Val d'Isère Ski Holidays
Enjoy one of the world's premier resorts with a ski holiday in Val d'Isère from Scott Dunn:
- Luxury Val d'Isère holidays bespoke to you
- Access to ski schools
- Local experts to elevate your experience
- 24/7 customer support for a seamless service
From the famous ‘La Face’ black run to the fabulous après scene, the resort of Val d’Isère in the French Alps is a pleasing mix of superb skiing and lively chic. Located in the expansive Espace Killy, together with Tignes, the area enjoys a good snow record and boasts a huge variety of terrain, making the skiing virtually limitless.
Our Val d'Isère holidays can be tailored to suit your needs, regardless of your level of ability. Beginners can enjoy easy runs and a superb choice of ski schools, while more advanced skiers will love the blue, red, black and tree runs and, on a powder day, exhilarating off-piste. Val d'Isère offers 10,000 hectares of skiing with 300km of groomed pistes and with 60% of the pistes above 2,200m, there is almost guaranteed snow cover from the end of November to the beginning of May.
The village itself dates back to 1664, giving it far more character than most other high-altitude resorts. Val d’Isère has always had a reputation as a great place to party but over the past decade, it has seen a steady improvement in the quality of accommodation, shops and restaurants to make it a little more refined.
It can now claim an offering to compete with the world’s best, so our Val d'Isère ski holidays can provide you with a level of luxury that will make for an unforgettable stay. Here, you'll find everything you need to know about the choice of hotels in Val d'Isère, the skiing conditions as well as things to do in the resort.
"A must-do is heading to Gigi's Restaurant at Le Refuge de Solaise. The views are spectacular up at 2,500m and there is no better place to enjoy a Tartiflette and glass of rosé in the sun!"
Miranda Bird, Travel Specialist
Family-Friendly Val d'Isère Ski Holidays
Looking to ski Val d'Isère with the family? The resort has the Famille Plus label while facilities include slow skiing zones for a safe learning environment as well as events and entertainment organised by the resort. The new Solaise area features a high-altitude space for beginners with magic carpets plus a Day Lodge with spectacular views (especially from the toilets!) and offers families convenient features such as a cafe, picnic area, moving picture display and a tiered-seating mini cinema with DVDs.
Skiing in Val d'Isère: What you need to know
- Resort altitude: 1850m
- Highest point: 3480m
- Vertical drop: 1930m
- Ski areas: Espace Killy, combining Tignes and Val d’Isère
- Pistes: 300km (of which 57% beginner/intermediate, 25% advanced, 18% expert)
- Lifts: 96
- Best for: Advanced and expert skiers, although there is also plenty to keep beginners and intermediates entertained. Quite a lot of the blue runs are on the upper slopes.
Luxury Hotels and Ski Chalets in Val d'Isère
Our Val d'Isère hotels feature ski-in, ski-out locations in some of the resort's prime spots. Meanwhile, we have chalets that sleep up to 16 – perfect for group ski holidays to Val d'Isère surrounded by your friends and family.
Les Barmes de l’Ours
Val d`Isère, France
Les Barmes de l'Ours is a stylish and luxurious 5* hotel in Val d'Isere. Located at the foot of the Face de Bellevarde piste, it successfully combines state of the art facilities with the warm charm of a traditional alpine mountain hotel.
Le Yule Hotel & Spa
Val d’Isère, France
Hotel le Yule is a five star luxury Scandinavian in style hotel, the 41 room Le Yule has a prime ski-in/ski-out location right on the 'front de neige' in Val d'Isère.
Blizzard
Val d’Isère, France
The sophisticated Blizzard Hotel is situated in the heart of Val d'Isère. From the moment you walk in the door the warm alpine atmosphere welcomes you. The alpine style rooms, rustic bar and outstanding relaxation facilities makes you feel at home.
Chalet Inoko
Val d`Isère, France
Chalet Inoko boasts a magical alpine setting, surrounded by a snowy forest backdrop and overlooking the charming Savoyard village of Val d’Isère. Ideal for families or groups, the chalet comfortably sleeps up to 14 guests in six elegant bedrooms.
