Ski Val d'Isère
Probably the most famous and prestigious ski resort in the world, this village has got everything for those who want to do it all - ski, shop and party - it's all here in Val d'Isère.
The beautiful old village of Val d'Isère, with it's baroque church, parts of which date back to the eleventh century, is not on it's own, as the old village comprises of a collection of small hamlets, each having their own chapel. The lovely old chalets, together with many superb new chalets, designed in very traditional styles, create a magnificent alpine ski resort, right down to the trees lining the road through the village.
The village centre becomes vehicle free on one night of the week offering firework displays, music, ice sculpture and many other entertainments. Every Monday near the tourist office, the market comes to town selling local cheeses and cured meats, sweets and clothes giving the village a real French feel. The main street contains boutiques, restaurants, cafés, a cinema, and bars.
Try the ever popular Morris Pub for aprés-ski live music or the infamous Dick's tea bar for late night shenanigans. The new Sports Centre can be sampled with one free entry included with your Val d'Isère lift pass.
Val d'Isère was originally a small farming village. It has gradually changed into a modern alpine village although it still retains a sense of tradition. The prettiest part of Val d’Isere is the 'Old Village'. Quaint old stone properties line little snow filled streets. Embedded into the traditional stone and wood houses is the old Savoyard way of life.
Val d'Isère, popular with both the British and French offers some of the best skiing and boarding in the world. Set against the peaks of the Italian border, Val d'Isere's record of snowfall is exceptional. Receiving snow from Atlantic depressions that benefit other French Ski resorts, it also receives heavy falls from Mediterranean depressions, dumping their snow on the Italian Alps. Snow coverage, some of the best in Europe ensures, with rare exceptions, good skiing right to the end of the season.
The seven hamlets of le Cret, le Joseray, le Chatelard, la Legettaz, le Laisinant, le Daille and le Fornet make up Val d’Isere.
Having passed through all the mountain tunnels, just before reaching Val d'Isere village, is the resort of le Daille, with a bubble lift and funicular railway.
The centre of Val d’Isere has high speed chair lifts and huge cable cars with the capacity to move quantities of skiers quickly to the best ski areas.
Le Laisinant is a small hamlet situated at the top end of Val d'Isere before the village of le Fornet. The relatively new Laisiant Express chairlift takes skiers to the top of the Solaise and le Fornet skiing areas.
Le Fornet, 3 miles out of town at the end of the valley is a quiet little hamlet, with a cable car traveling up towards the Col d’Iseran, the highest road pass in Europe. The road is closed in winter with part of it forming a blue run back down to le Fornet. Le Fornet contains some of the Espace Killy's best off-piste skiing. The accessibility, numerous gullies and bowls available here, make it a firm favourite with many off-piste skiers and boarders alike. Off the side of the piste, under the Cascades Chairlift, there is a gentle wide open powder pitch that due to the altitude and quiet nature of Le Fornet stays fresh longer than most other areas in Val. A twenty minute hike from the top of the Signal drag lift will offer great runs like Point Pers and Col Pers. However, it's also a highly dangerous area with sections that are prone to large avalanches so is not recommended without the skills of a qualified mountain guide. Le Fornet also offers the only glacier skiing in Val d'Isere at 3400m and in the region of 1500m of vertical descent. From the top of the glacier you can ski down to the bottom of the valley at 1930m. The hamlet of Le Fornet is one of Val d'Isere's best kept secrets.
Linking all these hamlets are the “train rouge” and “train verte” buses which run regularly and are free of charge.
