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A substantial, modern, purpose-built village hugging the main road for around 1 ml, Val-Thorens not only shares one of the world's largest skiable domains with Meribel-Mottaret, Courchevel and Les Menuires, it is also Europe's highest resort. Built for convenience rather than style, it lacks the charm of other alpine villages due to a preponderance of concrete architecture, although it is user friendly and virtually traffic free, thanks to a strict parking policy. |
| Suitability |
A serious skier's resort - equally good for experts and beginners - aimed at unpretentious middlemarket couples, groups and mature families rather than the fur-coat brigade. Especially popular with groups of young singles. |
| Accommodation |
Predominantly purpose-built self-catering apartment blocks, augmented by a handful of more traditional mid-range hotels. Many have piste-to-porch convenience. |
| Shopping |
Reasonable variety, with numerous supermarkets, many boutiques and the usual support services like banks, post office and chemists. Plethora of ski-hire and sports outlets. |
| Entertainment |
Daytime: extensive downhill skiing, snowboarding (snow park with half pipes and jumps), paraskiing, paragliding, snowmobiling, tobogganing (3¾-ml-long run) and snowshoeing; outstanding indoor sports centre offers swimming, sauna, Jacuzzi, tennis, squash, climbing wall and more.
Nightlife: bright but unsophisticated. Many bars and restaurants; a couple of discos; cinema; classical and jazz concerts; torchlight descents. |
| Eating |
Wide selection offering everything from takeaway burgers to quality gastronomic restaurants and bistros. |
| Public
Transport |
Shuttle service throughout resort is free for all and runs every 15 mins up to 7.30 pm. Hourly buses to Moutiers and its mainline railway station with TGV and Eurostar connections. Taxis. |
| Excursions |
Guided tours of local baroque churches in the valley; ski-trips to other Trois Vallees resorts. |
| Location |
In SE France, in the heart of the Savoie region, close to the Italian frontier. 40 mls SE of Albertville. 5½ mls (by twisting mountain road) SE of Les Menuires. 96 mls SE of Geneva (Switzerland) and its airport. 120 mls SE of Lyon and its airport. 68 mls SE of Chambery and its airport. |
| Position |
In a fairly exposed S-facing mountain bowl above the tree line, at the head of the most westerly valley in the Trois Vallees ski-region. Rather vulnerable in extreme weather. |
| Contact
Information |
Post Code: 73440
Website: www.valthorens.com
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| Serving
Airports |
Airport : Geneva
Airport Code: GVA
Flight time from ther U.K.: 1 hr. 30 mins
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