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Great, bigger, bigger! Les Trois Vallées is the largest interconnected ski area in the world with no less than 600 kilometres of pistes! It is a true paradise for advanced skiers. Think of challenging pistes and opportunities for long trips and off-piste routes. Beginners can choose from various green and blue pistes. In addition, the skigebied very child friendly. Due to the high altitude, the snow is excellent. Winter sports can be done from mid-December until late spring. Also for winter hiking, cross-country skiing and tobogganing, the skiing area Les Trois Vallées is excellent.
Cozy après-ski is also very good in Les Trois Vallées. Especially Val Thorens is known for its festive and exuberant après-ski. And also in several other villages there is plenty of fun to find. In short, Les Trois Vallées offers many winter sports opportunities, excellent snow conditions, lots of fun and of course beautiful views.
You may wonder if beginners and children need such a large ski area. It is a good option for them to buy a cheaper ski pass only for the Val Thorens-Orelle sub-areas, the Méribel sub-area or the Les Menuires-Saint Martin sub-areas, for example. Children up to 5 years of age ski for free. Youth rates up to 13 years of age apply to the ski pass. Senior citizens also receive a discount. In the low season the ski pass rates are lower and you can also opt for special family packages. The Tribe ski pass, for example, is a pass for groups of 3 persons or more.
The characteristics of the Les Trois Vallées ski area are shown in the table below. Here you will also find a link to the piste map of the ski area with the location of Val Thorens, Les Menuires, Méribel and the other villages.
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Special features of the Les Trois Vallées ski area |
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| Highest point | 3230 metres |
| Lowest point | 900 meters |
| Total kilometres of pistes | 600 |
| Green slopes | 40 kilometers |
| Blue slopes | 272 kilometers |
| Red slopes | 216 kilometers |
| Black slopes | 72 kilometers |
| Villages | Val Thorens, Les Menuires, Méribel Mottaret,
Saint Martin de Belleville, Méribel, Courchevel, Brides les Bains, La Tania, Orelle |
| Snow security | Very high |
| Après-ski possibilities | Very good |
| Child-Friendliness | Good |
| Oportunities for beginners | Good |
| advanced options | Very good |
| Post ski pass (6 days) in 2018 | € 300 |
| Ski lesson costs (4 days x 3 hours) | € 150 - € 250 |
| Cost lunch on the slopes | € 7 - € 40 |
| Best travel period | December to March |
| Travel time from Chambéry airport | 1 hour |
| Distance to Utrecht | Only 1080 kilometres |
| Pistecards | Pistecards |
In Les Trois Vallées you will find several villages. The most famous villages in the ski area are Val Thorens, Les Menuires and Méribel. The other villages are Méribel Mottaret, Saint Martin de Belleville, Courchevel, Brides les Bains, La Tania and Orelle. Val Thorens is centrally located at an altitude of 2300 meters. It is a real ski in - ski out village between the slopes. From your apartment you step into the snow and you can go in all directions.
Méribel is beautifully central and sunny in the skiing area of Les Trois Vallées
Brides-les-Bains is an old spa. Very atmospheric and also cheaper than many other villages in Les Trois Vallées. One of the most recent ski villages is La Tania. Modern high-rise, but beautiful and pleasant. Orelle is a small village. Lovely quiet on the edge of the ski area and cheap. In the table below are the characteristics of each village included.
| Village | Height (m) | Downhill | Lift | Snow | Price | Authentic village | Après-ski | Kid | Achievable |
| Val Thorens | 2300 | + | + | ++ | - | - | ++ | +/- | - |
| Les Menuires | 1800 | + | + | ++ | + | - | + | +/- | - |
| Méribel Mottaret | 1750 | + | + | ++ | +/- | +/- | + | + | +/- |
| Saint Martin de Belleville | 1400 | + | + | + | +/- | + | - | + | +/- |
| Méribel | 1400 | + | + | + | - | + | + | + | +/- |
| Courchevel | 1850 | + | + | ++ | - | + | + | + | +/- |
| Brides les Bains | 600 | - | + | + | + | + | - | +/- | +/- |
| La Tania | 1350 | + | + | + | + | +/- | - | + | +/- |
| Orelle | 900 | - | + | + | + | +/- | - | - | + |
We say it again: Les Trois Vallées is the largest interconnected ski area in the world. It won't surprise you that the variety of pistes is great. You won't get bored. You can visit the high mountains of Val Thorens and enjoy beautiful views. And also beautiful valley descents between the snowy treetops are among the possibilities. The most beautiful forest descents can be found at Courchevel and Méribel. Night skiing on a floodlit piste is also quite an experience and can be done in several villages.
Beginners are well placed in Les Trois Vallées. Plenty of easy green and blue slopes to choose from. Even with a little winter sports experience it is possible to make beautiful trips through the area. For beginners, the Secteur Zen at Courchevel is a lovely and quiet 'zen' piste to practice. The skiing area Les Trois Vallées is a paradise for the advanced winter sportsman. Here you will find several beautiful red and black runs with a lot of difference in altitude. The variation is enormous.
There are also many off-piste possibilities. Both off-piste and in no-man's-land. Several ski schools offer freeride tours. Tours can of course also be made in the largest ski area in the world. Do for example the infamous Grand Tour de Trois Vallées along 3 valleys and 5 peaks! In Courchevel is the black slope Grand Couloir. This is a steep and narrow descent, often with big buckles. Highly recommended for advanced skiers and snowboarders.
There are hardly any flat areas in this large ski area. Fine, because that means that you seldom have to prick or step. In addition to skiing and snowboarding, there is much more to experience in Les Trois Vallées. The skiing area is also ideal for winter hiking, cross-country skiing and tobogganing. In Val Thorens you will find the world's highest zip line: the Tyrolienne. Just like the longest toboggan run in France: Le Toboggan. The Speed Mountain in Les Menuires is also a must: an adventurous descent on mechanical sledges.
