking a taxi or a bus. During the 2010 winter season, the Eurostar will be serving direct ski trains on Fridays and also Saturdays.

If you want to have plenty of transfer links, you can start your journey at Geneva Airport, which is around three hours away to the resort. The next air terminal you may want to choose is Lyon St Exupery, which boasts of efficient bust-to-ski-station links. Chambery and Grenoble are nearer but has limited transport opportunities. If you plan to drive your way to Val Thorens, travel time is 9 hours from Calais, given good weather conditions and no delays en route,  but it can also take up to 14 hours given heavy traffic aberrations. Also, be wary of the fees charged along the French motorways. Via a car, take the road Albertville, then take N90 route going to Moutiers and RD915 going to Val Thorens. Be warned of heavy traffic and bad weather conditions.

Val Thorens: Ski Facts

Here are other things you need to know why you need to ski at Val Thorens:

Highest lift: 3200 m (10499 ft)
Lowest Lift: 1850 m (5315 ft)
Total vertical drop: 1350 m
Piste Length:  600 kilometres
Longest run: 5 kilometres
Snow Cannons: 519
Cross country: 0 kilometre
Total Lifts: 198
Snow Park: 2

The resort is excellent for intermediate and expert skiers and is very good for learners and snowboarders too. It is comprised of 11% black runs, 40% red runs, 37% blue runs, and 12% green runs. The lifts have the capacity to bring 56,770 skiers uphill. Snow cannons can augment natural snow, and given the high high altitude, excellent powder days are easily assured, but the area is also vulnerable to bad weather conditions. The resort also has abundant off piste possibilities and equally word-class ski schools.

Accommodation

Apartments are the main accommodation of Val Thorens, which are usually geared for the use of serious skiers. Residences, or apartments with hotel-like amenities are also popular in the resort. The resort is usually not home to all that luxurious and expensive hotels and to people who want more glitz and sophistication, although there are a few highly starred hotels in the area, examples of which are L'Oxalys and Fitz Roy. If you opt for a more modest lodging place which can suit your budget, you can Try La Marmotte or Sherpa. There are also adequate ski in – ski out accommodations here.

Cost

If you are still thinking why you should ski Val Thorens, you might as well check the expenses you might make in the resort.

Local Lift Prices
Highest adult pass  for 1 day:  CHF36.50
Highest adult pass for 6 days:  CHF172.00
Highest child pass for 1 day: CHF25.00
Highest child pass for 6 days: CHF120.00

Equipment Rentals
Adult Boots and Skis: from CHF87.20 to CHF158.40

Top Hotel Prices
Le Sherpa - Rate starts from CHF100 (per person, per night)
Hotel Le Val Thorens -  Rate starts from CHF121 (per person, per night)
Hotel Fitzroy -   Rate starts from CHF370 (per person, per night)
Club Med -   Rate starts from CHF799 (per person, for seven nights plus ski lessons)
Hotel Bel Horizon -   Rate starts from CHF85 (per person, per night)

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