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Valmorel - Valmorel is the main ski area in the Grand Domaine ski region that offers over 150 km of piste. The resort is aimed at intermediate skiiers, although beginners will find some nice easy runs on which to learn.
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Advanced skiiers may not have too many runs to keep them occupied however there is some off-piste skiing if counditions permit. It is also worth noting that the resort is relatively low at 1400m and can suffer from a lack of snow that prevents you skiing to your door. Also, the lift system could do with an upgrade to speed things up. Off the piste the resort is surprisingly sympathetic for a purpose built resort and there is ample slope side accomodation. Night life is OK, not as lively as some resorts but there are plenty of bars that will quench your thirst.
Discover one of the Alpes hidden treasures. Valmorel creates a welcoming family environment offering charm and character within its compact village. Its ski area is a gem for beginners and intermediate skiers while still offering exciting skiing for those more advanced.
Resorts close toValmorel include: Brides Les Bains (10 km), Saint François Longchamp (10 km), St Martin de Belleville (10 km), La Tania (12 km) and Meribel (15 km).
Resort recommended for:
Beginners, Intermediates, Snowboarding, Families, Purpose-built convenience, Romantic/charming, Ski to door
Nearest airports/stations:
Chambéry - 1 hour
Moûtiers - 0.5 hours
Valmorel Resort Description
Snow Range:
1400-2550m
Village Heights
1,400m (4,593ft)
Highest Lift
2,550m (8,415ft)
Valmorel is an ideal family resort with a traffic free village centre and doorstep skiing from all areas. The ski area itself is a real intermediates playground with 152km of wonderfully groomed pistes. Furthermore beginners benefit from Valmorel's specially reserved beginners' ski area. Although the resort itself is purpose built, the village is designed in a traditional style with pretty wood clad buildings and is made up of several “hameaux” or hamlets.
Valmorel Apres Ski:
A good range of tempting restaurants and cafes, Set 3-course menu for around €20, fondues from €25 including wine and dessert, lunchtime plat du jour around 10€:
La Cordee or Pierce Neige for French cuisine
Pizzaria du Bourg for mouth-watering pizzas cooked in a wood burning oven
Le Petit Savoyard for fondues and other traditional Savoyard specialities
Jimbo Lolos for a mexican flavour.
Friendly and fun-loving resort with lots of atmosphere:
Petit Savoyard restaurant with a warm ambience
La Cordee with its French atmosphere
Hotel du Bourg bar for a cosy drink around an open fire
Le Clover discotheque and karaoke bar
Cafe de La Gare with occasional dancing on the tables
Jimbo Lolos, the place to shoot tequila
Activities:
Parapenting
Tobogganing
Marked walking trails
Cinema with occasional English films
Beautiful walks down the valley through old Savoyard villages to Les Avanchers
Small open market once a week
Occasional pageant evenings and music recitals
Music festivals
Children's festivals
Baroque Art tours
Resort altitude: 1400m
On the snow: top: 2550m - bottom: 1400m
Lifts in area: 52 (2 cableways, 14 chairs, 36 drags)
Lift pass: Grand Domaine (covers Valmorel, Doucy Combelouvière and Saint François Longchamp) adult €167, child 5–12yrs €108.50–142, all for 6 days
Trails/pistes: 151km
GREEN RUNS 28
BLUE RUNS 32
RED RUNS 15
BLACK RUNS 8
DRAG LIFTS 36
CHAIR LIFTS 14
GONDOLAS 2
Pleasant purpose-built unsophisticated resort with good nursery slopes and modest intermediate skiing. Suits families with young children
Valmorel is an attractive ski resort that was developed in 1976 almost in architectural protest at the concrete horrors perpetrated a decade earlier elsewhere. It was constructed in a style sympathetic to its mountain setting and over the years it has matured into a family-friendly resort. The large ski area extends into the Maurienne Valley and to the not-so-attractive resort of St François Longchamp. It is also linked with the little beginner resort of Doucy Combelouvière.
Mountain
The skiing stretches in one direction to the 1981m Col du Gollet and to the other across a gorge mainly intermediate terrain in the Maurienne. The nursery slopes are exceptionially good. The area also lends itself to some excellent off-piste that remains untracked for days after a fresh fall. The snowpark has a half-pipe and boardercross course.
Learn
ESF, t +33 (0)479 09 81 86 is the main school, which has a solid reputation, and most instructors speak English. Independent instructors include Marie-Thérèse Hemart, t +33 (0)479 09 84 67.
Lunch
L'Altipiano, t +33 (0)479 09 86 31 has à la carte specialities, while The Banquoise 2000, t +33 (0)479 59 10 60 is rustic with a log fire. Les Mazots, t +33 (0)479 59 10 01 has Savoyard specials including croûte au fromage, and L'Alpage, t +33 (0)479 09 83 81 is a recommended self-service.
Dine
La Grange, t +33 (0)479 09 82 51 offers grilled Savoyarde cuisine, and La Marmite, t +33 (0)479 09 83 19 has a cosy atmosphere. L'Aigle Blanc, t +33 (0)479 09 83 76, in the forest outside the village, has local dishes. Le Jimbo Lolo, t +33 (0)479 09 82 13 serves tapas and Tex-Mex in a South American atmosphere, Chez Albert, t +33 (0)479 09 81 77 offers wood-fired pizzas, and Le Petit Savoyard, t +33 (0)479 06 90 22 has more sophisticated fare.
Party
Le Ski Roc is a wine bar, and La Cordée has music. Les Nuits Blanches is a disco with two separate rooms called Le Before and L'after.
Children
Les Piou Piou is a children's club run by the ESF, which accepts non-skiers from 18 months and skiers from three to six years.
APRÈS SKI
The atmosphere in Valmorel is informal and suits families and those looking for a more relaxed après ski scene.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
For the non-skier there is plenty to do including snowmobiling, snow shoeing, sleigh rides, icefall climbing, a cinema, evening rides with donkeys, and a visit to the Kanata Igloo village. Well-being and relaxation await you at the Valmoforme centre where there are saunas, steam rooms, massages and treatments.
Reviews
1 December 07, 2005 - 04:12 PM
Lionel Griffiths from UNITED KINGDOM
I learned to ski in Valmorel at the age of 39. The slopes are very forgiving for beginners but are also challenging for better skiers such as my partner who has been skiing since she was 17. A note of caution however, the Planchamp piste under the Altispace chairlift is quite steep for beginners and will take a little courage to tackle, but there is a blue run down to the right of it which is easier. Take a ski trip to Doucy for a coffee at the Blizzard cafe, looking back up the valley to Valmorel - fantastic easy cruising down a snow road.
The pistes at the top of the Altispace chairlift are a playground for all skiers, but ladies beware the draglifts at the base of these pistes as they are very fierce on "take off". Take the chair if you are of a nervous disposition! Other than that, Valmorel is a lovely place, very quiet for families and couples. You can ski for hours then take Les Traverses home to the village in about 10 minutes. We have been twice and will return in the future. Give it a try for Christmas for the huge firework display.
2 September 19, 2005 - 07:18 AM
Ben from NETHERLANDS
This ski resort is very beautiful. Though it is smaller then, for example Val Thorens, it has similar facilities. There is a wide variety of slopes, so beginning skiers and boarders can also have al lot of fun. For the more experienced skier or boarder there are several difficult slopes. The village itself is very cozy. There are al lot of nice bars and restaurants.
Overall, the resort is very good for both the beginning skier and boarder as well as the more experienced skier and boarder.
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