Grand Motte, Tignes

The last two seasons I have skied in Tignes over the May Bank Holiday weekend and the conditions have been fantastic for the time of year. To get the most out of the conditions try and get on the slopes as early as possible, then finish skiing around 3pm and enjoy a cold beer in the sun. Unfortunately I have a wedding to attend so won’t be making the trip this year but for those who are planning to go have a great time!

Pluviometre takes you into the heart of Val Thorens where the options are endless for to choose your next run. We took the Moutiere lift, from where we skied the wide Altiport, Lagopede and Gentiale blue runs back to the Moutiere lift, thanks to @emilyshipway for recommening this area. We then went back up Moutiere lift and skied down Linotte (blue) and Traverse des 2 Lacs (green) to the Porteite lift. At this point it did not seem too cold but this all changed during the journey on Portette. Going over a small ridge the temperature seemed to drop 10 degrees and freeze every water molecule in my body. After some hurried pictures of the amazing view we skied the long the red run Portette down to the mountain restaurant Fabrique for a body warming vin chaud.

After warming the cockles the next stop was Val Thorens latest additions, the covered Magic Carpets (a tunnelled converyor belt). Absolute genuis idea and surely must catch on in other resorts. Obviously we had to try them out. We then headed to the Funitel Peclet lift which would take us to 2950m, as unfortunately the Glacier chair lift was closed. Spending some time to enjoy the view we skied the fantastic Beranger (red) run back down into Val Thorens for lunch, stopping to watch some freestyle skiers jumping into a large inflatable safety matress. Thanks to @Laradunn for recommending La Cabane for lunch but unfortunately we didn’t make it that far up. We ate lunch at the La Galoubet restaurant where a pizza and salad (yet again) cost 26 euros, 5 euros more than the exact same meal in the centre of Les Menuires.

With the day drawing closer to the end we decided to head back to Reberty, this was done by first taking the Plein Sud chair lift, then a short ski down to the Bouquetin Funitel back to the Col de la Chambre. From here we skied down the mogully end of day David Douillet (red) back into Reberty and straight into the hot tub.

Considering the lack of recent snow the ski conditions are really good, especally the higher you go (full marks to the snow cannons and pisteurs). Unfortunately not all the runs are open (currently you can’t ski back to Les Menuires from Val Thorens without getting a lift) but as the season progresses and hopefully with some more snow things can only get better (as D-ream once sang).

Check out our youtube site for a video snow report from Val Thorens…

Val Thorens skiing

In skiing terms the Val Thorens valley is bigger than both of the other two in the Three Valleys put together (Courchevel and Meribel) with over 330km of pistes, 71 ski lifts and 8 peaks above 3,000m. Most of the skiing in Val Thorens ski resort takes place across the north and east facing slopes. Val Thorens ski resort has a number of large cable cars, including the 25 seater up to the Peclet Glacier. From here there are some excellent reds off piste and one particularly fun bumpy black off Cascades. There are some excellent intermediate slopes, plus some good accessible off piste for experts.

New for season 2009 / 2010 is the addition of 3 covered magic carpets in Val Thorens centre. These will be a godsend for learners, especially for boarders who won’t have to negotiate a button lift!

The new covered magic carpet in Val Thorens centre

Key Facts – for the whole Three Valleys
Pistes 600km / 379miles
Lifts 200
Green Runs 17%
Blue Runs 34%
Red Runs 37%
Black Runs 12%
Snowmaking 90km
Resort 1300 – 3230m / 4270 – 10600ft

Other on snow activities

Cross Country
Snow-shoeing
Tele-marking
Paragliding
Disablity Skiing

Val Thorens Ski Schools

ESF Val Thorens www.esf-valthorens.com
Maison de Val Thorens
Phone: +33 (0)4 79 00 02 86 – Fax: +33 (0)4 79 00 00 10
E-Mail: info@esf-valthorens.com

The Prosneige International Ski School www.prosneige.fr
Le Montana Soleil residence
Phone: +33 (0)4 79 01 07 00 – Fax: +33 (0)4 79 01 07 01
E-Mail: info@prosneige.fr

The Ski Cool International Ski and Snowboard School www.ski-cool.com
Les Hauts de la Vanoise et rue du Soleil
Phone: +33 (0)4 79 00 04 92 – Fax: +33 (0)4 79 00 09 08
E-Mail: mail@ski-cool.com
Web: http://www.ski-cool.com

Free School Attitude www.fsa-snow.com
Galérie Caron – magasin Ride and Style
Phone: +33 (0)6 74 86 91 87 or +33 (0)4 79 06 57 72
E-Mail: info@freeschoolattitude.com
Web: http://www.fsa-snow.com

