The black diamond of French ski resorts, Val d'Isere should be on everyone's ski bucket list.
Photo: Les Etincelles
Getting There
Val d'Isere is located close to the Italian border in France alongside the neighbouring resort of Tignes. Conveniently located in this popular part of the French Alps, it's around 2 hours drive from the closest airport (Chambery) or slightly further from Geneva and Lyon.
Chambery: ~2 hours. A small but efficient airport that is used to pumping through the ski crowds.
Genoble: ~2 hours. Well-located but usually with less flight options.
Geneva: ~2 hours 45 mins. Slightly longer transfer but with more flight options.
Lyon: ~2 hours 45 mins. Similar transfer time to Geneva but a good option.
NB: Transfer times are approximate and can vary significantly depending on weather and time of year. During February half-term road transfer times could easily double or worse especially on the way into resort.
Photo: Chambery Airport
Tip: If flying at peak time (e.g., Christmas, half-term) pick an early departure time at both ends even if the 2:00am wake-up calls are brutal. This reduces the risk of a delay in your inbound aircraft (during peak times when even small delays have a cumulative effect later in the day) and avoids the worst of the road congestion. With many European-based skiers driving, things tend to get worse when everyone converges on the single-lane roads to the resorts later in the day.
Transfers
Clearly the best bet is to jump on a helicopter from your chosen airport. Budget around 2500-7000€ depending on the helicopters and guests (ex-Chambery) but the good news is the transfer time is only around 30 minutes.
The rest of us, however, have three main options:
Bus - if you are on a package holiday then this is the default option. It is the slowest way to get there especially if you have a lot of stops before your drop-off but you get there in the end even if it can be a long day. Your fellow passengers are a lottery but hey, you're heading to the mountains.
Private Transfer - the best option if you prefer to avoid the coach vomitorium. A comfortable van will set you back around 400€ or more each way during peak season but less in non-peak. I've used alpes2alpes.com a number of times and they have always been excellent. They have some good discounts for mid-week and lower season too.
Self Drive - While I did the 10+ hour drive from London a long time ago in my mate's Peugeot 205, it's not something I'm hankering to repeat. However, loading up the car with the kids, skis and the dog is a well-trodden path. You can of course, hire a car from the airport but once you're in resort there's not much need of it. The roads are generally easy but conditions can change fast so you need to be comfortable with winter driving and have all the right kit.
The Resort
Val d'Isere is a decent sized town that has some distinct areas so it's important you are clear about location when booking. In the main part of Val d'Isere most things are walkable within about 15-20 minutes otherwise you can make use of the frequent bus service or private transport if available in your hotel/chalet. If you are looking for a ski-in, ski-out pedestrian village, this may not be the place for you but the town has a great vibe with plenty of options to opt in or out of the party scene depending on your preferences.
Photo: Village Montana
Areas
The town of Val d'Isere is spread along with valley of the Isere river starting with La Daille at the bottom (1800m) through to Le Fornet at the top (1940m).
La Daille is the first place you will see when coming into Val d'Isere and is a bit underwhelming with some fairly uninspiring hotels and apartments. However it tends to be a more budget friendly option and has great access to some of the best skiing areas via the funicular railway and a good series of lifts. It's also the best place to snowplow home from the Follie Douche if your definition of après begins at lunch. Budget around 20 minutes on the bus to get into the main part of town.
Photo: Powderwhite
Le Cret - there are some nice chalets in this area but no direct lift access so you will either need to catch the bus (runs regularly) or be driven. If you are looking for somewhere close to the action but away from the crowds, this could be a good option. Trivia - there are no properties between La Daille and Le Cret because of the avalanche danger from the Aiguille du Dome which makes sense when you see it.
Photo: Ski in Luxury
Val D'Isere Centre - If you want to be in the centre of the action, this is the place. Easy access to the main lifts, ski school, restaurants etc. Since Val d'Isere is situated along a relatively narrow valley, the accommodation options stretch along the road for some distance so check the location and walking distances if this is important for you. For example, we have stayed at Chalet Skadi several times which is an excellent Village Montana property but it is a 10-12 minute walk from the centre of town or an easy bus ride. If you are looking for true ski-in, ski-out accommodation, there are some superb on-piste options above the village (Le Joseray, Chatelard and La Legettaz areas).
