ValThorensGuide.com

An independent guide to Val Thorens

Val Thorens toboggan

Le Toboggan, Val Thorens, by T. Loubère (OT Val Thorens)

The toboggan in Val Thorens is the longest in Europe, or at least the longest in France, at 6km and about 45 minutes of descent. You go up in the Funitel Péclet, and start the descent on the piste. Soon, you join the dedicated toboggan track, which features banked turns, and straights. It's open during the day, and Monday to Friday evenings. Read about the Val Thorens toboggan here.

Val Thorens toboggan: the toboggan run

Val Thorens has the longest toboggan run in Europe*, or at least in France. Collect your toboggan from the Chalet du Toboggan, descend for 100m or so, then take the Funitel Péclet up to an altitude of around 3000m (about 9 minutes' ride). The first part of the descent shares the skiers' piste, but very soon you're onto the toboggan run proper: it's the width of one piste-basher, and has banked walls for most of the distance.

There's 6km (3.7 miles) of exhilarating tobogganing, from 3000m, down to 2300m, and it takes around 45 minutes. (Occasionally, there's a race, and the best times are around 10 minutes). 

You can see the route of the toboggan run on the Val Thorens piste map.

Read this account of Val Thorens's toboggan run in The Telegraph.

* There's a toboggan run of 15km above Grindelwald, called the Big Pintenfritz, but it requires a 2 1/2 h walk to get to the top.

Val Thorens toboggan: videos

Here's a short video of the toboggan run, produced by Val Thorens tourist office:

And there's a video of the 'Luge Cup', the race open to everyone, 2008 edition:

Tobogganing for children in Val Thorens

There's also a free tobogganing area for small children (over 2 years) on the place de Caron; and a 250m toboggan run for 6 to 10 year olds next to the Castor & Pollux magic carpets, called the Piste of Stars. (You can go back up on the magic carpets, which run during the day, and are free).

Val Thorens toboggan: times, prices and contact

All the prices and practical information are on pages 10 to 12 of the lift company's price booklet.

Daytime

• open 12.15 to 4.30pm Monday to Friday, and 10am to 4pm (4.30pm from 10th February) Saturday & Sunday
• €15.50 for one descent, including toboggan and helmet rental
• €23.50 for two descents on the same day
• buy your tickets and take your toboggan from the Chalet du Toboggan

Evening

• open Monday to Friday evenings, weather permitting
• the Chalet du Toboggan is open between and 5 and 6pm (6.30pm from 10th February, when the lift times change)
• last Funitel Péclet up is 6.15pm (6.45pm from 10th Feb)
• €23.50 for an evening descent (includes vin chaud or hot chocolate and some Beaufort cheese cubes at the end)
• buy your tickets from any lift pass office during the day

Children

• children 5 to 10 years (if they're less than 1m25 tall) are free, and must ride with an adult, on the adult's toboggan
• children 9 or 10 years old who are 1m25 or taller may go on a toboggan by themselves, provided they are accompanied by an adult on another toboggan
• not open to children younger than 5

Rules

• only the lift company's toboggan's can be used on the toboggan run
• helmet and gloves must be worn

Contact

• information, booking, and toboggan hire at the Chalet du Toboggan
• tel: 04 79 00 07 08