With 180 lifts, 600 km of skiing on 330 marked pistes, The Three Valleys in the northern French Alps is probably the world’s largest ski-lift connected ski area. It’s also high altitude, snow-sure terrain with 85% of the runs being above 1800m. Unsurprisingly then, ‘Les Trois Vallées’ is home to Europe’s highest ski resort, Val Thorens, with its highest lift bringing skiers and boarders up to 3200 m ...and when nature falls short there are 2000 snow cannons to fill the gaps, especially in the lower areas of this immense ski terrain. It’s so extensive that you could spend a week and ski a different resort each day. Across the three valleys there are numerous resorts, and each valley has communities strategically located at increasing altitudes, most benefiting with direct access onto the efficient lift system. For instance in the most easterly of the valleys, Courchevel, there are 6 villages ranging from an altitude of 1,100mm at Saint Bon (where it all began in 1908) all the way up to Courchevel 1,850m. This top resort is generally regarded as the winter equivalent of St-Tropez with a very chic reputation that is mirrored in its very high concentration of luxury accommodations. including seventeen 5-star hotels and three ‘palaces’ as well as sublime chalets, michelin-star restaurants, spas and chic boutiques. Similarly, the middle valley consists of the 5 ‘Meribel’ villages starting at the traditional ‘Les Allues’ at 1,100m climbing to ‘Mottaret’ at 1,750m. The advantage of the middle valley is that you are in the heart of the terrain and you can maximise your ski touring objectives. The higher you stay, the better and more prolonged the snow conditions, and this is the essence of the most westerly valley, Belleville, which features a number of resorts culminating at 2,300m with the purpose built ski station of Val Thorens. Skiing is possible here for nearly 6 months of the year between mid-November and the beginning of May. 15
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