The Bee zipline
A double zipline above the slopes, side by side with a friend, for a few seconds of flight with the highest peaks of Les 3 Vallées all around. A thrill for teenagers and brave parents.
Les Trois Vallées, French Alps
Luxury Chalets in Val Thorens
The highest ski resort in Europe, with snow you can count on from November to May.
Altitude2,300–3,230 m7,546–10,597 ft
Ski area150 km93 mi of runs
Lifts32Val Thorens–Orelle, linked to Les 3 Vallées
86 marked runs
13 green35 blue30 red8 black
Best forSkiers who want guaranteed snow and long days on the mountain, early or late in the season, with all of Les 3 Vallées on one pass.
Less ideal forTravelers looking for a traditional village with old stone and forest. Val Thorens is above the tree line, modern and built for skiing.
Our Chalets in Val Thorens
Our Val Thorens home is Chalet Solace: ski-in, ski-out, 30 meters from the piste, four bedrooms, a wood-burning fireplace and a private ski room. Rented to one group at a time.
Tell us your dates and your group, and we'll tell you which chalet fits.
Check availabilityWhy Val Thorens
Val Thorens is the answer to the question every American asks first: will there be snow? At about 2,300 m (7,545 ft), it is widely described as the highest ski resort in Europe, and its lifts climb to 3,230 m (10,597 ft) on the Cime Caron. The season usually runs from late November to early May, longer than almost anywhere else in the Alps.
It is part of Les 3 Vallées, the largest linked ski area in the world, about 600 km (373 miles) of runs shared with Méribel and Courchevel, all on one pass. Val Thorens' own sector, with Orelle, holds around 150 km of wide, high, open terrain.
The village is modern and built for skiing, without the stone-and-forest charm of a lower resort. In exchange, almost everything is reachable on skis or on foot, and the evenings have energy. Solace sits in a quieter corner, away from the snow front, so you have both.
Our guideTignes, Courchevel, or La Clusaz: Which French Alps Resort Fits Your Group?Read the article →Photos © OT Val Thorens (A. Droux, L. Brochot, T. Loubère, J. Carret)
Where Our Chalets Are
Val Thorens sits at the top of the Belleville valley, with its neighbors on the same lift network:
1,450 m / 4,760 ft
Saint-Martin-de-Belleville
A traditional village lower in the valley, with an old church and stone houses.
1,850 m / 6,070 ft
Les Menuires
A large, family resort between Saint-Martin and Val Thorens.
Maurienne valley, by gondola
Orelle
On the other side of the mountain, linked to Val Thorens by a long gondola.
Our chalets2,300 m / 7,545 ft
Val Thorens
The highest resort in Europe, semi-pedestrian and compact. This is where Chalet Solace is.
Chalet Solace is in a quiet residential corner of Val Thorens, away from the busiest part of the snow front, at about 2,300 m (7,545 ft). The door is about 30 meters from the piste: skis on in the morning, skis off at the door in the evening, from the first day of the season to the last.
Val Thorens is semi-pedestrian: cars stay in garages and car parks, and a free shuttle runs through the resort during the day. Shops, restaurants and the main lifts are a short walk or a short run away.
From the chalet, the whole of Les 3 Vallées opens up: Les Menuires and Méribel in the morning, Courchevel for lunch if you start early.
Our guideSki-In/Ski-Out, Explained (and Why It Matters Less Than You Think)Read the article →
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Each circle shows an approximate area, never an exact address. Click a circle to see the chalets inside.
The Skiing
The numbers: Val Thorens and Orelle count about 150 km of runs, 86 marked pistes (13 green, 35 blue, 30 red, 8 black) and 32 lifts, from 2,300 m to 3,230 m. On the same pass, Les 3 Vallées adds up to about 600 km of runs and more than 330 pistes.
Most of the terrain is above the tree line: wide, open runs that suit confident beginners and intermediates, with snow that stays cold and dry late into the season. Children and first-timers start on the gentle slopes around the village, and we book private lessons before you arrive.
Good skiers have the Cime Caron, the Péclet glacier sector and long descents toward Orelle. The off-piste is vast; ski it only with a qualified guide, which we can arrange.
One honest note: at this altitude, the weather can turn fast. On a stormy day with flat light, there are no trees to help you see, and the higher lifts may close for wind. Those are good days for the spa, a long lunch, or a lower sector of Les 3 Vallées.
Our guideHow Ski Lessons Actually Work in France: ESF, ESI, and What to BookRead the article →
For American skiers
France grades runs on four colors instead of three. Green and blue are beginner and easy, much like at home. A red sits between an American blue and black. A French black is the hardest on the mountain, comparable to a black or double-black diamond.
Does your Epic or Ikon pass work here? → · Piste map (PDF) ↗
Beyond the Slopes
Cosmojet toboggan
About 6 km of toboggan run from the foot of the Péclet glacier, at around 3,000 m, back down to the village. Open to children from age 5 with an adult, helmet included.
Karting on snow and ice
A circuit in the resort for an evening of driving on a frozen track, as the lights come on in the village. A favorite with teenagers, and a good group challenge.
Cime Caron, 3,200 m
Take the cable car to the summit for a view over the Alps, from Mont Blanc to the Écrins, and stay for lunch at the restaurant at the top, at 3,200 m.
Activities for children
Kids' clubs, games and events in the village throughout the season, so younger children have their own week too, and parents can ski a few long days.
Terraces and après-ski
Sunny terraces at the foot of the slopes and rooftop bars for the end of the day. Val Thorens has the liveliest evenings of our destinations; Solace keeps you just far enough away.
