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Val Thorens news 2014-15

The latest Val Thorens news - before the season, developments in the resort, such as new lifts, pistes, and hotels, and during the winter season, reports, photos, and videos, so you can see what's going on. Read the Val Thorens news here.

Val Thorens news 2014-15

Here you can find reports on developments and events in Val Thorens, and all the Val Thorens news for winter 2014-15.

Val Thorens news: traffic information for the Belleville Valley

27th February 2015

There was a rockfall around 4.30pm today, Friday 27th February, affecting the road in the Belleville Valley, the D117, about 9km above Moutiers at Fontaine le Puits. A diversion has been put in place this evening, with traffic diverted onto the old road via St Laurent de la Cote - but that road is not passable for buses or HGVs. On Saturday 28th February, the diversion route will be open in the morning only to traffic leaving the Belleville Valley (downhill), then from 2pm it will be open only to traffic arriving in the valley (uphill).

Update Saturday 28th Feb: the D117 has reopened around 5.30pm to two-way traffic, but apparently not yet for tour operators' buses.

Val Thorens news: tournoi des 6 stations in Val Thorens

21st February 2015

It was the Tournoi des 6 Stations in Val Thorens yesterday evening, with ex-internationals taking part in rugby matches on snow. The results of yesterday's matches were La Clusaz 17 - 14 Valmorel, St Gervais 21 - 19 Les Menuires, and Val Thorens 26 - 7 Morillon. See a little of the action on this video:

Val Thorens news: Adrien Théaux wins World Championships Super G bronze

7th February 2015

Val Thorens' Adrien Théaux won bronze in the Super G at the World Championships in Beaver Creek on Thursday 5th February. Le Monde reports that the event was won by Hannes Reichelt of Austria, with Dustin Cook of Canada second.

Val Thorens news: fatal avalanche

7th February 2015

A snowboarder was killed after she set off an avalanche in the Boismint sector of Val Thorens earlier this week. The Dauphiné reports that the 30 year old season worker didn't report for work on the morning of Wednesday 4th February 2015, and her employer alerted the ski patrol. 

Records from the electronic ski pass system showed that the last lift she took was Boismint, on the morning of Tuesday 3rd February. The ski patrollers identified two avalanches, and they found the victim in one of them, 20m wide by 200m long, under 80cm of snow. According to France 3, her snowboard boot was sticking out of the snow. She had a transceiver, but turned off in her pocket, and was skiing alone.

Val Thorens news: second World Cup Skicross in Val Thorens

10th January 2015

There was a second Skicross World Cup in Val Thorens today. Chapuis could only manage fifth, winning the 'small final'. Marc Bischofsberger of Switzerland was the winner of the men's competition, and Marielle Thompson of Canada was the winner again in the women's event.

Val Thorens news: Skicross World Cup in Val Thorens

9th January 2015

The first of two Skicross World Cup events took place in Val Thorens on Friday 9th January 2015. The women's race was won by Marielle Thompson of Canada. In the men's competition, local favourite Jean-Fred Chapuis was second to Andreas Schauer. Read our report, and see photos and video, of the World Cup Skicross in Val Thorens on 9th January 2015...

Val Thorens news: heavy traffic expected on the roads

3rd January 2015

Heavy traffic was expected today, with 49,000 vehicles anticipated on the roads of the Tarentaise valley - 30,000 of those leaving ski resorts. The conditions are not expected to be nearly as bad as last weekend, when according to the BBC, 15,000 vehicles were stranded in the snow, and rescue centres were set up, including in Chambéry and Albertville.

Val Thorens news: 2014 the warmest year on record in France

10th December 2014

Le Monde reports today that 2014 is almost certain to be the hottest year ever in France, since records began in 1900. After the first 11 months of the year, the average temperature is 1.2C above normal (the average of the last 30 years). The months which were much warmer than normal were January, February, October, and November (11.3C as opposed to the normal 8.5C).

Le Monde notes that, according to Météo France, the ten hottest years have all come in the last 25 years.

Val Thorens news: Sebastien Loeb's guest appearance at the Trophée Andros

8th December 2014

It was the Trophée Andros' Val Thorens leg at the weekend, 6th & 7th December 2014. Sebastien Loeb made a guest appearance, but his lack of experience on an ice circuit told, and he had a disappointing weekend. Dayraut and Lagorce won the two Elite finals, and Tambay won both electric car finals. Read more about Loeb at the Trophée Andros in Val Thorens...

Val Thorens news: opening weekend 2014-15

24th November 2014

The opening weekend in Val Thorens saw 15 pistes open, with around 15,000 people enjoying some early season skiing. The Ski Force Winter Tour was in town, for free ski tests. Read about the opening weekend of the 2014-15 season in Val Thorens...

Val Thorens news: where do visitors to VT come from?

4th November 2014

Have you ever wondered where visitors to Val Thorens come from? Are most skiers from other parts of France? Which foreign country has the biggest percentage of visitors? Find out where visitors to VT come from...

Val Thorens news: robotic avalanche rescue being developed

30th October 2014

Academics from universities including Bologna (Italy) and Twente (Netherlands) are developing robots to help Alpine rescuers in avalanche situations.

The project's acronym is SHERPA, which comes from Smart collaboration between Humans and ground-aErial Robots for imProving rescuing activities in Alpine environments. (The acronym seems contrived, and when reading the phrase that it is made from, there were times when I wondered whether I would live long enough to get to the end of it).

The idea is to develop robots which will help the human rescuers find avalanche victims, and allow them to stay safe. There is a ground rover, which is a carrying vehicle and docking station for the flying robots (unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs). The ground rover is the 'intelligent donkey'. The UAVs can fly over difficult terrain to provide a view from above, capture data, and hover over hot targets. The smaller UAVs are 'trained wasps', and the larger ones are 'patrolling hawks'.

The robots are being developed in conjunction with the Italian Association of Alpine Rescuers.

This video shows a transceiver search using one of the UAVs:

Val Thorens news: what's new for 2014-15 in Val Thorens

12th August 2014

The lift company in Val Thorens, SETAM, is replacing two chairlifts in advance of the 2014-15 winter season. Two new four-star hotels are to open, and a new Office de la Montagne is to offer various activities, including dives under the ice of the Lac du Lou (pictured). Read about what's new for 2014-15 in Val Thorens...

Val Thorens news: what's new in the Three Valleys for 2014-15

12th August 2014

There are to be new, modern chairlifts in the Le Praz sector of Courchevel, replacing Foret, Gravelles, and Aiguilles du Fruit. The la Loze chair is to be replaced in Meribel. Safe freeride areas are being created in Courchevel Moriond and on La Masse, and a new swimming pool is opening in the Bruyeres area of Menuires. Read what's new in the Three Valleys for 2014-15...