Val d’Isere

With an unbeatable range of terrain and a fantastic resort village it is no surprise that Val d’Isère is widely considered to be one of the world’s top resorts – let alone amongst Ski Club members, who return year on year in their droves.

weather Forecast today: Generally clear

Max temp: -3.3 °c
Min temp: -9.4 °c
Last snowed: Fri 09 Jan

Last Updated: Sun 11 Jan

weather Forecast today: Generally clear

Max temp: -3.3 °c
Min temp: -9.4 °c
Last snowed: Fri 09 Jan

Last Updated: Sun 11 Jan

Ski Club Experiences (previously Instructor-led Guiding, ILG) are no longer being offered by the Club. You are invited to ski with the Club via our group in Val d’Isere, with details available via our Facebook group here.

14%Easy

43%Beginner

26%Intermediate

17%Advanced

The resort is famed for its lift served off piste, but there is skiing to suit everyone

Off-piste routes such as Banane, Le Fornet, Le Grand Vallon and Col Pers all conjure up images of deep powder and perfect turns. You may have heard about the famous black runs like La Sache, Foret and The Face. But Val skiing also offers extensive green runs topped up with blues and reds for a bit more challenge. All this is lubricated with an amazingly efficient lift system. Queues are rare and lifts are fast.

Beginner
Fast lifts
Intermediate
Resort Activities
Advanced
Aprés
Snow
Value

Pros and cons

Huge area shared with Tignes, with a great lift system
One of the great resorts for lift-served off-piste runs
Snowsure, high-altitude mainly north facing pistes and great snowmaking
Very lively resort with a really good après scene
An amazingly efficient free bus service connects the town and the lifts
A special “high mountain” atmosphere
Downloading if you are tired at the end of the day is really easy now due to new lifts

Difficult resort return runs, beginners and some intermediates should download
Large village means walking/catching a bus to the lifts
Most runs above the tree-line and can suffer in bad weather
Resort can be expensive, especially in bars and restaurants (but not all of them)

On the Slopes

One of the special things about Val is that being at the head of the valley in the high mountain, means you cannot see the valleys and the cities below, everywhere you go you experience stunning mountain scenery surrounded by the peaks of Mont Blanc, the Grand Caisse, the Tsantaleina and Mont Pourri. You feel you are in the mountains. This is for everyone in Val d’Isere.

Across the other side of the Tovière in Tignes there is another 150km of pistes rising to 3400m on the Grand Motte down to 1550m in Breviere. This offers you 300km of linked slopes that make up the Tignes-Val d’Isère ski area.

The town is buzzing and unlike many large resorts, it has managed to retain its old character. There are few better places for après ski in the world, starting on the hill at the Folie Douce before moving on to see Yann at Rosee Blanches, Jules at Coin des Amis and Phil in the Alex Bar. or go to Coco Rico and Petit Danois for some dancing and a younger crowd. These are a few from the limitless selection of bars and restaurants.

Val d’Isere now has quality in the town as well as on the hill. It has developed some new very upmarket restaurants and hotels, but you will find the ski club members in the many mid-range establishments, both on the hill for lunch and coffee and in the town in the evenings.

The town bus service is incredibly efficient connecting the town and the lifts, it is free and runs every 5 minutes. It makes the whole place work and you do not need a car.

Val d’Isère has long been a Ski Club favourite – You can ski the area by joining our Freshtracks holidays to Tignes.

Val has some of the best advanced and expert skiing in the world, especially after fresh snow when the off piste terrain comes into its own. Just make sure you’re up early to get fresh tracks… Despite Val’s reputation for challenging skiing, there is some really good terrain for beginners and intermediates, most of which is very snowsure and lies well above 2000m.

For Beginners

There are sunny beginner slopes at the foot of the Solaise gondola, but the best zone for early learners is now at the summit of the new gondola. Magic carpets serve some great beginner terrain and progression on the Madeleine green makes for a the perfect next step. Make sure you download at the end of the day on the comfy Solaise gondola to avoid the steep return run. On the Bellevard side there are long greens served by the Borsat and Marmottes chair which offer great progression, but avoid the blue Santons run back to town as it is busy and quite steep – catch the Olympique or Funival lifts back down.

For Intermediates

Most of the ski area can be negotiated by confident intermediates and there are some great long runs, particularly from the top of the Glacier Express, down to Laisanant, from Bellevarde and Toviere to La Daille and then over the Tovière to Tignes. Once in Tignes, the network of blues and reds opens up vast possibilities for cruising in between the two resorts, all on snowsure and usually very well-prepared runs.

For Advanced/Expert & Off Piste

There may be better places for steep pistes – although the Face de Bellevarde, the OK racetrack and the Sache over in Tignes are definitely good challenges – but few can rival the off piste terrain that Val d’Isère has to offer.

With so many options to choose from, the best way is to explore the resort is by linking up with fellow members – many of whom are seasonnaires – via the Ski Club’s Val d’Isère Facebook Page.

Getting to Val d’Isere

As it sits right at the end of the valley, the transfer to Val d’Isère is quite a long one. Chambéry is the closest airport at around two hours away, whilst Geneva sits approximately three hours away. Geneva has the most flights and the most options for a transfer. Snowdrone offer a unique shared transfer service where you only pay for one seat in a van, This is used by a lot of ski club members. Lots of other companies do transfers and worth asking for a shared seat option.

The eco and comfortable option is to travel by train, catching the Eurostar to Paris or Lille and then on to the town of Bourg St Maurice in the valley before grabbing a quick bus transfer up to the resort. Check out the Ski_Club’s_Guide to travelling to resort by train.