Photos: The Bee zipline, Cosmojet toboggan, Karting on snow and ice, Cime Caron, 3,200 m, Activities for children, Terraces and après-ski © OT Val Thorens / A. Droux, L. Brochot
Val Thorens in summer
In summer, Val Thorens opens its lifts for a short season, usually July and August, for high-altitude walks and mountain biking. It is a quiet, fresh place when the valleys are hot.
Hiking to the Lac du Lou
A classic walk down the valley to a mountain lake, with peaks and pastures all around and a refuge for lunch. Easy enough for children, beautiful in every light.
Mountain biking
Lift-served trails between 2,000 and 3,000 m for confident riders, and quieter routes toward the lower valley. Bikes, including electric ones, can be delivered.
Summits by lift
In July and August, some lifts take walkers up to the high viewpoints, for a panorama over the Vanoise and the Écrins without the climb. Bring a jacket, even in summer.
Photos: Summits by lift © Aurélien Droux / OT Val Thorens
When to Go
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
SeasonBusiest weeksQuietest weeks
Typical seasonLate Nov to early May
Busiest weeksChristmas and February
Quietest weeksMid-January
From Geneva airportAbout 3 hours
Val Thorens has the longest season of our destinations: usually late November to early May, with cold, dry snow at altitude. It is our first suggestion for an early-season or Easter trip.
Planning dates? Read when French school holidays fall. Opening and closing dates change every year, so check the resort's official site before booking flights.
Our guideBooking Christmas Week: Why It's Already Later Than You ThinkRead the article →Getting There
- DepartNew York · WashingtonNewark, JFK or Dulles, evening
- ≈ 8 h overnight nonstop
- LandGenevaearly morning
- ≈ 3 h private transfer
- ArriveVal Thorensin time for lunch
From the United States, fly overnight to Geneva, nonstop in about 8 hours from New York (United from Newark, SWISS from JFK) or Washington Dulles (United). The transfer to Val Thorens takes about 3 hours. Lyon (about 2 h 30) and Chambéry (about 1 h 45) are good alternatives on the European side. From Boston and most other US cities, connect once in Europe, or fly nonstop to Paris and continue by TGV.
Moûtiers station, about 40 minutes from the chalet, is served by TGV trains from Paris and by seasonal trains from London. A helicopter transfer can shorten the trip from Geneva. Whichever route you choose, we arrange the transfer, timed to your actual arrival.
Geneva airport≈ 3 h158 km · 98 mi
Lyon airport≈ 2 h 30200 km · 124 mi
Chambéry airport≈ 1 h 45121 km · 75 mi
Moûtiers train station≈ 40 min38 km · 24 mi
Driving times from our chalets, without traffic. Allow more on winter Saturdays. Geneva airport to your chalet, step by step
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How We Help in Val Thorens
Everything that makes the week easier is arranged before you land: transfers, ski rental fitted and delivered to the chalet, private lessons, childcare, a private chef, table bookings, a massage after a long day at altitude. One contact for all of it, based in New York and in your time zone, and the team on site welcomes you at Solace.
Private Chef
Airport Transfers
Helicopter Flights & Transfers
Ski & Equipment Rental
Ski Lessons
Childcare
In-Chalet Massage
Wine Tasting & Grocery Delivery
Restaurant Reservations & Local Experiences
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Val Thorens a good choice for families and beginners?
Yes, for families who ski. The slopes around the village are wide and gentle, the snow is reliable, and there are activities for children in the resort. Very young children and non-skiers may find a lower village with forest walks more varied. We book lessons and childcare before you arrive.
How does Val Thorens compare to Courchevel?
They share Les 3 Vallées, so one pass covers both. Val Thorens is higher, with more reliable snow and a livelier, younger atmosphere; Courchevel is lower, in the forest, with more refined restaurants and hotels. From Val Thorens, you can ski to Courchevel in a day.
Is the snow reliable at Christmas and Easter?
Yes, more than almost anywhere in the Alps. At about 2,300 m, with lifts to 3,230 m, Val Thorens usually opens in late November and closes in early May. It is the resort we suggest first for an early or late-season trip.
How do we get to Val Thorens from the US?
Fly overnight to Geneva, nonstop in about 8 hours from New York or Washington Dulles, then a private transfer of about 3 hours. From other US cities, connect in Europe or fly to Paris and take the TGV to Moûtiers, about 40 minutes from the chalet.
Is Chalet Solace ski-in, ski-out?
Yes. The door is about 30 meters from the piste: you ski from the chalet in the morning and back to it in the evening.
Can you arrange a private chef, ski instructors or childcare?
Yes, from a single celebratory dinner to every meal of your stay, matched to your group's tastes and any dietary needs, and arranged before you arrive rather than negotiated once you're there. Yes, all three. Equipment is fitted and delivered to the chalet before you arrive, lessons are private or small-group and arranged around your schedule, and childcare is vetted and briefed on your children's routine in advance.
How far ahead should we book?
For Christmas, New Year and the February school holidays, as early as you can: many returning guests rebook their week a year ahead. For other weeks, a few weeks' notice is often enough, and we tell you honestly what is still available. A 30% deposit secures the dates, with the balance due 60 days before arrival.
Is Val Thorens really the highest ski resort in Europe?
It is widely described as such: the village sits at about 2,300 m, higher than any other ski resort village in Europe, and the lifts climb to 3,230 m. That altitude is the reason the season is so long.
Planning a week in Val Thorens?
Tell us your dates, your group and what matters most. We'll tell you whether Solace fits, and what to book before you land.
Start an enquiry