Photo: Powderhounds
Le Laisinant - A little away from the crowds, this area is quiet but served by the high-speed Laisinant chair and Piste L which provides easy homeward-bound access from the main left side of the mountain.
Photo: Travelski
Le Fornet - about 1.5km from the town centre, Le Fornet is a traditional small settlement that is becoming increasingly popular with new luxury accommodation options, many with their own shuttles. Buses run until 2:00am and you have direct access to the mountain via the Le Fornet cable car. Definitely worth checking out, especially if you are looking for a break from the traditional Val d'Isere experience.
Photo: Yonder.fr
Getting Around
Unless you are staying outside the main village, you will find that almost everywhere you need to go is within a reasonable walking distance of maximum 20 minutes or so. There is also a regular bus service which is free with your ski pass although I don't think anyone ever checks. It runs from early in the morning until late evening / early morning. There are a few local taxis as well.
The Mountain
The Espace Killy (or what is now known as the imaginatively titled Val d'Isere-Tignes ski area) is one of the world's greats - no exageration. The quality and quantity of terrain on offer is hard to beat but at the same time the mountain is easy to navigate. I'll leave it to you to discover Val D'Isere's secrets but the following are a few tips to get you started.
Photo: Road Warrior
Val d'Isere is probably best thought about in four different parts oriented from the main village:
To the left up the Solaise gondola is a series of excellent mostly red and blue runs - always a good place to start the day. La Datcha is a good mid-morning hot chocolate spot right in the middle. From here you can access the Col de l'Iseran area via the up-and-over Leissieres lift. The worst part is Piste M which is the main drag back to the village. Always busy and almost always icy. If you are comfortable with moderate black runs, dive off the side and avoid the motorway.
Photo: Topsnowtravel.com
To the far left via Leissieres, the Col de l'Iseran area has a great mix of reds and blues with some longer runs on offer. The lift layout can be a bit awkward on this side so it takes a bit of getting used to but it's a great part of the mountain to explore especially if things are a bit busy on the other side. There are some good eating options here too (see Restaurants section).
To the right, the Rocher de Bellevarde area can be accessed from the main village via the Olympique gondola (and the Funival from La Dialle) opens up another large area of terrain with some more challenging blacks to the left and reds and blues to the right. For beginners there is also a lot of green runs on this side and the option of taking the gondola down at the end of the day. Some great long runs down to La Daille (with a few watering holes to stop off in on the way).
Tignes - A huge resort in its own right, Tignes can be accessed via the Tommeuses lift. If you are looking for a bit more variety especially if you are a regular Val d'Isere visitor, Tignes is a great option and all on the same lift pass.
Photo: tignes.net
En piste, Val d'Isere is an intermediate focused mountain which, coupled with its variety of terrain and overall size, explains why it's so popular with families. There is some sick terrain to be found in the side and backcountry but if resort laps are your thing, you'll love it.
Secret stash: For laps on a powder day (especially if the weather is bad) head for the short Cugnai lift. Almost no-one goes there and it's a red run with a decent gradient to keep the momentum up. Or, if you want to take it up a notch or three, take a right at the top of the lift and head down the Cugnai Classic freeride run (Expert terrain).
Ski School
If your children are young and pliable enough to still go to ski school (or you want to sharpen the skills), ski school in France is excellent. It's wise to plan ahead, particularly at peak times, to get the best outcomes. A few tips:
ESF - École du ski français. The name says it all but if you really want your kids to learn to ski then ESF is the way to go. If you are not French (or French speaking) the downside is that the classes are almost exclusively French. The instructors speak English and will look after your small people but it can be challenging. One of mine loved it and popped out a much better skier and one hated it.
Photo: Road Warrior
There are a number of other ski schools in addition to ESF including Evolution2, Oxygene and Prosneige. They tend to be a bit more international and if you want to combine a fun time with some learning, Evolution2 has always worked well for us when the children were younger. At times, it seemed more like ski day-care but sometimes that's what you need!
