An independent guide to Val Thorens
This guide to the Val Thorens ski area includes the beginners area, an overview of the ski area sector by sector, the Snowpark, the Slalom Stadium, and the World Cup Skicross. There's a pdf of the piste maps too.
There is also a suggested 3 Valleys itinerary from Val Thorens, and one for Saint-Martin-de-Belleville; and read about mountain restaurants and walking paths in Val Thorens.
Discover the Val Thorens ski area here.
Skiing Made Easier is the follow-up to Skiing Made Easy, and covers technique beyond basic parallel turns - carving, short turns, bumps and off piste.
Read more about Skiing Made Easier.
Buy the paperback direct or on Amazon. Buy the Kindle ebook (affiliate links).
Where to start on your first skiing day in Val Thorens, and which lifts and slopes to take as you progress.
Discover the magic carpets and the beginners' pistes, the green runs, and the easiest blue runs.
Read about Val Thorens Beginners Area.
A sector by sector guide to the Val Thorens-Orelle ski area.
The sectors include Plein Sud, Péclet, Moraine, Montée du Fond, Caron, Rosaël and Boismint.
Read a sector-by-sector Overview of the Val Thorens Ski Area.
Val Thorens has a great Snowpark, with jumps organised into lanes - blue, red, and black.
It's an Intermediate and Expert Park, on the skier's right of the Plateau piste, and it sometimes hosts top-class competitions.
Read about Val Thorens Snowpark.
The Slalom Stadium in Val Thorens hosts European Cup and FIS races, as well as local Val Thorens ski races.
When it's not in use for racing or training, it's open to anyone to ski.
Read about Val Thorens Slalom Stadium.
The World Cup Skicross Jean-Frédéric Chapuis in Val Thorens is truly an attraction of the resort.
It hosts a World Cup Skicross event every December, and when it's not being used for competitions, it's open to anyone.
Read about the World Cup Skicross.
Skiing Made Easy is a Kindle ebook and paperback. It's a practical guide to learning to ski, based on many happy seasons of ski teaching in Val Thorens.
'This is the book I wish I'd had when I started skiing' - Amazon reviewer.
Read more about Skiing Made Easy.
Buy the paperback direct or on Amazon. Buy the Kindle ebook.
Suggested itineraries to the 3 Valleys from Val Thorens.
There's a route from Val Thorens via Méribel Mottaret (and Méribel) to Courchevel.
In Courchevel there are two main options - based on Courchevel Moriond (1650), and Courchevel 1850. Le Praz and/or La Tania can be added on.
There are a couple of lunch recommendations, and notes on two possible ways back.
Read about the 3 Valleys from Val Thorens.
A route to Saint Martin from Val Thorens.
The lifts and pistes to take, photos, ideas for coffee or lunch, and timings.
Saint Martin has a traditional ski village feel to it, which makes it a nice contrast to Val Thorens.
Read about a trip to Saint Martin from Val Thorens.
Check out the latest piste maps for Val Thorens, the 3 Valleys, and the other ski areas within the 3 Valleys.
They include Les Menuires, Méribel, Courchevel and Orelle.
Find and download Val Thorens, 3 Valleys and other piste maps.
Off piste is for expert skiers and snowboarders who love getting away from the pistes, lifts, and the crowds.
This section includes safety considerations, and some of the best off piste itineraries in Val Thorens, the Belleville Valley, and the 3 Valleys.
Read about the Val Thorens Off Piste Itineraries.
A new gondola, Face Nord, will give access to the higher slopes of the ski area. The Cime de Caron will reopen after its problems last Winter.
What else is new in 2025-26?
Read about What's New in Val Thorens in 2025-26.
A guide to all the Val Thorens mountain restaurants. Some of the best are the Chalet de la Marine, La Fruitière, and the Chalet des 2 Lacs.
There's also an entry for the ever-popular Folie Douce.
Read about Val Thorens Mountain Restaurants.
Val Thorens is high-altitude and ski-focused, so it isn't the very best resort for walking.
Still, the lift company and the tourist office have made an effort in recent years to create some walkers' paths, and certain lifts can be used by pedestrians.
Read about Walking in Val Thorens.
Have a great time exploring Val Thorens Ski Area.