Downhill from Speed Mountain at Les Menuires
Les Trois Vallées is a child-friendly ski area. You will find several children's countries with children's meadows, special children's slopes with gates to ski under, modern and safe lifts and a number of ski schools with Dutch ski instructors. However, it can be very cold because of the high altitude. Especially in December, January and March. Nice and warm packing so those little ones!
Children don't need such a large ski area of course. Are you an experienced skier or boarder as a parent? Then Les Trois Vallées is an excellent choice for winter sports. Your children will have a great time here. And as a parent you can go on an adventure of your own. The area is too big for young children with more experience to go out on their own. The most child-friendly villages in the ski area are:
Orelle has no slopes in the village and is therefore not suitable for children. For the nearest children's slope you have to take the gondola up from Orelle for a quarter of an hour.
Also after mid-March it is still fine to stay in the area. The high altitude slopes are fine until well into the spring. In addition, the temperatures are a bit higher after mid-March and you have a better chance of sunshine. Val Thorens, Les Menuires, Méribel and the other villages are at quite an altitude. Especially in Val Thorens, Les Menuires, Courchevel and Méribel Mottaret is almost the entire winter white.
Après-ski is of course part of winter sports in France. In the villages of Val Thorens, Les Menuires, Méribel, Méribel Mottaret and Courchevel you will find several cosy après-ski tents and bars. The festive après-ski in Val Thorens is a true concept. Val Thorens is actually the only village in France where the après-ski comes close to the Austrian après-ski. Here you can enjoy a good party until the late hours. Enjoy the fun on the slopes or visit one of the bars or nightlife in the village.
Val Thorens is popular among the Dutch. Especially at the end of the season, during the so-called Dutchweek, it literally sees orange in the ski area. A popular après-ski bar on the slopes near Val Thorens is La Folie Douce. In the village you can visit the Snowcafé or the disco Malaysia.
Après-ski at La Folie Douce in Val Thorens
The après-ski in Les Menuires, Méribel, Méribel Mottaret and Courchevel is also fine. Not as exuberant as in Val Thorens, but it is certainly cosy. Think about a drink in a pub, listening to live music or the feet of the floor. In Méribel you will find a second Foil Douce on the slopes. Courchevel is known for its chic atmosphere. There are several exclusive clubs such as L'Arc, champagne bars and art galleries. In the other villages in the Les Trois Vallées ski area, the après-ski doesn't get any further than having a drink somewhere.
In the skiing area Les Trois Vallées you will find several ski schools. Each ski school has different rates. Skiing or snowboarding lessons are a must when you go on winter sports for the first time. Even if you want to learn the technique better, lessons are recommended. You can choose for group lessons or private lessons. Count on between € 150 and € 250 for 4 days of lessons of about 3 hours. Private lessons will cost you about € 250 for 4 hours. There are often cheap package holidays including ski lessons. Then you are a bit cheaper from
In Les Trois Vallées you can really eat and drink anything on the slopes. Think fries, salad, tartiflette, cheese fondue or a good piece of meat. You'll find large pistes restaurants, but also several authentic mountain huts. Prices vary widely, but are generally quite high. Drinks are often a nice expense. For a normal lunch it is best to spend less than 20 euros. Provided you don't drink a lot, look up the self-service and choose for an easy bite. A hot dog for example or a soup. In more luxurious restaurants it is better to count on a few tens. If you also drink a lot, the costs will quickly increase considerably.
Les Trois Vallées is a large, varied and snow guaranteed ski area. And this is reflected in the prices of many accommodations and the Les Trois Vallées ski pass. During a winter sports holiday to Les Trois Vallées you generally lose more money than if you choose another ski area in France. In the skiing area Les Trois Vallées you can stay in an apartment, chalet, guesthouse or hotel. Are you satisfied with an old apartment in one of the cheaper villages in Les Trois Vallées? Then winter sports don't have to be expensive at all.
Can't you be luxurious enough and price is not a problem? Then choose a five star hotel in Courchevel, for example the L'Apogée Courchevel. Between such an old apartment and such a luxury star hotel there are several options in Les Trois Vallées.
Travel organizations often offer advantageous package prices, allowing you to reduce costs slightly. Especially for Les Menuires there are often very attractive package prices. You can also save costs by choosing a cheaper ski pass for a subarea such as Val Thorens, Méribel or Les Menuires. Les Trois Vallées is very popular and it can be busy. Especially at the lifts in the villages at the beginning of the day. Fortunately, the village has very fast modern lifts. Skiing or snowboarding you never do alone on the slopes, but you rarely have to wait for a lift.
To reach the ski resort of Les Trois Vallées, take the motorway via France to Albertville. Then you take a through road and possibly a mountain road to your destination. From the main road, a narrow and winding mountain road takes you to Saint Martin de Belleville, then Les Menuires and then Val Thorens. It is wise to follow the signs. Navigation systems will want you to follow a very creative route.
From Albertville it's often busy. Especially during changeover days and when there is a lot of snow. The advice: make sure you arrive early. In addition, winter tyres are recommended. Also put a set of snow chains in the trunk. The skiing area Les Trois Vallées is easy to reach by train or plane. The airport of Chambéry is an hour's drive away. The Thalys takes you all the way to the Moûtiers train station. From here you can continue your journey by bus or taxi. Check the site of NS International for travel times. A bus trip from the Netherlands can be booked through various organizations.
Are you going on an adventure to the largest interconnected ski area in the world? Book your winter sports holiday to Les Trois Vallées and enjoy the multitude of pistes, conviviality and beautiful views that the three valleys have to offer. The area is also a must in the other seasons.
