Three? Non, c'est pas vrai! (Les Trois Vallees)

Member Name: jojoegypt2008

Product:	Les Trois Vallees
Date:	25/11/08 (40 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Loads of pistes, variety, apres ski, you can get off the beaten track easily

Disadvantages: Can be busy, snow not guaranteed lower down

Les Trois Vallees resort, in the French Alps is accessible from Chambery airport, for skiers. However, the airport should be avoided on Saturdays if at all possible (usual day for ski changeover) - the luggage carousel simply isn't designed for 300 pairs of skis and boots as well as suitcases to arrive in a two hour slot - you'll spend an hour searching for your stuff!!

However, the misleadingly named 3 Valleys (it's actually eight resorts now!) is the largest interconnected ski area in the world - you can ski over 600km worth of pistes.

In recent memory, the snow has been reasonably reliable, although the lowest resort, St-Martin isn't always so great, and there have been days in the coldest part of the season when runs/lifts have been closed due to adverse weather.

That said, it's an amazing place to ski. There's huge variety in the type of skiing you can do - powder, groomed/ungroomed, glacier, off-piste, etc, and you'll never be bored. The lift pass covers all eight resorts, and it is possible to do the "3 Valleys Challenge" - skiing to 13 points in the 8 resorts in one day!

There are snow-parks for snowboarders (if only they'd stay thee...) and great apres-ski, including the highest pub in Europe - the Frog and Roastbeef, and a club whose name we never discovered, but which we affectionately named "The Sweatbox".

Recommended for fun, younger crowd, beginner-intermediate.

Summary: Great place to learn, not sure it's for very advanced skiers.