Val d’Isère

Val d’Isère, often regarded as the world’s top luxury ski resort, is difficult to fault, providing some of the best skiing anywhere as well as fascinating and energetic après ski. The hamlet goes back to the 13th century, and the Espace Killy boasts 97 ski lifts that take you up to elevations of over 3500m, including the Le Fornet glacier, ensuring snow.

Val d’Isère, located at the top of the Tarentaise Valley, inspires a degree of intense devotion in its followers that is unrivaled elsewhere. Together with neighboring Tignes, it comprises L’Espace Killy, a rough, boundary-free, snow-sure playground. There are two obvious reasons for Val’s appeal: first, its altitude and microclimate guarantee that skiing is feasible from early December to early May. Second, its off-piste terrain is among the most fun, challenging, and conveniently accessible in Europe. The resort is open in the winter as well as in the summer season with great outdoor activities.

The area’s skiing is so diverse and challenging that it has produced a whole generation of world specialists who would never ski anyplace else. Val d’Isère features eight major mountain access sites, including a high-speed subterranean funicular. A massive gondola with 30-person cabins that runs from the town to the summit of Bellevarde is the quickest method to get to the majority of the skiing. The slopes of Val d’Isère are wide and varied, separating into three distinct regions. The resort is well-known for its consistent snow cover and has hosted a number of important sporting events, including the Olympic Winter Olympics and World Ski Championships.

With the addition of additional new lifts, such as the Glacier Express, it is now possible to ski the whole length of the region in a single morning, from Le Fornet to Tignes and back. You don’t have to be an expert to ski here, but you should be prepared for a different level of piste marking. Green signifies blue in other languages. In Italy or Austria, a ‘benign’ red would be regarded as a black. The resort features superb – and free – nursery slopes right in the village center.

The center of Val d’Isère is set to become a beautifully styled resort by a EUR 200 million development between now and 2022. The elevated rotating footbridge would improve skier access to the slopes, provide a new commercial strip and a protected footbridge, and give plenty of additional accommodation.

Today, the resort is home to some of the best luxury alpine ski chalets, many of which are available for rent. Val d’Isère is well-known for its bustling après-ski scene, which begins with the iconic Folie Douce. Evening entertainment varies from basic to elegant, with live music venues rubbing shoulders with piano bars and stylish drinks. Shoppers love the variety of businesses selling anything from local cheese and antique wines to beautiful paintings. When hunger strikes, there are several eateries that provide delectable Savoyard food.