Val d’Isere – France’s oldest and one of the world’s most prestigious ski resorts
In a remote, beautiful hidden valley lies one of France’s oldest established ski resorts and one of the world’s most prestigious winter sports destinations:
Val d’Isere.
Val d’Isere ski resort is part of the Tignes- Val d’Isere ski area( formerly Espace Killy), which is considered By many as the Most Beautiful Ski Area in France.
Val d’Isere. The jewel of Espace Killy ski area
In this review
We reveal the most important things you need to know before booking a vacation in Val d’Isere, and if you read to the end, you will get some great tips that will help you make better decisions, save time and money, and have a more enjoyable vacation.
Val d’Isere during Carnival.
How to get to Val d’Isere?
The closest airports to Val d’Isere are Chambéry, Grenoble, Lyon and Geneva, with a transfer time of 2 hours, 2 hours, 3 hours and three and a half hours accordingly.
Here’s a link to the best online flight engine.
Here’s a link to the best online car rental website.
We will get a small commission if you buy through our links. This way, you will support us in making better videos for you and future tools on the website.
If you are coming by train, the nearest train stop is in Bourg-Saint-Maurice, where you need to take a 45 minutes bus drive to Val d’Isere.
The ski area of Val d’Isere
Val d’Isere ski has a long season beginning in late November and last until the first week of May.
With a height of 1850 meters and an abundance of snow cannons, the resort’s most northerly orientation guarantees snow-covered slopes.
The ski area of Val d’Isere itself has 150 kilometres of ski runs. Combined with Tignes ski resort, it has 300 kilometres of ski runs in the Tignes -Val d’Isere ski pass.
Val d’Isere and the center of Espace Killy
Overall there are eight black runs, 17 red runs, 32 blue runs and 14 green runs in the ski area of Val d’Isere.
The ski area of Val d’Isere spans from 1850 meters above sea level to 3456 meters above sea level.
Val d’Isere ski resort has three main ski areas; Le Fornet,Solaise , and Bellevarde.
Val d’Isere. Solaise and Le Fornet in Background
Modern high-speed lifts, including high-volume gondolas and a funicular, serves these ski areas.
Val d’Isere is renowned for its off-piste skiing. So, if you want to get away from the crowds and carve your own lines, Val d’Isere has a lot to offer.
Where to stay in Val d’Isere?
The meeting points of new generation and supreme ski schools are situated around the Solaise Express in Val d’Isere Centre.
The ESF meeting points are around village chairlift in Val d’isere centre.
Village chairlift. ESF meeting point on the left
There’s another branch of ESF at La Daille.
Ski school prices in Val d’Isere are higher than in other resorts.Val d’Isere offers all the accommodation styles from basic apartments up to luxurious five-star hotels. Moreover, with Val d’Isere snow cover, a lot of the accommodation offer ski-in /ski-out.
many ski in – ski out accommodation offers.
Val d’Isere has a shuttle bus free of charge to visitors. The Red line between La Daille and Le Fornet from 07:35 am to 02:50 am. The Blue line between Legettaz and the Rond-point des pistes from 08:30 to 20:00. The Yellow line from the le manchet to the Pont du Joseray from 08:30 to 23:30.
Val d’Isere offers indoor car parking with a price range of 68 to 109 euro for a week if you are coming by car.
The main buzz of the town happens between the two main roundabouts at the tourist office and supermarket, with regular street entertainment and concerts adding to the festive atmosphere.
Val d’Isere center
Apres ski in Val d’Isere
In Val d’Isere you can find 2 of the best apres-ski bars in the world.
If you are finishing your skiing day coming back from Tignes or the west slopes of the Bellevarde area, we recommend you give a visit to Foulie Douce on your skiing back to village,
BTW the La Daille Gondola allow non-skiers to ride round trip from Val d’Isere to Foulie Douce.
This is the original Foulie Douce, which started them all; here, the legend began!
This Foulie Douce will party on until 5 pm each day!
Foulie Douce Val d’Isere. The birth place of the apres ski brand
in any other circumstances you should go to Cocorico apres-ski, Between la Solaise gondola and Rogoney chairlift.
The party there stops only at 8 pm!
cocorico apres ski bar. Best vibes from 5-8.
If you still have the energy for the after-hours, visit the club located just under the Cocorico: Doudoune club!
Doudoune club is probably the most beautiful club in any ski resorts.
Doudoune club. Amazing steam punk decoration.
There are many other choices like underground café, la baraque, garage, the fall line, and Dick’s Tea Bar where you can party until the morning!
Val d’Isere offers many other attractions like snowshoe walks, husky-sledging, ice-climbing, ice-skating, ice-diving, Ice driving, speed riding, you name it…
Ice skating
Conclusion
Before we conclude, here’s our numbers for Val D’Isere:
for snowboarders: 9
beginners: 7
intermediates: 9
advanced skiers:9
freestylers: 9
free-riders: 9.5
nightlive: 9
apres-ski: 9.5
Resort Charm: 8.5
Total score Val D’isere is is 9
Val d’Isere insider tip
As Val d’Isere, and Espace Killy are known for the spring skiing, here’s Our tip for today:
With warmer temperatures, skiing in the springtime needs a little know-how.
We mean aiming to hit East-facing slopes followed by south-facing slopes and then west-facing ones. Then, after lunch, only north-facing or very high slopes are worth trying.
Plan run and Solaise gondola. Face run in background
In Val d’Isere, this means opening the day in the legendary face run, then taking the solaise gondola heading to the Solaise area for some east faced runs, then ski down to Olympique gondola and ride it to Bellevarde and La Daille. After lunch, ski at the highest runs above Le Fornet near Pissaillas glacier for the afternoon.
Olympic gondola
