Val d’Isère is known throughout Europe for its world-class skiing, cuisine, après-ski, night life, spas and luxurious accommodations, surprisingly few Americans have discovered this iconic ski resort in the French Alps that is situated at 1850 meters (6,069ft).
Val d’Isère, where French Olympic skier Jean-Claude Killy honed his skills, first entered the world stage when it hosted the Men’s Downhill ski events during the 1992 Albertville Olympic Games. Its expansive ski area, which is linked with a nearby village called Tignes, offers more than 300 kilometers (186 miles) of pistes and 10,000 hectares (24,700 acres) of ski terrain, serviced by 78 lifts. Approximately 60% of the 153 trails and 10,000 hectares (24,710 acres) of ski terrain are located above 2200 meters (7,218 feet). The ski area stretches from a top altitude of 3450 meters (11,318ft) down to 1550 meters (5085 feet). And, in the unlikely event that it is a dry season, Val also has the largest snowmaking facility in Europe with some 900 snow cannons covering 40% of the ski area.
Located near the Italian border, Val d’Isère is renowned for offering some of the best on and off-piste skiing in the world. Here, the most expert of skiers find exciting and challenging runs, while “Val”, as it is referred to by locals, is also hospitable for beginner and intermediate skiers. Trail color signage is different in Europe: green means beginner, blue means easy, red is intermediate, and black is their equivalent of double black diamond. Be aware that in Val the colors are on the harsh side – a red here would be graded black in many other European resorts.
Due to the abundance of runs for all levels at the top of the mountain, Val d’Isère is the ideal location for anyone planning a family holiday, a ski getaway with friends or even a corporate retreat—regardless of the level of each individual’s skiing ability. And, unlike some other ski resorts, Val d’Isère has a very long season.
Val d’Isère is considered by many to be the best ski resort in all of Europe for a variety of reasons. It has a micro climate that is quite different than much of Europe, so that it always has snow—in January of 2018, more than six meters (20 feet) of snow fell in a six-day period. In addition, it is a large resort with some of the best lift access terrain in the world.
There are three areas that comprise the Val d’Isère ski area including Le Fornet, Solaise and Bellevarde/La Daille. Once you are up the mountain at mid-level, the ski zones fan out in nearly every direction, making it possible to ski from the top of the Pissaillas glacier above Le Fornet at the Val end of the ski area all the way down to Tignes Les Brevières, the lowest of Tignes’s five villages. “That will take two to two and a half hours even for a good skier,” says Hardy. “You can ski for more than a week or longer in Val d’Isère and never ski the same run twice, if desired.”
There are 78 fast lifts and 300 kilometers of groomed pistes and if you hire a guide there are countless off-piste areas to discover. “I’ve been skiing here all of my life and I keep coming across slopes I’ve never skied before,” adds Hardy.
The majority of ski schools start at the bottom of the mountain for a few hours or for the first day, then go up the mountain to Solaise and progress from there. “Once you have done the easy green runs, you can move up to slightly more challenging blue runs nearby and end the day taking the gondola back to the bottom,” says Hardy. Val offers a special daily lift price especially designed for beginners that is half as expensive as the full lift price that covers this area. It’s worth noting that lift tickets here and in Europe in general are far less expensive than in North America.
Getting There
Getting to Val d’Isère by air is accomplished by flying into Geneva, Switzerland or Lyon, France. From either airport, a private transfer by car to Val d’Isère takes 2 ½ to 3 hours. There are closer, smaller airports including Grenoble and Chambéry, but they offer fewer flight options. The best transfer companies are Mountain Rescue Transfers and SnowDrone Transfers and a driver will greet you at arrivals to help you transfer your luggage to the vehicle. Mountain Rescue offers a fleet of 17 minibuses consisting of black T6 Volkswagen Caravelles with room for up to eight passengers plus ski luggage. Round-trip transfers start at 648 Euros from Geneva and 760 Euros from Lyon.
You can also transfer to Val d’Isère by helicopter from Geneva airport, a trip that takes approximately 30 minutes, for about 2000 to 2500 Euros for up to six people. Geneva airport is 223 kilometers away from Val (approximately 138 miles).
Where to Stay
Chalet rentals
Arguably the most bespoke accommodations in Val d’Isère are the many catered chalet rentals from which to choose. Staying in a chalet is much like renting a small five-star boutique hotel or a private yacht.
There are a number of other luxury chalet rental companies in Val d’Isère, some of which offer homes with indoor swimming pools, home cinemas, and fitness rooms.
Five-Star Lodges
There are several centrally-located five-star hotels in Val d’Isère, including Les Barmes de l’Ours, Le Blizzard Hotel and the Hotel Avenue Lodge.
