Val d'Isere in the French Alps has everything you could ask for in a skiing resort: it has a fantastic ski area adapted to both skiers and snowboarders as well as a brilliant atmosphere and great apres-ski and night-life. The resort offers over 300km of pistes for all levels, with around 90 ski lifts. It’s a large, modern ski resort that after a face-lift a few years back has managed to keep the traditional charm of a French ski resort from when it was built in the 1930s. Sounds great right? Well let’s take a look at the good, the bad and the ugly of Val d’Isere and see if everything is as rosy as it seems.
So is this ski resort suitable for everyone? Well, as with any holiday destination, it has its strengths and weaknesses of course. Before you set off on your ski holidays, it pays to do some research into if the resort of Val d'Isere will come up to your expectations and if it will have everything you’re looking for in a skiing holiday depending on whether you’re skiing with kids, family or friends.
Val d'Isere Solaise ski lift
Beginners can enjoy the easy runs on the Grand Motte, while experts can try the “Face” black run, which was used in the Downhill racing competition in the 1992 Winter Olympics. There’s a slope for everyone in Val d’Isère’s ski area which is linked to the Espace Killy ski area shared with Tignes. Snowboarders and freestylers who prefer to do tricks, can show off their skills in the Oakley Valpark snowpark and for those who want to go off-piste, the possibilities are endless. We highly recommend skiing off-piste with a guide as the terrain is vast! The views around the resort are breath-taking and the surrounding villages and nearby national park are beautiful too. So make sure you stop skiing once in a while to take it all in. Oh yes, we forgot to mention the totally amazing snow in Val d'Isere - you just can't beat it!
You’re certainly not short of skiing in Val d’Isere and you won’t be short of entertainment either. There’s an ice rink, a secured tobogganing area, and a water and leisure park with a gym and spa. This ski resort is a really family-friendly place and kids have so much fun on their ski holidays here. However, if you’re a night-owl and you’d prefer to explore the apres-ski and night life in Val d’Isere, there are some great bars and clubs, including the well-known Dick’s Tea Bar, which serves food and drinks throughout the day and night way into the early hours…
Photo: Dicksteabar.com
A common complaint from holiday-makers is that Val d’Isere is expensive. This may well be the case but you get what you pay for, which is a fantastic, all-round skiing holiday experience. The high prices runs from the accommodation, ski passes and ski hire through to the food and drink. However, if you do some careful research, you can find yourself some great deals. Instead of shopping in the designer shops that pepper Val d’Isere, head to the Monday market in the town centre. For food, check out the Marmottes restaurant, which has much cheaper dishes on the menu than some other restaurants in Val d’Isere and the Folie Douce Nuvo Self is surprisingly good value.
La Folie Douce Nuvo Self
It’s hard to find anything really ugly at Val d’Isere. The views are stunning and the sight of everyone enjoying themselves on and off the pistes will warm your heart in the cold snow! However, everyone knows Val d'Isere and because of the resort’s popularity, the slopes get pretty crowded and this is probably the only thing that could be considered ugly here. Here’s a tip to avoid the crowds: Fornet is the least crowded part of the ski area, whereas Bellevarde attracts many skiers. If possible, plan your holiday outside the school holidays. Val d’Isere is known for its long season, so early or late ski holidays are very feasible here and are a great way of avoiding the crowds on the slopes.
Photo: valdinet.com
‘The good’ certainly wins over ‘the bad’ and ‘the ugly’ for Val d’Isere. It’s a popular resort for plenty of reasons and can cater for many skiers’ and snowboarders’ requirements. Although it can be expensive and crowded, there are ways to avoid this if you shop around. It’s certainly worth skiing in Val d’Isere as the views, atmosphere and quality of slopes certainly justify the ski pass price. Read more about the best of Val d'Isere here.
Val d'Isere in the French Alps has everything you could ask for in a skiing resort: it has a fantastic ski area adapted to both skiers and snowboarders as well as a brilliant atmosphere and great apres-ski and night-life. The resort offers over 300km of pistes for all levels, with around 90 ski lifts. It’s a large, modern ski resort that after a face-lift a few years back has managed to keep the traditional charm of a French ski resort from when it was built in the 1930s. Sounds great right? Well let’s take a look at the good, the bad and the ugly of Val d’Isere and see if everything is as rosy as it seems.
So is this ski resort suitable for everyone? Well, as with any holiday destination, it has its strengths and weaknesses of course. Before you set off on your ski holidays, it pays to do some research into if the resort of Val d'Isere will come up to your expectations and if it will have everything you’re looking for in a skiing holiday depending on whether you’re skiing with kids, family or friends.
Val d'Isere Solaise ski lift
Beginners can enjoy the easy runs on the Grand Motte, while experts can try the “Face” black run, which was used in the Downhill racing competition in the 1992 Winter Olympics. There’s a slope for everyone in Val d’Isère’s ski area which is linked to the Espace Killy ski area shared with Tignes. Snowboarders and freestylers who prefer to do tricks, can show off their skills in the Oakley Valpark snowpark and for those who want to go off-piste, the possibilities are endless. We highly recommend skiing off-piste with a guide as the terrain is vast! The views around the resort are breath-taking and the surrounding villages and nearby national park are beautiful too. So make sure you stop skiing once in a while to take it all in. Oh yes, we forgot to mention the totally amazing snow in Val d'Isere - you just can't beat it!
You’re certainly not short of skiing in Val d’Isere and you won’t be short of entertainment either. There’s an ice rink, a secured tobogganing area, and a water and leisure park with a gym and spa. This ski resort is a really family-friendly place and kids have so much fun on their ski holidays here. However, if you’re a night-owl and you’d prefer to explore the apres-ski and night life in Val d’Isere, there are some great bars and clubs, including the well-known Dick’s Tea Bar, which serves food and drinks throughout the day and night way into the early hours…
Photo: Dicksteabar.com
A common complaint from holiday-makers is that Val d’Isere is expensive. This may well be the case but you get what you pay for, which is a fantastic, all-round skiing holiday experience. The high prices runs from the accommodation, ski passes and ski hire through to the food and drink. However, if you do some careful research, you can find yourself some great deals. Instead of shopping in the designer shops that pepper Val d’Isere, head to the Monday market in the town centre. For food, check out the Marmottes restaurant, which has much cheaper dishes on the menu than some other restaurants in Val d’Isere and the Folie Douce Nuvo Self is surprisingly good value.
La Folie Douce Nuvo Self
It’s hard to find anything really ugly at Val d’Isere. The views are stunning and the sight of everyone enjoying themselves on and off the pistes will warm your heart in the cold snow! However, everyone knows Val d'Isere and because of the resort’s popularity, the slopes get pretty crowded and this is probably the only thing that could be considered ugly here. Here’s a tip to avoid the crowds: Fornet is the least crowded part of the ski area, whereas Bellevarde attracts many skiers. If possible, plan your holiday outside the school holidays. Val d’Isere is known for its long season, so early or late ski holidays are very feasible here and are a great way of avoiding the crowds on the slopes.
Photo: valdinet.com
‘The good’ certainly wins over ‘the bad’ and ‘the ugly’ for Val d’Isere. It’s a popular resort for plenty of reasons and can cater for many skiers’ and snowboarders’ requirements. Although it can be expensive and crowded, there are ways to avoid this if you shop around. It’s certainly worth skiing in Val d’Isere as the views, atmosphere and quality of slopes certainly justify the ski pass price. Read more about the best of Val d'Isere here.
