Val Thorens resort guide

How big is Val Thorens?

Val Thorens has 150 pistes served by 32 lifts — 11th for pistes of the 15 resorts we track in France. On lifts it ranks 14th of the 15.

How high is Val Thorens?

The lifts run from 2300m at the base to 3230m at the top, a vertical of 930m. Of the 15 resorts we track in France, that is the 7th highest, with the 12th biggest vertical.

A base above 1,800m is high by Alpine standards, so the runs back to the village hold their snow better than at lower resorts.

Is Val Thorens good for beginners or experts?

The pistes at Val Thorens split 14% beginner, 40% intermediate and 46% advanced, against an average of 27% beginner and 32% advanced across the resorts we track in France.

On those numbers it suits confident skiers and riders looking for steep terrain.

With under 15% of runs graded beginner, first-timers may find the easy terrain limited.

For off-piste, our guide documents 4 zones at Val Thorens, with the lift to take and the avalanche risk for each.

When is the ski season at Val Thorens?

Over the last ten winters Val Thorens has typically held skiable snow at mid-mountain from around 14 November to 27 May, about 196 days.

January is the best all-round month on the record, with an average base of 143cm, 108cm of new snow and 4.4 bluebird days.

What is the nearest airport to Val Thorens?

The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Chambéry Aix les Bains (CMF), 66km away in a straight line. Annecy Meythet (NCY) is 80km, Turin (TRN), Italy is 84km. Road distances are longer, often much longer in the mountains, and the nearest airport is not always the one with the most flights.

How much is a lift pass at Val Thorens?

A 6-day adult Val Thorens–Orelle costs €368 for 2026/27, or €61 a day. For value it ranks 14th of the 15 resorts we price in France.