Val d’Isère ski resort is located in the northern French Alps, close to the border with Italy. The village, nestled at an altitude of 1,800m in the Haute-Tarentaise valley, became a ski resort in 1938. Val-d'Isère is on of the the most famous and popular alpine ski resort in France.
Val d'Isere - Tignes was formerly known as 'Espace Killy' named after Jean-Claude Killy, the legendary French champion alpine ski racer who dominated the sport in the late 1960s.
Val d’Isère ski resort - Espace Killy ski area
Similarly to La Grande Motte, Pissaillas is best appreciated on a clear day. When the weather is poor it is unlikely that either of the glaciers around Val d’Isère will be open.
Skiing & snowboarding
There are also lots of gentle runs to progress to, though these are invariably on the top half of the mountain so you might need to take the lift back down at the end of the day if you want to avoid the tougher terrain at the bottom of the mountain.
The problem for beginners in Val d’Isere ski holiday is reaching the best runs and getting back down at the end of the day. The only Green run down shown on the piste map is probably the worlds toughest green down to La Daille but there is an option to come back down to the village using lifts or the bubble.
Another route down is the Santons, a blue run that should be rated as a red! The top and bottom of Santons is certainly a blue but the middle is steep, long and very narrow. Another wonderful green for beginners is the Madeleine area which is on the Solaise side and is accessed by either the Solaise Express chair or Solaise Gondola. The green on Madelaine is a little steeper but very wide and has some of the best mountain restaurants for lunch, particularly if the sun is out.
Intermediate skiers should consider a holiday to Val d’Isere ski resort you will love the blues and many of the reds are perfect too, the reality is that Val d’Isere has just as much to offer intermediate skiers as it does for experts.
The Bellevarde side, is where most intermediate skiers head for, simply because it gives access to the runs in Tignes and offers lots of great options. Try the world cup downhill “Ok” run which drops from the top of Bellevarde at 2827m to La Daile at 1785m and is a fast rolling run, just perfect for intermediates.
La Fornet: This area is an intermediates' paradise with plenty of blue and relatively easy red runs here and further up on the glacier. Good skiers will enjoy it as well because of the generally good snow conditions at the higher altitude, although care should be taken as the higher parts are on a glacier and even skiing off the side of a piste carries the risk of crevasses. This side of the ski area is rarely crowded and a wonderful area for all levels of intermediate skiers
Val d’Isère has a number of challenging black runs.
One of the most popular for experienced skiers is he Col Pers, which starts on the Pissaillas glacier and drops down into the Gorges de Malpasset before finishing at the Fornet cable-car.
Perhaps the best known on-piste challenge is the famous La Face, which hosted the 1992 Olympic downhill and descends nearly 1000m vertical from the top of the Bellevarde into the village. It is often heavily mogulled, especially lower down.
Another good option is the run from the top of the Cugnai chair which traverses a beautifully secluded bowl before ending up at the bottom of the Manchet lift.
However, the big draw for experts is Val d’Isère’s multitude of easily accessible off-piste opportunities, with countless routes in all sectors.
Off piste
Amongst the most famous slopes is the Grand Vallon, perched above Le Fornet. This remains a classic off-piste ski run for any stay in Val d'Isere. A descent from the top of the Signal ski lifts, perched at an altitude of 2,920 m, to the edge of the Isere at an altitude of 1,920 m.
If you are a thrill-seeker, you will also enjoy tackling the Super S off-piste with its wide slope. Opposite the Rocher de Bellevarde and close to the Rocher de Solaise, you will have all the more opportunity to admire the magnificent landscape offered by the charming village of Val d'Isere.
For family adventures, on the other hand, choose the off-piste "La Familiale" which allows the most beautiful outings with children. A 900m slope with a relatively easy level and no obstacles awaits you at the top of the Tommeuses chairlift.