When booking lessons, particularly via a third party like SkiBro.com, check the location of your ski school carefully. Many lessons originate from La Daille which, unless you are staying there, involves a bus ride every morning. (We found this out after spending half the morning trying to figure out what was going on).
Restaurants
Food is of course a critical part of your ski holiday so it's important to get this right. Again, it pays to plan ahead with bookings to ensure you get your first choice. At half-term for example, walk-ins at most of the popular places are hard to come by and even worse if you are a larger group. Unfortunately on-line bookings are virtually non-existent so you have to try your luck via email or call the restaurants directly. Better still, if you are working through a booking agent, get them to do it for you. Many hotels will also help with reservations too. The folks at Chalet Skadi for example were super-helpful in securing us some bookings for half-term.
Photo: The Telegraph (see their take on VD's top 10). La Baraque - a favourite of both locals and visitors.
In-Resort
A helpful restaurant guide can be found here but the following are a few places we have enjoyed over the past few years. Things change all the time so some of these may not be current but a few starting ideas for family dining.
Pizz'n'Love - About 10 mins walk from the centre of the village but they also deliver and they have a small eat-in area. Great pizza and handy if you are staying at that end of town. (There's a great supermarket next door too).
La Casserole - Savoyard cuisine. Nothing fancy but good food.
Le Lodge - More local cuisine in this lively spot.
La Casa Scara - Authentic Italian in the old village area.
Fondue Factory - Factory is a good name for this place but they do a wide variety of excellent fondue. It's a total zoo at half-term but it still works. There's a cool ski museum inside which, if you have been skiing for a while, brings back memories.
Photo: restaurantguru.com (A small selection and worth it just for the ski memories!)
Crepe Val's - near the rond point, a good place to stop for a post skiing crepe.
La Baraque - another good local cuisine spot (see above).
The above are all tried and tested family friendly restaurants but just a small sample of what's on offer.
On-Mountain
There are a wide range of options on-mountain ranging from casual canteens to fine dining but it also pays to book ahead at peak times. When skiing with children and because it's a large mountain, we found it worthwhile planning ahead each day so we could time our arrival at a specific restaurant. These are a few of our go-to places:
La Folie Douche - Not for everyone, but the iconic Folie Douche has a range of options from their casual canteen where it's usually relatively easy to get a table, to fine dining options. In good weather, outside is definitely the place to be and yes, this is where the cabaret and the table dancing happens.
Photo: La Folie Douche
Le Bellevarde - Located at the top of the Rocher de Bellevarde, this is a great spot on a cold day when you need some red wine and Savoyarde comfort food or in the sun on the terrace when its warmer. Downstairs is self service with a sit down restaurant upstairs.
La Tete de Solaise - A large self service restaurant with a pizzeria and traditional dishes. Great views from the terrace on a sunny day.
Restaurant d'Alitude Le Signal - In Le Fornet, this is a great spot if you are over that side of the mountain. Because it's a bit of a trek back to the main village, it works well if you time your runs to be here for lunch or just drop in for a hot chocolate.
La Datcha - This is a favourite mid-morning hot chocolate venue or a mid-afternoon mulled win pick-me-up. It's relatively small but has a large terrace and is right in the middle of the popular Solaise area.
Photo: skiresort.info
Trifollet - Heading down towards La Dialle on the Diebold piste is Trifollet, a cosy Savoyarde restaurant with an outdoor area.
Overall
Will I be back? For sure - there's a good reason this is one of our go-to Euro resorts as it its for thousands of others. Given its size and the volume of visitors, Val d'Isere won't be for everyone so it pays to think about what's important for you on a ski holiday and choose accordingly. We love the scale and variety of the terrain, great food and accommodation options. It is one of the most popular resorts for visitors from the UK so if you want something more local and without the peak-season lift queue scrums, then it might pay to look elsewhere. However, if you want to go big, Val d'Isere is hard to beat.
Photo: Road Warrior
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