Val Thorens has a rare asset in the Alps: a ski season that usually runs from November to May. At 2,300 metres, with around 99% of the ski area above 2,000 metres, the resort offers some of the most reliable snow conditions in Europe. All that remains is to choose when to come: each period has its own character.
The start of the season draws the impatient and strong skiers keen to find their ski legs before everyone else. The resort gradually gets into its stride, and the atmosphere is that of the regulars. The weeks before Christmas are often quiet: a good option for relaxed skiing, as long as you accept short days and wintry temperatures.
The festive Christmas atmosphere and the February holiday weeks bring the families. The resort runs at full speed, with everything that implies: a constant buzz, but also crowds on the slopes and in the shops. If you come at these times, one piece of advice matters more than any other: book everything in advance, both accommodation and equipment. Booking your equipment online before you leave guarantees the right model and a much quicker visit to the shop on arrival day.
Between the festive season and the February holidays, January is the favourite time for regular skiers: usually excellent snow, quiet slopes, gentler accommodation prices. Days are cold, sometimes very cold at altitude: this is when a good layering system makes all the difference.
Days get longer, the sun warms the terraces, and Val Thorens' altitude means you can ski on good snow when other resorts are closing. It is the ideal time for families who want to combine skiing with milder weather, and for students and tighter budgets outside school holidays. A spring reminder: serious sun cream and good eye protection, as the April sun at altitude is unforgiving.
Book your equipment online in advance, then collect it from whichever of our 10 shops and boutiques is nearest your accommodation, open every day from 8.30am to 7.30pm during the season. In peak season, booking ahead saves you queuing. At the start and end of the season, it lets us prepare the equipment best suited to the conditions of the moment.
