Val Thorens resort guide

How big is Val Thorens?

Val Thorens has 150 trails served by 32 lifts — 11th for trails 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 7,546ft at the base to 10,597ft at the top, a vertical of 3,051ft. Of the 15 resorts we track in France, that is the 7th highest, with the 12th biggest vertical.

A base above 5,906ft 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 trails 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 backcountry and 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 November 14 to May 27, about 196 days.

January is the best all-round month on the record, with an average base of 56in, 43in 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), 41 mi away in a straight line. Annecy Meythet (NCY) is 50 mi, Turin (TRN), Italy is 52 mi. 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 ticket 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.