Val d’Isère has to be one of the most beautiful French ski resorts, nestled in a valley at the foot of the mountains with its chocolate-box chalets and high-end hotels spread between the central town and its outlying villages. Val d’Isère’s record of snowfall is exceptional. The snow coverage tends to be one of the best in Europe and conditions normally facilitate good skiing right to the end of the season at the beginning of May.
Originally a small farming village, Val d’Isère has developed into a modern Alpine resort while maintaining its village feel and sense of tradition. The old town of Val d’Isère consists of charming stone and wooden-clad chalets, shops and hotels, centered around a buzzing high street with a number of small hamlets on its outskirts, namely Le Cret, Le Joseray, Le Chatelard, La Legettaz and Le Laisinant.
A must-see panoramic view over the Val d’Isère, mountains Grande Sassière, Tsanteleina and Mont-Blanc, the glaciers and sources of the River Isère and Lake Chervil can be enjoyed from the Rock of Bellevarde. The 2,826-meter-high mountain is accessible by cable-car.
In Val d’Isère you can also spend time working on your skiing technique, perhaps on La face de Bellevarde. It is a World cup downhill ski course known for its steepness. Just the best and the bravest skiers are suited for this black rated course. Most of us would rather celebrate and support the skiers of The FIS Alpine Ski World Cup.
This one-of-a-kind resort has an ice driving circuit with most thrilling driving lessons and dog sledding, ice skating, paragliding, snowshoeing, ice climbing, snowmobiling and many more. The trip to Val d’Isère is incomplete without trying an Ancolie cake, subtly blended raspberry with hazelnut and a story. While building the La face de Bellevarde the people discovered that the rear alpine flower Columbine grows there. To protect its habitat the course was modified.