Val Thorens & Belleville Valley

Blue Skies Over Val Thorens!

Val Thorens is a compact, purpose built resort and, at 2300m, the highest ski resort in Europe. Situated at the top of the Three Valleys its high altitude makes it snow sure and easy access to the rest of the region means that you have a huge terrain on your doorstep! The Three Valleys consists of Méribel, Courchevel and Val Thorens, as well as lots of little villages and hamlets.

Despite being purpose built, Val Thorens is not the 1960’s concrete eyesore that you might expect. It has developed sympathetically to its surroundings and has benefitted from plenty of investment during the last 10 years. Those few drab monoliths that were thrown up during the 60’s are being replaced by more attractive buildings and with 40 million euros earmarked for the resort before 2010 there is going to be plenty of improvement taking place in the near future; some of which will go towards state of the art lifts and snow making machinery. ... see "Val Thorens - The Local Area" for more

Over the centuries Val Thorens and the surrounding areas have been farmed and mined in much the same fashion as most of the Alps. There is evidence of human settlements from as early as 2000BC and remnants have been found from Iron Age communities. Over the years there is evidence that the valleys became quite densely populated and were sufficient to support a growing population of pastoral farmers. However, with the 20th century came two great wars and the population was depleted. Of those that came back from battlefields across Europe, many of them left Val Thorens to find work in the bigger cities of Moûtiers and Savoy, that were benefitting from the activity generated by the hydroelectric works and the steel industry.

At the start of the 1960’s Val Thorens was still mainly agricultural, but its potential as a resort had been noted; plans were put in place to develop it along with Val Chavière into a large winter resort. However, the plans for the development of Val Chavière encroached upon the land of the Vanoise National Park, which vetoed the project as part of their policy against urbanisation of protected natural areas. ... see "Val Thorens: From Past to Present" for more

Val Thorens' nightlife is almost as exhausting as its mountain pursuits! With a wide range of restaurants, bars and cafes to keep you well fed and watered there is also a plentiful array of opportunities for a bit of après or late-night venues for a spot of clubbing. ... see "Val Thorens Food & Drink" for more

The Vanoise National Park is one of the highlights of the Tarentaise region; a haven for all sorts of wildlife as well as a magnet for outdoor sports enthusiasts, it is well worth a visit at any time of year. Access is free and it is open year-round. ... see "Vanoise National Park" for more

For anyone that spends time in the mountains, be it summer or winter, the weather is a constant topic of conversation. And it is easy to understand why, as a change in the weather can impact so dramatically on your day. Should I take a coat? How many layers should I wear? Am I going to burn? Is it going to rain? These are questions we ask ourselves daily and normally the answer is based on a lucky guess, or perhaps on judgment gained from experience and/or the weather forecast. However, by acquiring some knowledge of local weather patterns and understanding how and why systems develop, along with a few bits of weather terminology, you can certainly reduce that element of luck, and learn to make a more educated decision on your days activity and clothing requirements with the information at your disposal. ... see "The Alpine Climate" for more

Please click here for Val Thorens FAQs