Val Thorens snow history

10 years of snow depth, snowfall and conditions at Savoie, France · 7,546ft to 10,597ft

Over the last 10 seasons Val Thorens, France has averaged 231in of snowfall, a peak snow depth of 84in, 9 powder days and 26 bluebird days a year, with skiable cover from around November 14 to May 27.

Snow history & climate

10-year averages for Val Thorens

231 in
Snowfall / season
Nov-May total
84 in
Peak depth
typical season high
9
Powder days
6in+ in a day
26
Bluebird days
sun after snow
16
Rain days
0.04in+ of rain
192
Skiable days
12in+ cover

Month by month

Monthly averages

Average snowfall, snow depth, rain, sunshine and day counts by month at Val Thorens, over the last 10 seasons.
MonthSnowfallAvg depthRainSun/dayTempPowderBluebirdRain days
Jan42 in56 in0in6.1 h19° / 6°2.14.40.3
Feb27 in65 in0.1in7.3 h24° / 10°1.33.30.3
Mar35 in72 in0.1in8.2 h25° / 10°1.33.90.3
Apr23 in63 in0.2in9.9 h30° / 17°0.52.61.5
May22 in36 in1.5in10.5 h37° / 22°0.53.710.0
Jun2 in4 in3.5in12.3 h50° / 33°0.00.017.4
Jul0 in0 in2.8in12.9 h54° / 37°0.00.014.1
Aug2 in0 in3in11.6 h54° / 37°0.10.113.7
Sep5 in0 in2.4in9.8 h47° / 30°0.20.110.1
Oct13 in1 in2.4in7.9 h39° / 24°0.30.88.6
Nov33 in15 in0.6in6.3 h26° / 12°1.04.12.4
Dec48 in40 in0.1in5.5 h21° / 9°2.74.00.9

Averages across the last 10 seasons. Powder, bluebird and rain columns are the average number of such days per month.

Season by season

SeasonSnowfallPeak depthPowder daysBluebird daysSkiable days
2025/26191 in88 in925178
2024/25195 in67 in814179
2023/24280 in93 in832212
2022/23210 in63 in622186
2021/22189 in68 in1018178
2020/21221 in66 in731172
2019/20275 in112 in1832203
2018/19237 in91 in928212
2017/18best328 in109 in1532201
2016/17leanest189 in82 in426200
How these numbers are calculated
  • Powder day — at least 6in of new snow in 24 hours.
  • Bluebird day — sunshine for at least 60% of daylight, following at least 4in of snow over the previous 3 days.
  • Rain day — at least 0.04in of rain (not snow) at this elevation.
  • Skiable day — at least 12in of settled snow on the ground.
  • Snow depth is modelled from Open-Meteo / ERA5 reanalysis at 9,072ft, not measured at the resort. Use it to compare seasons and resorts; use the resort's own report for today's conditions.

How Val Thorens compares

Measured against 39 other resorts across 18 countries, each analysed exactly the same way. The line down the middle of each bar is the median.

Snowfall per season
among the very best we track
231 in
Ahead of 95% of resortsMedian 107 in

Total new snow between November and May.

Peak snow depth
among the very best we track
84 in
Ahead of 92% of resortsMedian 33 in

How deep the settled base gets at its yearly high.

Powder days
among the very best we track
9
Ahead of 95% of resortsMedian 2

Days with 6in or more of new snow.

Bluebird days
among the very best we track
26
Ahead of 97% of resortsMedian 9

Sun and fresh snow on the same day.

Rain days
well below average
16
Drier than 85% of resortsMedian 32

Days with 0.04in or more of rain, not snow.

Skiable days
well above average
192
Ahead of 87% of resortsMedian 114

Days holding 12in or more of settled snow.

The season at Val Thorens

Typical stretch holding 12in or more of settled snow, averaged over the record.

SepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAug
Cover arrives
November 14
Season ends
May 27
Days of cover
196 days

When to go

These rarely land in the same month, so it is worth deciding which one matters most before you book.

Deepest base
March
72in average depth
Most new snow
December
48in and 2.7 powder days
Best bluebird odds
January
4.4 bluebird days, 6.1h sun a day
Wettest month
May
10.0 rain days

Is Val Thorens a good place to ski or board?

heavy snowfalla deep, reliable basefrequent powder daysplenty of bluebird daysvery little raina long season

On 10 years of record, Val Thorens stands out for heavy snowfall, a deep, reliable base, frequent powder days, plenty of bluebird days, very little rain and a long season.

Figures are modelled at 9,072ft from reanalysis data and describe an average year, not a forecast.

Val Thorens snow record in detail

How much snow does Val Thorens get?

Val Thorens averages 231in of snowfall over a full season, measured from November to May across the last 10 winters. That is among the very best we track: more snow than 95% of 39 resorts we have analysed the same way, where the median season brings 107in.

Season to season the spread is wide. The best of the last 10 winters was 2017/18 with 328in, and the leanest was 2016/17 with 189in — a difference of 140in between a good year and a poor one. The most recent complete season, 2025/26, delivered 191in.

December is reliably the snowiest month, averaging 48in and 13 days with fresh snow.

How deep does the snow get at Val Thorens?

Snowfall totals flatter resorts that lose their snow quickly, so the more useful number is how deep the settled base actually gets. At Val Thorens the snowpack peaks at an average of 84in each season. That is among the very best we track, deeper than 92% of 39 resorts we have analysed the same way, against a median peak of 33in.

