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PLAN YOUR VAL THORENS SKI HOLIDAY
Looking for the right stay in Val Thorens?
Top Snow Travel can help you choose the right accommodation, village location, dates, transfers, ski lessons and extras for a seamless France ski holiday.
Choosing the Right Accommodation in Val Thorens
At 2,300 meters, Val Thorens is the highest ski resort in Europe and is set in the 3 Valleys, one of the largest ski areas in the world. Therefore, staying here gives you access to 600km of pistes if you buy the full area lift pass.
However, the local lift pass allows you to neighbouring Orelle, which has nearly all its terrain above 2,000 meters. You can also ski or snowboard on two glaciers, cementing Val Thoren’s reputation as one of Europe’s most snow-sure ski resorts.
Val Thorens is a purpose-built ski resort with a modern ski lift system that makes visiting the rest of the 3 Valleys very easy. It is made up of three villages, Les Menuires, Val Thorens and Saint Martin de Belleville, that provide 150km of runs serviced by 50 lifts.
Even though Val Thorens is a purpose-built ski resort, it isn’t an eyesore consisting of high-rise concrete buildings. Instead, its designers made it fit in with its surroundings, and the recent investments have improved its aesthetics.
Val Thorens is a lively ski resort, popular with groups of friends, families and students. Most of the accommodation is self-catered apartments and hotels. Some of these are beautiful 4 and 5-star options offering ultimate comfort and luxury.
The groomed slopes around Val Thorens are popular with beginners and intermediate skiers and snowboarders. You’ll love the combination of snow quality, perfect gradients, excellent grooming, and the quality lift system. If you like a long, leg-burning blast, Val Thorens is a great place to go, as some runs are longer than the map suggests.
When your legs can’t do any more, you can choose between many places to eat and drink. The restaurants range from burger bars to fine-dining establishments. Le Malaysia is Val Thoren’s nightclub and has the largest dance floor in the French Alps.
But before you head into town, why not try out the six-kilometre-long toboggan run, go ice driving, fat biking, or paragliding?
Val Thorens can be an excellent choice depending on your dates, group profile, skiing level and accommodation expectations. If you are still exploring options, browse our French ski resorts page to discover more of the resorts we recommend across the French Alps.
Not only is Val Thorens the highest ski resort in Europe (2,300m), it is situated in the largest linked ski area in the world – “The 3 Valleys” which boasts around 600kms of slopes, catering to all skill levels.
Due to its geographical location and reliable snow conditions Val Thorens is the ski resort which opens the earliest and closes the latest in the whole of the French Alps.
Val Thorens also has the longest tobogganing run in France at 6km and the highest zipline in Europe.
Families looking for good-value ski-in ski-out access will find it at over 90% of the accommodation in Val Thorens.
The snow is reliable during the entire winter season, including April spring skiing and Val Thorens offers a much more affordable option to the other nearby 3 Valleys resorts of Meribel and Courchevel, without compromising on the world class ski area and lift system.
Zip Lines- The zip line runs from Orelle to Val Thorens at speeds of over 100km/h and takes around 1 minute 45 seconds to reach the top of the Bouchet chair lift from the highest point in the 3 Valleys at 3,230m. There’s also a zipline right into the centre of Val Thorens village.
Other non-ski activities include: mountain biking; snow mobiles; ice driving; ice diving; paragliding; tobogganing; snowshoeing and a well-equipped sports centre with over 7,500sqm of indoor fun with indoor tennis, squash, badminton, football, a children’s fun park, 2 swimming pools, a gym and a spa area.
Val Thorens is 2hours 30min drive by private transfer from either Lyon or Geneva Airport.
It’s a 45min drive from Moutiers train station, the closest train station in France to Val Thorens.
A shared shuttle transfer from Geneva will take over 4hrs and will only drop you off at the village bus stop, not at your accommodation – not ideal if you are travelling with ski gear and luggage and don’t know your way around. Shared transfers also have set departure times wo you may have to wait a while at the airport before leaving.
Next winter Val Thorens Ski Resort is scheduled to open from November 21th 2026 to May 2nd 2027.
There are 7 ski resorts which are part of the 3 Valleys system which include: Courchevel, Meribel, Bride-les-Bains, Les Menuires, St Martin de Bellevile, Val Thorens and Orelle.
NEW HOSTED JOURNEY
3 Vallées Ski Safari
Ski from village to village across the world's largest linked ski area, fully hosted by Gilles Riou, while your luggage is transferred ahead between three handpicked luxury hotels in Courchevel, Méribel and Saint-Martin-de-Belleville.
10 January 2027
Limited to 10 guests
11 nights
3 exceptional stays
- Luggage transferred ahead
- Fully hosted
Ski Information
Season
November 21, 2026 to May 02, 2027
Ski area
Resort altitude: 2,300m
Located in a vast natural cirque surrounded by six glaciers, Val Thorens has 30 lifts and 150 kilometres of trails, including 11 green, 29 blue, 30 red and eight black.
For snowboarders and freestyle skiers, it also has a terrain park featuring jumps, rails and boxes as well as The Fun Slope – a 900 metre obstacle course with snow tunnels, bridges, spirals and banked turns.
Linked ski area
The 3 Valleys (7 resorts): Courchevel, Bride-les-Bains, Meribel, Les Menuires, St Martin de Belleville, Val Thorens, Orelle
- 600 km – 327 runs (17% greens, 39% blues, 33% reds, 11% blacks)
- 166 lifts
Transfer time to Val Thorens
- Moutiers train station (closest): 45min*
- Chambéry airport: 1hr 45min*
- Geneva airport: 2hrs 30min*
- Lyon airport: 2hrs 30min*
*Transfer time is approximate, by private transfer vehicle and subject to traffic, weather and road conditions. Shared shuttle/bus transfers have set departure times, take much longer to travel and don’t offer door to door service which is why we recommend and only book private transfers.
Activities & Location
Après Ski
Val Thorens is a party town, and après starts early. A popular venue is 360 Bar located at the foot of Moraine & Portette chair lifts. Here you can expect DJ’s and bands entertaining the crowds before the bar closes just after the lifts.
A must for any visitor to Val Thorens is La Folie Douce. This is basically a nightclub on the slopes during the day. It attracts party-goers from 2 pm to 5 pm every day and is located under the Plein Sud chairlift. Book a table to be sure to get a good vantage point for all the entertainment. Plan well in advance to get into the VIP area, which will blow your mind.
Non-ski activities
Val Thorens offers everything from burger bars to elegant French bistros, as well as a nightclub with the largest dance floor in the alps, Le Malaysia.
It also has a six kilometre-long toboggan run and activities including ice diving, ice driving, snow mountain biking, off-piste ski touring, snowmobiling and paragliding.
How to get to Val Thorens
Val Thorens ski season STARTS in…
Val Thorens Ski Resort Video
Welcome to the highest ski resort in Europe: Val Thorens (2300m), part of the 3 Valleys, the largest linked ski area in the world. With snow guarantee all winter, ski-in ski-out accommodation and undless winter activities on offer, it is no wonder Val Thorens is one of the most popular ski resorts in France, Europe and the world.
Watch this video to find out more…
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