Val Thorens - Quick Reviews

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Val Thorens
Pros
Amazing ski area, some of the best skiing in 3V
Superb lift system, quick and easy, few queues
Great for all abilities
Often the best snow in 3V
Excellent choice of places to stop.

Cons
Bit bleak in bad weather
Can get busy if snow gets iffy in lower parts of 3V
Bit of a trek across to Courchevel

9/10 Will keep going back to 3V, but would choose Meribel-Mottaret as a base as being central is better for exploring whole area.

Val Thorens is the best ski area and experience I've ever lived. (3 valleys)

Val Thorens
Pros
Large ski area well linked with the 3 valleys lift pass
Quick lifts
Great for all abilities
High altitude and glacier so guaranteed snow
Slope side accommodation mainly

Cons
Miserable as hell in bad weather
Lifts often shut when windy or bad weather
Gets horribly over crowded when snow low down is poor, bus loads come up from les menuires
Miserable soulless town
Expensive food and drink
Long transfer from most airports with a hideous long and scary final climb to resort which often closes during heavy snowfall
Long trip to courchevel and back in a day only recommended for very competent skiers
Horrendous taxi fare if you miss the last lift from one of the other valleys
Expensive lift pass

5/10 not keen on going back personally,to would choose Meribel-Mottaret as a base if I did as being central is better for exploring whole area.

Pros
Snow sure due to height
Part of the 3V so EPIC possibilities (fourth valley is easy from VT too)
Skiing for everyone - got to Courchevel in time for coffee, never mind lunch, with beginners on only blues
Ski in and out
Good range of bars and restaurants that improves every year - average prices for a ski resort

Cons
Slightly soulless purpose built (better every year though)
Bad weather apparently closes it (never happened to me in the times I've been though)
Access from Meribel etc can be busy at end of day dodging Folie Douce
Centre of town slopes can be busy at end of day (terrible accident for my wife loses them a point here)

9/10 – I think Meribel might get a 10 but haven't actually stayed there so won't comment

Pros: Wot Andy Hull said. Also got to big up the off-piste itinerary to Lac du Lou. Best day's skiing EVER! Topped off by watching French kids tearing down the slope, into the lake and water-skiing to the other side. Chapeau!

Cons: would largely agree with Andy Hull again; except I saw the distance to Courchevel as a +ve. Weather was fantastic 95% of the time. Mind you,it was late April. I imagine they must have some shockers in Jan/Feb.

I really liked Val Thoren, we drove there and didn't find the inevitable twisty mountain road to be any worse than all the others, in fact it was a lot more modern and wider than many older more established resorts (obvious I suppose).
There is underground parking available all over, so the car stayed warm and dry and we were able to go out during the week to other places, which made a change.
The altitude took a bit of getting used to, we have all been that high but to stay there all the time is a bit weird at first (or maybe it is me that is weird?)
We did self catering and found the range of food available to be wider than other places e.g. Michelin star restaurant one night and a take away kebab the next, enjoyed both.
The village is a bit ugly, but what's new?
The hike up the hill to the top of the resort is a killer but that is hardly surprising at this altitude (this is the highest resort I believe).
The view out from Val across the bowl is amazing and the sun stayed until late in the day. We didn't have any weather issues but I can imagine when it is bad, it is really bad. Again, that can happen in lower resorts too. It is definitely snow sure and that is a big plus for me.
Lots to ski for all levels and plenty of moving carpets to take the strain out of getting back to resort.
Neighbouring resorts easy to reach and with different terrain (trees). No trees in Val.
Some runs not pisted every day, resulting in moguls and these didn't seem to be identified on the map, so it is easy to find yourself on one unplanned! Not my finest hour!
Some of the runs were so long, we had to stop for a breather several times but they were brilliant fun, more time on the snow and less on the lift :-)
If you like big wide pistes this place is for you.
I would deffo go back.