The base is deepest in March, averaging 72in through the month and topping out around 81in in a typical year.

How many powder days does Val Thorens get?

Counting any day that delivers at least 6in of new snow, Val Thorens averages 9 powder days a season. That is among the very best we track, more powder days than 95% of 39 resorts we have analysed the same way, where the median is 2 a season.

December has the most, 2.7 on average.

How often does Val Thorens get bluebird days?

Val Thorens averages 26 bluebird days a season — days of sunshine for at least 60% of daylight after 4in or more of fresh snow. That is among the very best we track, more than 97% of 39 resorts we have analysed the same way, against a median of 9.

January is the best month for it, averaging 4.4 bluebird days and 6.1 hours of sunshine a day.

Does it rain at Val Thorens?

At mid-mountain Val Thorens sees an average of 16 days a season with 0.04in or more of rain rather than snow. That is well below average: 15% of the 39 other resorts we have analysed the same way see fewer wet days, against a median of 32.

May is the wettest month of the season, with 10.0 rain days and 1.5in on average.

When is the best time to ski or board Val Thorens, and when does the season end?

Val Thorens typically holds at least 12in of settled snow from around November 14 through to May 27, which works out at roughly 196 days of skiable cover in an average year. 192 of those fall inside the November to May season. On season length that is well above average compared with the 39 other resorts we have analysed the same way.

For the deepest base, go in March; for the most new snow, December; for fresh snow with sunshine, January.

Comparisons use 39 resorts across 18 countries, each measured over 5 recent seasons at mid-mountain height. Glaciated locations, where the model never melts the snow out, are excluded. Figures for Val Thorens are taken at 9,072ft. Corpus last rebuilt September 2, 2026.

Val Thorens month by month

What to expect in each month of the season, from the same ten-year record. Figures are averages for mid-mountain; a good or poor winter can move them a long way.

Val Thorens in November

Base building

November is when the base starts to build, averaging 15in and deepening towards its March peak. It brings 33in of new snow in an average year, with 12 snow days and 1 powder days. Average highs are 26°F and lows 12°F, with 6.3 hours of sunshine a day and 4.1 bluebird days. Expect the odd wet day — 2.4 on average at mid-mountain.

Val Thorens in December

Base building

Through December the base keeps building, to an average of 40in. It is the snowiest month of the season, with 48in of new snow on average, 13 snow days and 2.7 powder days. Average highs are 21°F and lows 9°F, with 5.5 hours of sunshine a day and 4 bluebird days. Rain is rare: under two days in a typical December.

Val Thorens in January

Best all round

Through January the base keeps building, to an average of 56in. It is the second-snowiest month of the season, with 43in of new snow on average, 13 snow days and 2.1 powder days. Average highs are 19°F and lows 6°F, with 6.1 hours of sunshine a day and 4.4 bluebird days, the most of any month. Taking cover, fresh snow, sunshine and rain together, it is the best all-round month at Val Thorens.

Val Thorens in February

Base building

By February the base is close to its March peak, averaging 65in. It brings 27in of new snow in an average year, with 10 snow days and 1.3 powder days. Average highs are 24°F and lows 10°F, with 7.3 hours of sunshine a day and 3.3 bluebird days.

Val Thorens in March

Deepest base

March is when the base at Val Thorens is at its deepest, averaging 72in through the month and peaking around 81in in a typical year. It is the third-snowiest month of the season, with 35in of new snow on average, 12 snow days and 1.3 powder days. Average highs are 25°F and lows 10°F, with 8.2 hours of sunshine a day and 3.9 bluebird days.

Val Thorens in April

Still deep

April still has a deep base, averaging 63in — only a little down on the March peak. It brings 23in of new snow in an average year, with 10 snow days and 0.5 powder days. Average highs are 30°F and lows 17°F, with 9.9 hours of sunshine a day and 2.6 bluebird days. Expect the odd wet day — 1.5 on average at mid-mountain.

Val Thorens in May

Late season

In May the base averages 37in, past its March peak of 72in and thinning. It brings 22in of new snow in an average year, with 9 snow days and 0.5 powder days. Average highs are 37°F and lows 22°F, with 10.5 hours of sunshine a day and 3.7 bluebird days. Rain is a real risk: 10 days with rain rather than snow at mid-mountain in an average May.

How Val Thorens compares with nearby resorts

Of Val Thorens and the 4 nearest resorts with a ten-year record, Val Thorens ranks first for snowfall, with 231in a season. Every one of its neighbours gets less.

Valmorel has the most powder days (10 a season, against 9 here); Méribel builds the deepest base (86in against 84in); and Val Thorens also gets the most bluebird days.

Each resort is measured at its own mid-mountain height, so part of any difference is altitude: a resort modelled 1,640ft higher will usually hold more snow. The table shows the height each figure comes from.

Ten-year snow averages for Val Thorens and the nearest resorts with a record
ResortDistanceMeasured atSnowfallPeak basePowder daysBluebird days
Val Thorens—9,072ft231in84in926
Méribel8 mi6,647ft228in86in924
Courchevel9 mi6,296ft228in85in923
Valmorel12 mi6,480ft222in72in1024
Bardonecchia, Italy16 mi6,663ft183in74in723

Distances are straight-line. Season averages, November to May, over the last ten winters.

More on Val Thorens

Ski resorts near Val Thorens

Distances are straight-line, not by road.