Val Thorens Creches

Ecole de Ski Internationale Prosneige (Jardins d’enfants)
Résidence le Montana Soleil
Telephone : +33 (0)4 79 01 07 00 – Fax : +33 (0)4 79 01 07 01
E-Mail : info@prosneige.fr
Web : http://www.prosneige.fr

Ecole du Ski Français (Villages d’enfants)
Maison de Val Thorens
Telephone : + 33 (0)4 79 00 02 86 – Fax : +33 (0)4 79 00 00 10
E-Mail : info@esf-valthorens.com
Web : http://www.esf-valthorens.com

Val Thorens Restaurants

Oxalys (l’)
Mentionned in the Michelin, Champerard, Pudlowski, Routard et Bottin Gourmand Guides
Résidence l’Oxalys, entrée station
Telephone : +33 (0)4 79 00 12 00 – Fax : +33 (0)4 79 00 24 10
E-Mail : restaurant@loxalys.com
Web :http://www. jean-sulpice.com

Blanchot (le)
Mentionned in the : Routard et Pudlowski Guides
Rue de Caron
Telephone : +33 (0)4 79 00 05 91 – Fax : +33 (0)4 79 00 05 91
E-Mail : leblanchot@wanadoo.fr
Web : http://www.leblanchot.com

Trappeur (le)
Mentionned in the Michelin, Pudlowski Guides
Hôtel Mercure – Place de la Lombarde
Telephone : +33 (0)4 79 00 04 04 – Fax : +33 (0)4 79 00 05 93
E-Mail : h0457@accor.com
Web : http://www.mercurevalthorens.com

Mountain Restaurants

Chalet Chinal Donat
TS Rosaël ou télécabine d’Orelle
Telephone : +33 (0)4 79 56 53 01 – Fax : +33 (0)4 79 56 53 01

Chalet de Caron
TC Cairn ou TC Caron
Telephone : +33 (0)4 79 00 01 71 – Fax : +33 (0)4 79 00 77 62
E-Mail : chaletdecaron@free.fr
Web : http://www.chaletdecaron.net

Chalet Le Caribou
TS Moraine
Telephone : +33 (0)6 11 18 06 71
E-Mail : chaletcarribou@yahoo.fr

Les Chalets du Thorens
Rue du Soleil, sur les pistes
Telephone : +33 (0)4 79 00 02 80 – Fax : +33 (0)4 79 00 21 78
E-Mail : info@leschaletsduthorens.com
Web : http://www.leschaletsduthorens.com

Other things to do in Val Thorens

Toboganning
Walking
Ice Skating
Mountain Flying
Bowling
Cinema
Climbing
Torchlit Descent
Gym
Spa
Helicopter flights
Air ballooning
Skidooing
Paragliding

We have written a series of posts about travelling to the Three Valleys, read more about driving to, flying to and getting the train to Val Thorens ski resort.

We started off the day taking the Les Menuires chair lift and from the top we skied the nice wide blue run Boyes to the Sunny Express lift. The snow fall from the previous night has placed a nice layer of powder on the piste so the signs were good for fabulous skiing. At the top of Sunny Express there are plenty of options and we took the blue run Petits Creux down to the Becca lift. We then came down the red run named Becca. This run is ideal for anyone wanting to ski their first red run and to be honest I’ve been down steeper blue runs. The remainder of the morning session was spent going up the 3 Marches and down the 3 Marches blue, then heading for lunch in Les Menuires down the red Allamands which joins the blue runs Petits Creux and Menuires.

We ate lunch at the Les Hacienda restaurant located near Roc Des 3 Marches lift. We shared a pizza (the size of a planet destroying space station) and salad, very good value for money at only 21 euros including a beer and a vin chaud.

The afternoon was spent skiing the area between Les Menuires and Val Thorens. First we took the Roc Des 3 Marches lift then skied Petis Creux to the Bruyeres 1 & 2 bubble lift which took us to the Col de La Chambre (2850m). We then skied the long red run David Douillet red to the Mont de la Chambre lift. This takes you to the Col de la Chambre where then skied the even longer 4 Vents red back to the chalet.

After a slow start to the day the skiing certainly made up for it, with the conditions fantastic and predicted clouds never materialised. The forecast for the next few days is similar with blue skies in the morning clouding over in the afternoon, but we’ll keep you updated. The plan for tomorrow is to head towards Val Thorens so if you have any suggestions please tweet them by following skiconcierge.