Val d'lsere

Resort description:Val d’Isère is a resort with a big reputation and deservedly so! World famous for superb skiing and après-ski, the village has managed to retain its old world charm and traditional alpine village feel, amongst the new and stylish buildings that have been added to cater for skiers.

It boasts breathtaking vertical drops, wide bowls, free beginners’ lifts on the nursery slopes and lifts suitable for non-skiers up to mountain cafes. The free shuttle bus service links the futuristic La Daille area with Val Village centre and runs out to chalet-style Le Fornet. The new children’s village at Rond Point des Pistes takes children from 3yrs to 13yrs.Being very much a skiers’ resort, with Espace Killy on the doorstep, lifts to nearby Tignes and the Grand Motte glacier are a big attraction for a snow sure area. The attractions in Val d’Isère for non-skiers and cross-country skiers are limited. However, at night the town really comes alive
 
Val d’Isère sits in a gigantic ski area, the Espace Killy – named after local Olympic gold medal hero Jean-Claude Killy. Any competent skiers will be able to ski between Val d’Isère and Tignes within a day, aided by the superb lift system. Val’s slopes are split into three defined areas; on one side of the valley there’s the Bellevarde and on the other, Solaise and Col de l’Iseran. All three have widely varying pistes, and access to some legendary off-piste stuff. Fast quads and cable-cars zoom up the mountain from the village. Better still, Val d’Isère has a fabulous snow record. Most skiing is at 2,300m and above, and if all else fails there is always the Pissailas Glacier at 3,300m.
 
The area is still a Mecca for boarders owing to the endless off-piste routes in the Espace Killy. There are lots of natural gullies and jumps on the mountain, especially in the Bellevarde sector. There’s a half-pipe at the foot of La Face and the town is full of boarder bars such as Ramski’s and Magoo’s. There’s a vast selection of ski schools for learning to ride with the pick being Evolution 2
 
On the mountain the small log cabins are packed out at lunchtime. A great place for sunbathing on a huge sundeck is La Datcha, at the foot of the Cugnai lift. In the Bellevarde area, Marmottes is a welcome break for a hot chocolate when the weather catches you out. At the top of the Le Fornet chair, Le Signal has self-service and a more expensive à la carte menu upstairs. In the village, the Pedrix Blanche deserves its reputation as one of the finest fish restaurants in the Alps. The Grande Ours in the old village vies with the rustic Chalet du Cret, a beautifully renovated old farmhouse which has a fine wine list and excellent menu. For something slightly different, The Melting Pot has a Scandinavian chef and serves a selection of international dishes. You can also find a selection of Savoyard fondues and raclettes in the restaurants along the main street
 
Resort Information

Season 	             Nov-Early May
Nearest Airport      Grenoble, Chambery, Lyon or Geneva
Ski Area 	     300km inc Tignes (Espace Killy)
Ski Lifts 	     89
Ski Runs 	     149
Longest Run 	     10km
Resort Height 	     1785m

Snowball Ratings

Beginners 	     3.5 / 5
Intermediates 	     4.5 / 5
Experts 	     5 / 5
Families 	     3.5 / 5
Nightlife 	     4.5 / 5
Affordability 	     3.5 / 5
Non Ski Activities   4 / 5