Val d'Isere ranks alongside St Moritz, Stowe and Cortina among the "most famous names of skiing." With a huge ski area, much of it at a high altitude, world class lift infrastructure and a vast array of apres ski activity and you have the archetypal world class mountain resort.
Val is very popular with the British, and has spawned purpose-built developments at out-of-town La Daille (1785m) , which boasts an ultra-modern funicular, and Le Fornet (1930m). Most of the men's downhill events for the 1992 Albertville Olympics were staged here.
The Espace Killy, the ski region which Val d'Isere shares with Tignes, is huge, part of over 10,000 hectares of snow fields. As you would expect, this means there is something to attract all levels of skiers and snowboarders. In particular, serious skiers need not fear running out of options on a weeklong ski holiday, and Val clearly ranks among the top 10 resorts in the world for expert skiers. It's also chosen by the International Ski Federation to stage the first European race in the annual World cup competition each December, using the OK trail.
Try the Solaise bumps run above the resort or the Olympic Men's Downhill from Bellevarde (a good first choice as it gets the sun early and accessed by the high speed underground 'Funival' funicular). Later on, take off into the powder fields (remember a guide). Otherwise the descents from the Pissaillas glacier or the Tour de Charvet basin runs are equally recommended.
Skiing continues throughout much of the year thanks to the glacier skiing here and above Tignes. The Pissaillas Glacier above Val d'Isere is open from late June to mid-August . The lifts are reached by cable car from Val d'Isere's satellite village of Le Fornet and begin at the Col de l'Iseran ( 2762 M). There are 4 lifts serving 5 green (very easy) and 5 blue (easy) trails with a maximum vertical of about 800 metres.
| Vertical Drop: | 4759 ft
| Half Pipes: | 1 |
| Top Elevation: | 10831 ft | Snowmaking:
| 35% |
Skiable Acres:
| 2471 | Total:
| 44km |
| Trails: | 75 | Restaurants:
| 70 |
| Lifts: | 51 | | |
Cable cars:
| 6 | | |
