Travel Eye on Val-Thorens (Alps, France)

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Overview:

Val Thorens is the highest ski resort in Europe at 2300m with many obvious pluses and a few minuses to this location. At such an altitude you are as likely as anywhere to enjoy snow all season and the Glacier de Péclet allows summer skiing.

Because the resort is traffic-free and purpose-built, almost anywhere you stay will allow ski-to-your-door accessibility. When the weather turns you'll know it and skiing or even smiling can be a bit of a struggle with freezing temperatures and possible whiteouts. But there's normally plenty of sun, so you should be able to do both

This is a serious skier's resort, but the facilities are equally good for experts and beginners. The area is aimed at unpretentious middlemarket couples, groups and mature families rather than the fur-coat brigade. It is especially popular with groups of young singles.

Scattered around the resort are several gentle greens and, once these are mastered, beginners can easily start on the blues, many of which end up in the neighbouring resort of Les Menuires. Après-ski is limited to a smattering of bars and restaurants, while the list of non-skiing activities is a little short.

The lodgings are predominantly purpose-built self-catering apartment blocks, augmented by a handful of more traditional mid-range hotels. Many have piste-to-porch convenience.

Locality:

Val Thorens is situated in SE France, in the heart of the Savoie region, close to the Italian frontier. 40 mls SE of Albertville. 5½ mls (by twisting mountain road) SE of Les Menuires. 96 mls SE of Geneva (Switzerland) and its airport. 120 mls SE of Lyon and its airport. 68 mls SE of Chambery and its airport. In a fairly exposed S-facing mountain bowl above the tree line, at the head of the most westerly valley in the Trois Vallees ski-region. Rather vulnerable in extreme weather.

Entertainment/Facilities/Attractions/Things to do:

Skiing - Heli skiing:

Snowboarding - Snowparks: 1, Halfpipes: 1

Other Snow Sports - Cross country: 5km, Snow shoeing - Snow shoes available, Telemark - Telemark equipment available, Skidoos:.

There are several ski-schools including the official French ski-school (ESF) which has 300 instructors, many of whom speak English, and various meeting points for instruction in all snow-related activities; children's ski-school, miniclub and day nursery.

There is reasonable variety of shopping facilities in the area, with numerous supermarkets, many boutiques and the usual support services like banks, post office and chemists. As all ski resorts the usual abundance of ski-hire and sports outlets.

During the daytime there is extensive downhill skiing, snowboarding, paraskiing, paragliding, snowmobiling, tobogganing and snowshoeing.

There is also outstanding facilities for indoor sports which offers swimming, sauna, Jacuzzi, tennis, squash, climbing wall and more.

The nightlife is bright but unsophisticated. There are many bars and restaurants, a couple of discos, a cinema, regular classical and jazz concerts, and also torchlight descents.

A Wide selection of eateries offering everything from takeaway burgers to quality gastronomic restaurants and bistros.