Tourist Office

Office du Tourisme
Maison Val Thorens
Val Thorens
Savoie
France
F 73440

Telephone: (479) 808
Email: valtho@valthorens.com
Website: www.valthorens.com

Description

Situated at the top of Les 3 Vallées, the largest ski area in the world, in the heart of a natural rock and ice circus, Val Thorens offers a complete range of skiing.
At 2300 metres, Val Thorens, the highest resort in Europe, is situated in the heart of a 360° Alpine Circus, orientated in all four directions, with a grandiose countryside, optimal sun throughout the day and superb quality snow from the end of November through to the beginning of May.
From powder fields to perfectly prepared pistes, the 140km of the wide and varied Val Thorens-Orelle ski area is ideal for everyone: skiing, snowboarding, snow shoes..
With easy skiing around the resort, medium and difficult on the summits, Val Thorens combines “great skiing” and first tracks for the great delight of all skiers whether beginners or more expert.

Review

Val Thorens represents the pinnacle of ski resort development to date – at least in terms of its altitude. The highest ski resort in Europe, located in a vast snowy bowl within the biggest ski area in the world, the resort and its surrounding ski area has continued to evolve since its opening in 1971.

Today it can claim to be a stylish ‘village’ and world class ski resort rather than a clutch of rather desolate, high altitude buildings as some imagine. In contrast to that image, the resort has been constructed using local wood and stone to designs inspired by traditional local Savoie architectural tradition.

More than 250m Euros have been spent in recent years in improving and expanding the resort and the local ski area. The whole has also been designed to a well considered plan giving it a compact, largely pedestrianised centre where most of the public facilities (of which there are many!) are concentrated. This investment has helped the constant popularity of Val Thorens which now attracts some two million visitors annually (placing it in the world top 20 ski resorts by popularity as well as altitude) . It also boasts occupancy rate of around 90% on average through the season, making it the envy of many other famous ski resorts.

Always been ahead of the game on many levels, even being one of the first areas to offer wi-fi internet access in 2003. A year later it showed its environmental credentials by tackling smokers who drtopped cigarette butts from chairlifts pointing out the total can reach as many as 30,000 below just one of the more popular access chairs. he resort believes that apart from being a major eye-sore, they’re also a major environmental hazard, with each individual cigarette end likely to contaminate a cubic metre of water. Stressing that they were not launching an anti-smoking capaign, just a “responsible disposal of cigarette butts campaign”, the tourist office added a glass box that will display the thousands of cigarette butts picked up alongside an exhibition showing the long-term environmental damage caused by man-made trash. Two thousand pocket containers designed to hold used cigarettes were provided for skiers.

Despite being north facing, the resort’s altitude ensures it gets good sunshine with little over-shadowing it. The tourist office is open from 9am to 7pm daily (even to 4am on Sunday morning for those arriving late on Saturday night) for all information.

keywords

Val Thorens, Savoie, Alps, Massif de la Vanoise, Vallée des Belleville, Vallée de la Tarentaise, 3, Three Valleys, Trois Vallees, Espace Olympique Savoie

Tourist Office

Office du Tourisme
l’Eperviere
St Martin de Belleville
Savoie
France
F 73440

Telephone: (479) 2000
Email: stmartin@st-martin-belleville.com
Website: www.st-martin-belleville.com

Description

An authentic Savoyard village which upholds its culture and traditions, but is lift-linked to Les Trois Vallées – the world’s most extensive truly lift-linked skiing area. Saint Martin is characterised by narrow streets of stone and wooden houses with slate rooves. The local cheeses are “Tomme”, “Sérac de Chèvre” and “Beaufort”.

Review

Saint Martin de Belleville, a traditional villae of stone, wood and slate and centred on its historic Baroque church is a real postcard savoyard village. Unlike most of the other centres in the 3 Valleys, it has not been purpose built nor expanded excessively to meet tourist demand. However, at 1450m, it is a very high village by the standards of traditional mountain communities. Yet despite its long history the resort is well linkeds in to the vast 3 Valleys, the world’s largest lift-linked ski area, by state of the art lifts.

Slowly but surely, Saint Martin has made a name for itself, a few kilometres down the valley from its bigger neighbours, purpose-built Les Menuires and Val Thorens, the highest resort in Europe. The local Patois language is still spoken here by some of the older members of the community and a group of locals have recently created a dictionary of the local dialect to ensure the language is not forgotten.

keywords

Saint St Martin de Belleville, Savoie, Trois Vallees, Three Valleys, Espace Olympique Savoie, Alps, Tarentaise

Tourist Office

Office du Tourisme
les Menuires
Savoie
France
F 73440

Telephone: (479) 7300
Email: lesmenuires@lesmenuires.com
Website: www.lesmenuires.com/

Description

Purpose-built altitude resort cursed by much disclaimed architecture but nicknamed ‘The smile of the French Alps’ by its owners. Well positioned on the Trois Vallées and livelier than many similar ski stations.

