Val Thorens Ski Resort Guide
Val Thorens, France
Rated: 4/5 (from 7 ratings)
| Recommended For | Freeriders, Expert Skiers, Intermediates, Beginners, Snowboarders, Snowfall and Apres-Ski! |
|---|---|
| Total Piste Length | 140km87 miles |
| Highest Lift | 3,200m10,499ft |
| Resort Height | 2,300m7,546ft |
| Nearest Airports | Chambery and Annecy |
| Save on Ski Hire | Save up to 50%  |
| Book Ski Lessons | Book Lessons  |
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Val Thorens
Situated at the top of The Three Valleys, Val Thorens - at 2300 metres the highest resort in Europe- offers a vast range of skiing with (pretty much) guaranteed snow cover all season.
Summary
The French ski resort of Val Thorens is in the French Alps at an altitude of 2,300m7,546ft, with 140km87 miles of marked runs.
Val Thorens is part of the Three Valleys ski area with access to 600km373 miles of downhill skiing, with 497 marked pistes, served by a total of 180 ski lifts. In addition to the skiing in Val Thorens itself (140km87 miles of pisted ski runs), the appropriate ski Lift Pass will allow you to ski or snowboard in the other Three Valleys ski resorts of Courchevel, La Tania, Les Menuires, Méribel and Saint Martin de Belleville.
The ski resort itself is at 2,300m7,546ft, so skiing or boarding back to the resort is usually possible. With ski lifts as high as 3,200m10,499ft, skiing and snowboarding is assured throughout the season.
Skiing
There are a variety of pistes to suit all levels of skier ability, from Beginner to Expert.
Snowboarding
Val Thorens is highly rated by Snowboarders and there are a variety of Snow and Terrain Parks in Val Thorens.
Notable Ski Runs
The longest possible descent in Val Thorens is 12km7 miles long and the most difficult run is the 'Caron', which is 3km2 miles in length.
Snow and Weather
When will it snow in Val Thorens?
The next notable snow forecast is 16cm6in, expected on 25 May.
See our long-range Snow Forecast for the latest update, or Join our Snow Mail Here
Snow this week
| Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | Mon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ski Area Stats
Val Thorens Ski Area
| Black Pistes Expert Trails | 9 | |
|---|---|---|
| Red Pistes Intermediate Runs | 29 | |
| Blue Pistes Easy Trails | 29 | |
| Green Pistes Beginner Runs | 11 | |
| Downhill Total Length | 140km87 miles | |
| Cross Country Total Length | 5km3 miles | |
| Ski Lifts Number of Lifts | 29 | |
The Three Valleys Ski Area
| Black Pistes Expert Trails | 49 | |
|---|---|---|
| Red Pistes Intermediate Runs | 175 | |
| Blue Pistes Easy Trails | 207 | |
| Green Pistes Beginner Runs | 66 | |
| Downhill Total Length | 600km373 miles | |
| Cross Country Total Length | 130km81 miles | |
| Ski Lifts Number of Lifts | 180 | |
Altitudes
Val Thorens Ski Area Heights
| Highest Lift | 3,200m10,499ft |
|---|---|
| Resort Altitude (Val Thorens) | 2,300m7,546ft |
| Lowest Piste | 1,850m6,070ft |
| Max Vertical | 1,350m4,429ft |
Ratings & Suitability
| Freeriders | |
|---|---|
| Expert Skiers | |
| Intermediate Skiers | |
| Beginners | |
| Snowboarding | |
| Snow | |
| Apres-Ski |
Ski Hire in Val Thorens
Ski Hire Shops in Val Thorens.
For more information, see our page about Val Thorens Ski Hire.
Ski Lessons in Val Thorens
To choose a Ski School, and book Group Ski Lessons or a Private Instructor, see Val Thorens Ski Schools and Val Thorens Ski Instructors.
You can select and book a lesson online now, with our partner SkiBro.
Book LessonsLocation and Map
Where is Val Thorens?
This ski resort is in the French Alps in The Three Valleys, Savoie.
Map
Tap 
for Full-Screen, or see J2Ski's Resort map, showing Hotels and Ski Shops.
How to get there
By Air
The nearest airport to Val Thorens is Chambery, 90 minutes drive away.
Annecy, Geneva, Lyon Bron and Lyon St-Exupéry airports are all within three hours drive.
Infrastructure
Ski Lift Capacity
The 29 ski lifts are able to uplift 53,000 skiers and snowboarders every hour.
Snow Making
Snow-making is available, on 100km62 miles of ski runs, with 395 snow cannons.
Season Dates
When is Val Thorens open?
Opened : November 20, 2021.
Closed : May 8, 2022.
Usual opening is late November, and usual closing is Early May.
NOTE:- Ski area, lift and piste opening is subject to Current Snow Conditions.
COVID-19 / Coronavirus
We don't yet have specific details of the COVID-19 precautions being taken in Val Thorens, but they are likely to include most of the following :-
- Face masks required on lifts, and in shops.
- Social distancing in public areas.
- Reduced lift capacity.
- Extensive disinfection / sanitization.
French Ski Resort COVID-19 Measures describes further measures that may also be applied.
Visit the Val Thorens Tourist Office for the latest.
Talking about Val Thorens
Mentions in recent J2Ski News Items and Snow Reports from our users...
