Why ski Val D’Isere?
Posted: Thursday, September 16, 2010
by Rey Prater
Val D'Isere: A Quick Peek
Why ski Val D'Isere? Ranked as one of the top-notch ski resorts in the world. Val D'Isere offers world class skiing as host of numerous winter sporting events like the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in 2009 and the Winter Olympics way back in 1992. Val D'Isere is a village situated in the valley of Tarentaise in the Rhone-Alpes region, part of south-eastern France famous for the L'Espace Killy ski-scape. It is linked via lift with Tignes, which make up the whole L'Espace Killy area. Apres ski in the resort is great. There are dining places on and off the mountains and most of them are quite expensive but they offer remarkably good food. The place is also sprawled with accommodations and shops and activity centres for the tourists.
Val D'Isere is a little far away from the airports as compared to other ski resorts but the travelling distance is worth it once you get a taste of its world class pistes. Taking Geneva as starting point, you will be given more travel alternatives. Another major airport you can try is Lyon St Exupery. Chambery and Grenoble are also available, but connecting transports are more limited. The best mode of transportation so that you can save a good amount of bucks is going by bus or train to the resort from the airports. Train service however, is available only twice a week during Fridays and Saturdays. You can take a train from London which has direct transfer going to Bourg St Maurice so that you can reach Val D'Isere. Bus transfers require reservations in advance to avoid the rush and queue.
Driving a car, whether your own personal four wheel drive or a rental, will mean more opportunities to explore along the way especially in nearby resorts. The downside however, is expensive parking fees and pre-booking hassles for the parking lot. You can travel for twelve hours from the Calais and pass through Lyon and Chambery going to Albertsville to get closer to Val D'Isere. Prepare up to 66 for the toll fees when you trek the French motorways.
Val D'Isere: Ski Facts
Here are other things you need to know why you need to ski at Val D'Isere:
Highest lift: 3450 m (11319 ft)
Lowest Lift: 1550 m (5085 ft)
Total vertical drop: 1900 m
Piste Length: 300 kilometres
Longest run: 10 kilometres
Snow Cannons: 378
Cross country: 44 kilometres
Total Lifts and Mountain Railways: 90
Snow Park: 2
The resort is conducive for intermediate and professional skiing with areas allotted for learners too. It has twenty five black runs, forty six red runs, sixty one blue runs, and 22 green runs. The ski lifts can cater to 68,500 skiers and snow boarders at an hourly rate. It can also augment snow for a span of 30 metres of ski trails. It also provides good off pistes and is practical snow sure all throughout the season because of its high altitude. The snow parks are also great and it good for family ski outings.
Accommodation
You can choose from a variety of accommodations in Val D'Isere from budget-friendly hostels to upmarket chalets and hotels. You can also stay in ski in, ski out lodges, but most of them are a little distantly located from the slopes. The village is still lively even at night because of the many resort activities made available to the tourists. Val D'Isere had once had its fair share of poor quality buildings, but the infrastructures had been appropriately renovated and improved throughout the years. Notable hotels are Le Blizzard, Scott Dunn, and Le Chardon Mountain Lodges if you prefer luxurious accommodation for your ski getaway.
A cheaper lodging choice especially if you are going as a family is getting an accommodation at the La Daille village, which has more affordable rates as compared to Val D'Isere. Another alternative is Le Fornet, the village in the other side of the valley which has undergone stringent measures after an avalanche that nearly obliterated the whole place. Accommodation here however, is also a little bit costly.
Cost
If you are still thinking why you should ski Val D'Isere, you might as well check the expenses you might make in the resort.
Local Lift Prices:
Highest adult pass for 1 day: CHF41
Highest adult pass for 6 days: CHF198.50
Highest child pass for 1 day: CHF33.50
Highest child pass for 6 days: CHF59.00
Equipment Rentals
Boots and Skis: CHF74.40 (economy price range)
CHF180 (platinum price range)
Best Accommodation Deals:
Club Med Val d'Isere Rate for seven-day stay: 925 (less 120 this season)
Moris - Rate for seven-day stay: 499
Club Med Val d'Isere - Rate for seven-day stay: 1,294 (less 120 this season)
Iseran - Rate for seven-day stay: 769 (less 50 this season)
Premiere Neige - Rate for seven-day stay: 859
The author usually writes opinion pieces about skiing, boarding and finding good deals for ski holidays. You can get more about weekend skiing breaks holiday ski apartments . Read more about Europe ski holidays, ski breaks and weekend skiing breaks.
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