Review

One of three resorts in the Belleville Valley, which is itself one of the world famous 3 Vallées (Three Valleys), les Menuires has a reputation for offering the lowest prices in the area. Located above the old Savoyard village of St Martin de Belleville and below Val Thorens (Europe’s highest purpose-built ski centre), les Menuires has marketed itself as ‘The Smile of The Alps’ because of the semi-circular arc of its main building complex and its good sunshine record.

The resort is divided in to ‘quarters’ – although there are more than four of them. The main facilities are in La Croisette, the original centre, and les Bruyeres. Above them are the accommodation complexes of Reberty 1850, Reberty 2000 and Brelin. Below them are les Fontanettes and Preyerand.

Much of the building is extremely functional and the emphasis has traditionally been placed on slope-side convenience rather than architectural design sympathetic to the beauty of the surrounding mountainscape. However some of the older buildings that were especially criticised by some for their unattractiveness have now been demolished and the newer developments are more tasteful – with more exterior wood and sloping roofs and gables, and less concrete rectangles.

The latest development was the opening of a four star hotel (the highest standard in France) Le Chalet Hotel Kaya and four stay residences have also opened.

Another good point for many is the fact that Les Menuires is such nice family resort – definitely lacking in the fur-coated snobs which frequent some of the other resorts nearby.

keywords

Les Menuires, Reberty,Saint Martin Savoie, Tarentaise, Trois Vallees, Three Valleys, Espace Olympique Savoie

Tourist Office

Méribel Tourisme
BP 1 – Maison Du Tourisme
Méribel
Savoie
France
F 73550

Telephone: (479) 86001
Email: info@meribel.net
Website: www.meribel.net

Description

In 1938 a British Officer created a ski resort, Méribel, in an almost abandoned mountain valley. Today Méribel is one of the world’s greatest ski resorts. It now has an apartment built off-shoot, Méribel Mottaret, at 1750m.

Review

Méribel is the central resort in the world’s largest lift linked ski area, the 3 Vallées. One of the first in the post-war ‘second wave’ of ski centre development, the village and its skiing have been a success on a colossal scale. Méribel today has grown far beyond the original village with half a dozen ‘neighbourhoods’, extending the resort over 10km (6 miles) of the valley floor, and expansion is still continuing apace, helping to make the resort one of the most important in the world today.

The resort holds the world record for high capacity gondola lifts, which means it can probably transport more skiers uphill faster than any other resort. Whether such a record matters to the average skier or boarder is open to debate, but the practical off-shoot is that queues are now almost unheard of and skiers get to ski more terrain than anywhere else faster than anywhere else, which must be worth something.

The Méribel valley was ‘discovered’ in 1938 by future British Colonel Peter Lindsay, who returned after the war to oversee its early development in partnership with French architect Christian Durupt. Although the men’s plans were modest compared to what was to come, they did begin the task of building the resort in a traditional style, with gabled slate roofs and white pine and stone facades. Along with its perfect location, Méribel’s decision to stick to these building requirements through its 50+ year history and through the era of the rec-tangular concrete tower block has won it ever more fans over the years.

Although tempted to construct the inevitable altitude ‘satellite off-shoot’, Méribel Mottaret at 1800 metres in 1972, the resort ensured the giant apartment blocks still had chalet style design. The British influence in Méribel remains strong and vast numbers of Brits arrive each winter, the more well-heeled staying around Méribel Centre, the rest up at Méribel-Mottaret, whilst Courchevel in the next valley is popularly regarded as being more French, more chic (and more expensive).

keywords

Méribel, Mottaret, Savoie, Tarentaise, Alps, Trois Vallees, Les Allues, Espace Olympique Savoie

Tourist Office

Office de Tourisme La Tania
Courchevel Cedex
Savoie
France
F 73125

Telephone: (-479) 84040
Email: info@latania.com
Website: www.latania.com/

Description

Purpose built to house journalists at the 1992 Albertville Winter Olympics, this attractive new centre is particular popular with British package-tour operators. Fully lift-linked in to the Trois Vallees. Architectural style designed in keeping with the natural surroundings.

Review

La Tania is one of the world’s newest ski resorts having been originally purpose built to house journalists and olympic athletes during the 1992 Albertville Winter Olympics, along with competing ice hockey teams. It couldn’t have asked for a more prestigious location – in one of the famous Three Valleys, the world’s largest ski area, neighbouring glamorous Courchevel with Meribel on the other side.

The resort is in fact a part of the La Perrière community, a group of ten small, traditional Savoy hamlets, famous for its baroque church and the “Becqua” rocks. So it’s no surprise that the architectural style of the new resort has been designed in keeping with the natural surroundings.

