The Top 10 Things To Do In Val D'Isre

One of the biggest and most exciting ski resorts in France, Val d’Isère certainly has a lot going for it. As well as beautiful hotels and a fantastic night life scene, it boasts a wide array of activities both on the slopes and off them. From exciting ice driving to the best hiking spots, we’ve selected the very best things to do in this gorgeous resort.

Bellevarde

Perhaps the most famous of Val d’Isère’s many and varied slopes, Bellevarde has a superb black run that looms over the town with a summit of 2,807 meters. It has featured in a number of tournaments, including most notably the 1992 Winter Olympics and the 2009 Alpine Ski World Championships. It is also notable for the fact that it is accessible by a high quality cable car, the Olympique, that reaches the top in just six minutes and, with 24-place carriages, is one of the largest and most efficient in the world.

Le Fornet

For a welcome break from the bustling town centre, both during summer and winter, the idyllic little hamlet Le Fornet is a great little destination for a change of scene both for skiing and hiking, easily accessible via a regular free bus from the town or directly from the Solaise slopes. It is possible, with a series of different lifts, to reach the intermediate summer ski area of the resort, which is just beneath the impressive 3,500-meter Pointe du Montet, on the gorgeous Pissaillas glacier.

2. Alpine Experience

School

Alpine Experience

If off-piste skiing is what takes your fancy, the Alpine Experience offers a great opportunity to see another side of Val d’Isère. The school, with its twenty years’ experience, has a number of extremely professional instructors with an impressive knowledge of the mountains who can introduce skiers to a number of new, challenging techniques while always ensuring their safety on the French Alps. 110, Chemin du Vieux Pont, Val d’Isère, France +33 (0)4 79 06 28 81

3. La Folie Douce

Bar

La Folie Douce

As well as its fantastic skiing opportunities, Val d’Isère is well-known for providing some of the best après-skiing activities in the country. One of the main reasons for this is La Folie Douce, a hub of restaurants, bars and live entertainments that offer a great way to blow off steam after a long day on the slopes. There are few other places in the world where one can experience as good a clubbing and bar scene as this at such high altitudes, or with such astonishing views! La Daille, Val-d’Isère, France +33 (0)4 79 06 07 17

Val d’Isère Snowpark

For those inclined to try some more inventive things than just skiing downhill, the brilliant Val d’Isère Snowpark boasts a large number of facilities to try freestyle snowboarding and skiing techniques out on, including a number of rails and jumps that are varied enough to suit all levels. Located on the other side of Bellevarde, nestled in the valley of Mont Blanc, it is easily accessible via the Olympique cable car, followed by either a drag lift or another gondola.

4. Dick's Tea Bar

Bar, Cafe, Pub

Dick’s Tea Bar

A warm and cosy place to frequent by day and a buzzing and fun venue by night, Dick’s Tea Bar is another of the many prominent features of Val d’Isère’s brilliant night life and cafe cultures. Providing great cocktails as well as comforting mulled wine and hot chocolate – especially welcome after a long day in the snow – along with some delicious and indulgent pub-style food, it really is a great spot in which to relax and let your hair down. Oh, and at night, its professional DJs and live in-house musicians provide a fantastic show! DTV SAS, Rue du Parc des Sports, Val-d’Isère, France +33 (0)4 79 06 14

Ice driving and biking

As well as skiing and snowboarding, Val d’Isère has a number of other great activities that make good use of the icy conditions. One of the best examples of this is the opportunity to try the intense and seriously fun Ice driving. This centre provides a superb circuit on which to try your hand at commandeering a car in these difficult conditions, aided by patient and sympathetic instructors. The activities available to thrill-seekers brave enough to try them also include motor biking and go-karting – not for the faint-hearted!

Prariond Valley

To the east of the magnificent Vanoise Massif is situated one of the best spots in Val d’Isère for a hike during the summer, or cross-country skiing during the winter. The Prariond Valley offers some brilliant trails through a truly stunning landscape. At more than 2,000 meters altitude, it also hosts a refuge that welcomes a small number of hikers to stay each night. It is especially worth visiting for those interested in wildlife, with its large range of flora and fauna, as well as one of the largest colonies of the endangered Pyrenean ibex in France!

5. La Grande Ourse

Restaurant

La Grande Ourse

Since 1936, the lovely Grande Ourse has been welcoming patrons into its warm and welcoming chalet, situated at the foot of the slopes. For an authentic experience of real French cuisine from the region, this pretty little restaurant offers a range of sublime traditional French dishes, including delicious foie gras and a wonderful fondue. The terrace is also a great spot during the summer, offering spectacular views of the mountainous surroundings to accompany a truly tasty meal. Rue des Lessières, Val d’Isère, France +33 (0)4 79 06 00 19 By Colette Lewis

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.