Renting Equipment
Fortunately for anyone who visits Val d’Isère, the best ski rental equipment company to be found anywhere in the world, is based here. Snowberry, which is locally run by Scots Jock and Susan Dun, is known for taking the time and effort to accurately fit ski boots and skis, with the same amount of attention that at other shops is normally reserved for those seeking to purchase—not rent—equipment. Top-of-the-line snowboarding and ski equipment is offered here by such manufacturers as Atomic, Lange, Salomon, Nordica, Head, Rossignol, Tecnica, Fischer, and Nitro. Skis, boots, poles, snowboards and helmets are available here, for all levels of ability, and since equipment is retired after two years of service, rentals are either new or nearly new. There are two Snowberry locations in Val d’Isère.
Buying Ski Passes
One day passes cost 57 Euros while a six day pass costs 285 Euros. Skiing is free for children under five years and seniors 75 years or older. There are also three lifts on the edge of the village that are free for beginners. A fairly extensive lift pass for novices in the Solaise area costs a reasonable 36 Euros per day.
Ski Guides and Instructors
There are a number of excellent ski schools, including ESF (Ecole du Ski Francais), Evolution 2 and Oxygene Ski & Snowboard School. Oxygene, for example, offers child and adult group and private lessons as well as coaching in English or French (other languages are also available). Hiring a private guide is the best way explore all that Val has to offer, including off-piste runs, for even the most experienced skiers and snowboarders. Guides are offered for one hour slots, mornings, afternoons, full days and even whole weeks. Lessons can be tailored and custom-fitted. Oxygene also offers instructors who specialize in snowshoeing, telemark, ski-touring, sit-skiing, cross-country, freestyle freeride, paragliding and heli-skiing.
Après Ski
Val d’Isère deservedly has a reputation for having some of the best après ski and night life in France. Après ski starts on the mountain at lunchtime at the world-renowned La Folie Douce, a restaurant, bar and cabaret establishment that is highly regarded for its excellent food as well as for its lively entertainment. Lunch service begins at noon and guests can dine in either La Petite Cuisine (a self-service, quick dining area), a wine bar, or at La Fruitière” the bistronomic restaurant. Professional dancers in colorful costumes offer cabaret performances on the terrace each day at 1:30pm and 2:30pm while at 3pm, a DJ takes over and more than 2,000 skiers can be seen dancing to music in their ski boots. Down in the village, the most popular après ski destination is Cocorico which offers live music and dancing. The town of Val also offers many wine bars and there are several night clubs with dancing from midnight until 5am. One of the best-known night clubs is Dicks Tea Bar, which has operating for more than 40 years. Open every night starting at 10:30pm, it offers great cocktails, a resident DJ and live music. Tables book weeks in advance, so be sure to make a reservation or show up early to beat the line.
The town has an abundance of excellent restaurants, from ones that specialize in raclette and fondue to others that serve French, fusion, or Italian cuisine. In addition to La Table de l’Ours, one of the best restaurants is L’Atelier Edmond in Le Fornet run by Michelin two-starred chef Benoit Vidal. The restaurant offers a beautifully-decorated gastronomic restaurant and cocktail lounge as well as an adjacent brasserie that offers a more modestly priced prix fixed comfort food menu featuring stews and delicious desserts. Other excellent restaurants include Le Signal, which has a lovely outdoor terrace and is located mid-mountain by the cable car at Le Fornet. La Folie Douce, also mid-mountain and located just above La Daille, as mentioned earlier (from La Folie Douce it is possible to take the new 10 million Euro gondola back down the mountain). Last but not least, is L’Entincelle, a new restaurant on the snowfront at the foot of Solaise Mountain.
In addition to lovely boutiques in town, there are several other activities to enjoy, so even non-skiers visiting Val d’Isère will have plenty to keep them occupied. BMW offers an ice driving course in nearby La Daille that features high-performance BMWs and instructors who will guide you through an icy race course. Other activities, ranging from paragliding, dogsledding and ice skating are also available as well as ice scuba diving beneath a lake in Tignes. One of the highlights of Val d’Isère that shouldn’t be missed—especially for those with children—is the world-class Aquasportif Centre, which is open to the public (for a fee, though skiers get one free entrance with the purchase of a two day or longer ski pass) and located in the center of town. It features swimming pools, spas, an indoor multi-sport hall (soccer, volleyball, badminton, etc.), trampoline, basketball, two regulation squash courts, a 12-meter-high climbing wall, driving and golf simulators and an expansive fitness center with cardio and weight machines and yoga classes.
Stay in Geneva
Spending the final night in Geneva makes the most sense, and will allow you to squeeze one more morning of skiing before having lunch in Val and jumping in your private transfer to Geneva. One of the best places to stay in Geneva is the Ritz-Carlton Hotel de la Paix, a luxurious, recently renovated hotel that faces Lake Geneva and is only a 15-minute drive away from the Geneva airport.