La Tania has proved especially popular with British package-tour operators, perhaps in part due to its slopeside convenience and its reputation for offering the best value in one of Europe’s most expensive ski areas.

New arrivals in the resort each weekend are invited to come and try a free “Green Chaud” drink every Sunday at 5 pm and discover what’s happening in resort during their stay.

keywords

La Tania, Savoie, Alps, Trois Vallees, 3 Three Valleys, La Perriere, Tarentaise, Espace Olympique Savoie

Courchevel 1650 Tourist Office

Courchevel Tourisme
Le Coeur de Courchevel, BP 37
Courchevel Cedex
Savoie
France
F 73122

Telephone: (479) 80029
Email: info@courchevel.com
Website: www.courchevel.com

Description

Arguably France’s most exclusive resort, well located in the world’s largest truly inter-connected ski area (Trois Vallées) and with some of Europe’s best infrastructure, Courchevel would rate in the top 10 selection of resorts around the world for most dedicated skiers. Better known regulars include the Danish and Spanish Royal families, Jean-Michel Jarre, Roman Polanski, President Giscard d’Estaing… Courchevel has it’s own special Charter which ensures hotels, restaurants, shops and other businesses provide the best possible service and open as advertised throughout the season. The resort is made up of four different base stations, all self-contained villages and all known by their altitudes, except for 1300 which still calls itself Le Praz. The best known is Courchevel 1850.

Review

Arguably France’s most exclusive resort, well located at the eastern end of the world’s largest truly inter-connected ski area (Trois Vallées) and with some of Europe’s best on and off-slope in-frastructure, Courchevel would rate in the top 10 selection of resorts around the world for most dedicated skiers. Better known regulars include the Danish and Spanish royal families, Jean-Michel Jarre, Roman Polanski, President Giscard d’Estaing… Unsurprisingly Courchevel shares the reputation of St Moritz, Aspen or Lech for exclusivity and high prices but, equally unsurprisingly, the tourist board is keen to point out that it is possible to stay at and enjoy Courchevel ‘on a budget’.

Not a particularly attractive resort architecturally, the view from a distance gives little clue to the presence of exclusive boutiques, luxurious chalets and the wonderful restaurants serving dishes of high gastronomic calibre. The first winter tourists arrived in the valley in the 1930s, with the resort ‘taking off’ in terms of popularity in the late 1950s and the ’60s, particularly with the opening of the Saulire cable car in 1950.

Today Courchevel has its own special Charter which ensures hotels, restaurants, shops and other businesses provide the best possible service and open as advertised throughout the season. The resort is made up of five different base stations, all self-contained villages and all known by their altitudes, (1300 which still calls itself Le Praz and the other authentic Savoyard village Saint Bon). The best known of the five, and the one on which the resort’s reputation is based, is the highest and largest – Courchevel 1850.

keywords

Courchevel, 1850, 1650, 1550, 1300 Le Praz, 1100, Savoie, Tarentaise, 3 Three Valleys, Trois Vallees

Tourist Office

Office du Tourisme
B.P.28
Brides-les-Bains Cedex
Savoie
France
F 73572

Telephone: (479) 552064
Email: tourism@brides-les-bains.com
Website: www.brides-les-bains.com

Description

A traditional village beneath the Trois Vallées ski area, linked by a three stage telecabine to Meribél since the 1992 Savoie Olympics (when it was the Olympic village) . There are also a good range of shops, restaurants and a casino.

Review

The old spa town of Brides les Bains was ‘the Olympic Village’ and thus home to the athletes participating in the 1992 Savoie Winter Olympics. It was linked by high speed gondola to Méribel on the Trois Vallées circuit as a result; there are no ski lifts at village level. It’s ‘real small town’ feel contrasts with the internationally better known resorts up the mountain which include arguably France’s choicest resort Courchevel, Europe’s highest major resort Val Thorens and the modern resort of Les Menuires. It also offers better value accommodation than the altitude resorts and is quieter in the evenings, although as the main administrative and shopping centre for the Méribel Valley it is no sleepy hamlet.

The resort’s status as a spa town dates back to the last century and continues to be a second string to its tourism bow, today with the emphasis on health and weight loss, often in conjunction with a summer of winter sports holiday, rather than as a curative treatment for ailments. The thermal resort at Thermes d’Orsi employs specialists and professionals including doctors, masseurs, dieticians and psychologists who can work out special weight loss and fitness programs, often involving a pleasurable dip in the 36º Celsius thermal pool at Salins a hydro massage and a visit to the mud bath.

keywords

Brides – les – Bains, Savoie, Alps, Massif de la Tarentaise, Trois Vallees, Three Valleys, Espace Olympique Savoie