VAL D'ISERE - Introduction
Val d’Isère is a resort with a big reputation and deservedly so! World famous for superb skiing and après-ski, the village has managed to retain its old world charm and traditional alpine village feel, amongst the new and stylish buildings that have been added to cater for skiers. It boasts breathtaking vertical drops, wide bowls, free beginners’ lifts on the nursery slopes and lifts suitable for non-skiers in order to go up to mountain cafes. The free shuttle bus service links the built up La Daille area with Val Village centre and also runs out to chalet-style Le Fornet. The children’s village at Rond Point des Pistes takes children from 3yrs to 13yrs. The attractions in Val d’Isère for non-skiers and cross-country skiers are limited. However, at night the town really comes alive.
Skiing
Val d’Isère sits in a gigantic ski area, the Espace Killy – named after local Olympic gold medal hero Jean-Claude. Any competent skiers will be able to ski between Val d’Isère and Tignes within a day, aided by the superb lift system. Val’s slopes are split into three defined areas; on one side of the valley there’s the Bellevarde and on the other, Solaise and Col de l’Iseran. All three have widely varying pistes, and access to some legendary off-piste stuff. Fast quads and cable-cars zoom up the mountain from the village. Better still, Val d’Isère has a fabulous snow record. Most skiing is at 2,300m and above, and if all else fails there is always the Pissailas Glacier at 3,300m.
Snowboarding
The area is still a Mecca for boarders owing to the endless off-piste routes in the Espace Killy. There are lots of natural gullies and jumps on the mountain, especially in the Bellevarde sector. There’s a half-pipe at the foot of La Face and the town is full of boarder great bars such as Saloon Bar and Pacific. There’s a vast selection of Board Schools for learning to ride with the pick being Oxygene.
Ski Schools
Competition is fierce on the slopes of Val d’Isère for ski tuition. The biggest player is the ESF, but the smaller outfits of Oxygene and Evolution 2 who both offer a more personal service, with all instructors speaking excellent English. SkiExtras offers great prices on pre booked group lessons, why not get a quote?
Eating Out
On the mountain the small log cabins are packed out at lunchtime. A great place for sunbathing on a huge sundeck is La Datcha, at the foot of the Cugnai lift. In the Bellevarde area, Marmottes is a welcome break for a hot chocolate when the weather catches you out. At the top of the Le Fornet chair, Le Signal has self-service and a more expensive à la carte menu upstairs. In the village, the Pedrix Blanche deserves its reputation as one of the finest fish restaurants in the Alps. The Grande Ours in the old village vies with the rustic Chalet du Cret, a beautifully renovated old farmhouse which has a fine wine list and excellent menu. For something slightly different, The Melting Pot has a Scandinavian chef and serves a selection of international dishes. You can also find a selection of Savoyard fondues and raclettes in the restaurants along the main street.
Bars and clubs
The best on-mountain après-ski is at the Folie Douce, at the top of the La Daille gondola, where there’s sometimes a band playing live. Top après-ski spot is Bananas, where the Chelsea set meet to enjoy a warming hot chocolate or vin chaud and recount the days adventures. At the Scandinavian-owned Saloon Bar in Val village, flugels were the drink of choice last season. Old classics like The Moris Pub and The Pacific still rock during the week with live bands and party nights. Late into the night those in the know head for the French based Club 21, while first-timers to Val will head for the infamous and expensive Dick’s T-Bar where you will find ageing lotharios trying their luck with the various plummy voiced chalet girls. Great entertainment.
Off the slopes
The Parc des Sports has two indoor swimming pools, saunas and jacuzzis, plus a natural skating rink and curling. There’s also hang-gliding, helicopter trips and sleigh rides.