Simply the best! (Val Thorens)

Member Name: sarah_g

Product:	Val Thorens
Date:	28/01/02 (544 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Lift system, Guaranteed snow, Number of runs

Disadvantages: None

I went to Val Thorens skiing two years ago and was extremely impressed by both the resort and the condition of the pistes, so I returned again this year to try my hand at boarding.

Although the snow conditions in the alps is the worst this season for donkeys years, Val Thorens still had a good covering and it even got an extra foot when I was there. Being the highest resort in the French Alps, the snow is virtually guaranteed but they have a large number of snow cannons around to keep the lower slopes covered if mother nature fails us.

Being in the Three Valleys, the number of runs is enormous with a large number of reds and blacks for the more advanced in all three of the valleys. The skiing is good over into Meribel and Courcheval, although it can get a bit slushy over in Courcheval later on in the afternoon, it being the lowest of the resorts. The off-piste skiing is extensive and good and can keep even the most adventurous skier/boarder busy.

A tip for the beginner: don't buy your ski pass from the tour operator, you won't need it for the first day because you'll be on the nursery slopes, so it would be a waste of money.

Also on the ski pass front, if you're one of the keen ones who buys passes in advance, be warned that there is more than one type of pass. You can get a Val Thorens pass which is only valid in the Val T valley (I'd recommend this for beginners and intermediates), or you can get a Three Valley pass which as the name suggests is valid in all three valleys, meaning you need never do the same run twice. There is plenty to ski in the Val Thorens region to keep most people busy though.

The lift system in the area is world class, there a very few drag lifts (hurrah I hear you say) with most of the lifts being either chairs or gondolas, probably about equal split between the two. There's also a few monster funitel's too. The number of lifts means you never have to queue long, wi
th waiting times generally under five minutes.

The resort itself is well laid out with most of the accomodation being ski in/out. There are plenty of bars and a couple of clubs, as usual drinks are expensive but what's new there. Most restaurants do the usual melted cheese and cook your own meat dishes, also known as fondues. These are over-rated in my opinion and normal food is much better.

I've stayed in 'Le Silveralp' and the Pierre et Vacances 'Temples du Soleil', which are both self-catering. Both are typical accomodation of a ski resort, a bit cramped and basic, but at the end of the day all you need is a bed and a bath. Temples du Soleil probably has the edge, because you can ski in and out, but that's all that separates the two really.

I'd recommend the resort to anyone, and will probably go back there myself in a few years because there are still plenty of runs I haven't done and the skiing is the best I've experienced.

Summary: