Val Thorens

Val Thorens, together with the nearby village of Orelle, is part of the huge Trois Vallées ski area, which has a total of 600 km of pistes and 200 lifts. With 140 km of its own runs, Val Thorens has excellent ski links to the other main resorts of the Three Valleys, Courchevel and Méribel. At 2,300 m, Val Thorens is the highest ski resort in Europe. The pistes here run through truly exceptional scenery: practically all of them (99%) lie above 2,000 m, and skiers have 8 passes and peaks above 3,000 m to choose from. This location gives an average snow cover of 10 m over a season that runs from mid-November to the end of May (in summer there is skiing on the Péclet and Chavière glaciers). There are some drawbacks, though: higher up, low temperatures, fog and wind can be a nuisance. The ski area around Val Thorens caters for every level of ability. Right next to the village there are plenty of nursery slopes and fairly easy runs suitable for beginners. A large number of wide, well-groomed pistes will keep intermediates happy. For experienced skiers there are several black pistes, the best known of which is the Combe de Caron, which starts at 3,200 m and has superb views. Val Thorens also has excellent freeride terrain. As well as excellent conditions for their sport, snowboarders are drawn to Val Thorens every year by Europe's biggest snowboard event, the "BoarderWeek" held in mid-December, and by the Kontum Vitelli snowboard days. An undisputed highlight is the panorama from the summit of Cime de Caron over more than a thousand Alpine peaks, considered the widest in the whole of the Alps. A huge advantage of the resort is easy access to the slopes: you can put your skis on as soon as you step out of your hotel. You can also ski freely around the village, as the centre is closed to cars. The town of Val Thorens is not architecturally uniform. You will come across traditional Savoyard houses of logs and stone as well as modern, functional buildings. Plenty of bars, cafés and restaurants open until late make for a pleasant evening after skiing. The range of other sports is very varied. One of the main attractions is the recently opened sports and leisure centre in Val Thorens. Its 9,000 m² provide facilities for basketball, tennis, squash, table tennis and swimming, among others. The centre also houses the Aquaclub water complex (pools, sauna, jacuzzi, hammam, aqua aerobics), a gym and a fitness centre. The surrounding area offers other ways to stay active too: snowshoe walks, snowmobiles, ice driving courses, ice climbing on frozen waterfalls and, above all, a six-kilometre toboggan run that bills itself as the longest of its kind in Europe. New for winter 2006/2007: * Evening sessions on the 6 km toboggan run (2 evenings a week). * A new upmarket residence, Chalet des Neiges: 12 apartments of 45 to 160 m². * Opening of an 8-lane bowling alley with a billiards room, internet café, bar and Asian restaurant. * At the age of 27, Jean Sulpice, virtuoso head chef of the Oxalys restaurant in Val Thorens, receives Europe's most coveted star, awarded by the famous Michelin guide. Events calendar: * 9 and 10 December 2006: Trophée Andros, car and motorbike racing on ice. * 16 to 23 December 2006: Boarderweek (10th edition). Val Thorens also offers: * The "Pass Famille", a 6-day ski pass for families of four (two parents and two children under 18). Sample price for the period from 23 December 2006 to 20 April 2007: €535 (Val Thorens-Orelle pass) and €688 (Three Valleys pass). * Buy or top up your ski pass online, P@S on line: www.valthorens.com, or by phone on 0825 13 32 00.