The Top 10 Things To Do in Val d'Isère

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.

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.

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.

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!

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!