Chambéry airport: 2 hours (driving)
Geneva airport: 3 hours (driving)
Snowtrain: 10-11 hours from London
Calais: approximately 12 hours driving (598 miles)

Season Dates & Lift Pass Prices

Season Dates

Opens: Saturday 30 November 2024
- Full Espace Tignes-Val d’Isere area opens same day
Closes: Sunday 4 May 2025 (whole area)

Opening and closing dates are subject to snow cover

Lift Pass Prices

Updated for 2024/25

Day and half-day passes are available for Val d’Isere only – anything more than this will cover the entire Espace Tignes-Val d’Isere. All ski passes of six or more days include an extra day for free, as well as unlimited access to the Aquasportif swimming pool. Skiing is free for those under the age of eight or older than 75 – stop by the lift pass office to collect your free pass!

A reduced rate is available for skiing from season opening until 20 December 2024.

Don’t forget your Ski Club membership card – you can load your ski passes onto it either online or at the lift pass office

//	1 Day	3 Days	6 Days
Val d’Isere Only
Adult (13-64)	€66	n/a	n/a
Child (8-18)	€55	n/a	n/a
Senior (65-74)	€55	n/a	n/a
Tignes – Val d’Isère
Adult (13-64)	€71	€213	€426 (includes seventh day free)
Child (8-18)	€59	€177	€354 (includes seventh day free)
Senior (65-74)	€59	€177	€354 (includes seventh day free)

Find your community & connect with other Members

Connect Online

Join our Resort Facebook groups or Resort Groups via the Ski Club Forum App and connect with other Members, in resort and at home!

facebook group Ski Club App

Green Credentials

Ski Club Recognised: Environmentally Sustainable Resort

The Ski Club uses third party independent assessments and accreditation of ski resorts to determine a resort “environmentally sustainable” – more information can be found here.

As part of the French Flocon Vert (tr. Green Snowflake) scheme, Val d’Isere has been awarded one snowflake out of a possible three, representing significant investment in resources to reduce its environmental impact. Flocon Vert is an independent scheme operated by Mountain Riders, which accredits resorts in France who have met twenty criteria based on environmental, social and economic sustainability.

Val d’Isere was first accredited in 2022
The resort’s support for local heritage and sustainability initiatives has been of particular note
Public participation and engagement has place a key role in the resort’s accreditation

Full Details (In French)

Val d'Isere Piste Map

Top (3456m)

	Sun 11 Jan			Mon 12 Jan			Tue 13 Jan			Wed 14 Jan			Thu 15 Jan			Fri 16 Jan			Sat 17 Jan			Sun 18 Jan			Mon 19 Jan			Tue 20 Jan
	AM	PM	Night	AM	PM	Night	AM	PM	Night	AM	PM	Night	AM	PM	Night	AM	PM	Night	AM	PM	Night	AM	PM	Night	AM	PM	Night	AM	PM	Night
Weather	Partly cloudy	Generally clear	Partly cloudy	Occasional snow	Partly cloudy	Generally clear	Generally clear	Generally clear	Mainly fair	Broken clouds	Occasional snow	Occasional snow	Rather cloudy	Rather cloudy	Occasional snow	Occasional snow	Occasional snow	Occasional snow	Occasional snow	Occasional snow	Occasional snow	Occasional snow	Light snow	Occasional snow	Occasional snow	Occasional snow	Occasional snow	Occasional snow	Occasional snow	Occasional snow
Wind
Snow expected	0 cm	0 cm	0 cm	0.4 cm	0 cm	0 cm	0 cm	0 cm	0 cm	0.2 cm	0.6 cm	0.8 cm	0.1 cm	0.3 cm	0.6 cm	2.4 cm	2.6 cm	4.1 cm	3.1 cm	2.9 cm	2.8 cm	4.6 cm	5.4 cm	3.4 cm	2 cm	3.7 cm	5.1 cm	2.6 cm	2.4 cm	2.4 cm
Max temp	-14.8°c	-14.5°c	-13.5°c	-7.4°c	-7.3°c	-9.9°c	-7°c	-7°c	-10.2°c	-8.6°c	-8.4°c	-10.8°c	-9°c	-8.8°c	-11.4°c	-10°c	-9.7°c	-10.1°c	-9.9°c	-9.7°c	-11.2°c	-9.8°c	-9.4°c	-10.4°c	-9°c	-8.9°c	-10.7°c	-9.4°c	-9.4°c	-11.8°c
Min temp	-21.4°c	-16°c	-15.8°c	-10.8°c	-9.9°c	-11.2°c	-10.5°c	-10.2°c	-11.3°c	-11.5°c	-10.8°c	-11.4°c	-11.8°c	-11.4°c	-11.8°c	-11.5°c	-10.2°c	-10.4°c	-11.6°c	-11.2°c	-11.7°c	-11.7°c	-10.4°c	-10.8°c	-11.5°c	-10.7°c	-11.5°c	-11.8°c	-11.8°c	-12.3°c
Feels like temp	-32°c	-14.8°c	-15.8°c	-10.8°c	-7.4°c	-9.9°c	-10.5°c	-7°c	-10.2°c	-11.4°c	-8.6°c	-10.8°c	-11.8°c	-9°c	-11.4°c	-11.4°c	-10°c	-10.2°c	-11.6°c	-9.9°c	-11.2°c	-11.7°c	-9.8°c	-10.4°c	-11.5°c	-9°c	-10.7°c	-11.8°c	-9.4°c	-11.8°c