Chalet Genepy
Val d`Isère, France - Sleeps 10+2
Chalet Genepy is in an exclusive estate in Val d'Isère, with a fabulous indoor pool set into rock and split level spacious accommodation ideal for families or groups. Sleeps 10 + 2.
Chalet Machapuchare
Val d`Isère, France
Nestled in the secluded mountaintop hamlet of Le Crêt, Chalet Machapuchare boasts total privacy within a three-minute drive of lively Val d’Isère. Superb facilities and clever design make this an exceptional Alpine haven for up to 15 guests.
Chalet 1855
Val d`Isère, France
Designed for sociable relaxation, this indulgent Val d'Isère retreat makes a superb base to enjoy with family and friends, with chic alpine décor, cosy throws, blazing fire, and cinema room, along with superb wellness facilities including an indoor pool.
Chalet 1850
Val d`Isère, France
Welcome to alpine chic at Chalet 1850, nestled in an exclusive enclave on the forest edge, just moments from the resort centre. Boasting luxury alpine living with elegant interior design, spa facilities and immaculate rooms, sleeping 8-12 guests.
Chalet Yeti
Val d`Isère, France
Nestled at the foot of Val d'Isère’s iconic Face de Bellevarde, sleeping 10 guests, this is the perfect getaway for a large family or group of friends. With five guest rooms, a cinema room, Hamman and indoor pool, and a dedicated concierge service.
Christiania
Val d`Isère, France
The Christiania is located in the heart of Val d'Isère and just 100m from the main lifts. With its open fire and friendly atmosphere the 5 * Christiania combined with our resort team, renowned childcare and support make for a wonderful ski trip.
Things to Do on a Val d'Isère Ski Holiday
A Val d'Isère holiday doesn't have to be all about the snow and the slopes. Check out our guides to eating, drinking and relaxing in the resort.
Not hitting the slopes? There’s plenty to do if not. Everything from ice driving circuits to dog sledding, we pick through our favourites here.
Discover the best mountain ranges and the world's most extraordinary winter sports resorts with a tailor-made ski holiday with Scott Dunn:
- A luxury ski holiday that's unique to you
- Customer support available 24/7 for a seamless service
- On-the-ground experts and local partners give you an unbeatable experience
- Ski holidays curated by the world's top luxury travel specialists
Val d'Isère is one of the most iconic ski resorts in the world, known for its party atmosphere and high-end clientele. Whether your idea of relaxing is sitting in a homely, laid-back bar with a glass of red wine or sipping cocktails in a lively après-ski spot, the best bars and nightclubs in Val d'Isère have it all.
Some days just scream “spa”! Getting pampered in the spa sounds much more relaxing than battling the elements. Whether you're a non-skier or simply want to relax and be pampered after skiing, Val d'Isère has some fabulous spa and wellness facilities available.
Insider Tips for Your Val d'Isère Ski Holiday
Skiing Val d'Isère for the first time? Even if you've been before, our insider tips from Travel Specialist Miranda Bird can offer a whole new dimension to your trip. Here's what she had to say…
- Avoid travelling to or from Val on a Saturday. The transfer from Geneva or Lyon is already quite long at 2½ to 2¾ hours and Val sits at the end of the Tarentaise Valley meaning that traffic can be heavy
- There are now four five-star hotels in Val d'Isère, including The Christiania, well worth considering at just 100m from the main lifts.
- Ski the famous black run, La Face, venue for the Men’s Downhill at the 1992 Olympics and the 2009 World Championships, but do so early in the day when the snow is groomed and you are fresh. Do not attempt it as the last run of your day unless you are extremely competent and fit.
- Beginners and intermediates should consider taking the lift down at the end of the day. The runs home from Solaise, Bellevarde and Le Fornet are all challenging and injuries frequently happen on the last run.
- March and April are glorious in the Espace Killy and as the weather warms up and other resorts are knee-deep in slush, Val can offer light, fluffy powder and fresh, crisp groomed runs.
- Tignes offers some great lunch stops. Try L’Armailly in the charming village of Brevières or the Arbina in Tignes Le Lac.
- Be sure to visit Maison Chevallot, Val’s bakery which has a nationwide reputation. The bread and pastries are simply the best we have ever tasted.
- The Espace Killy has a growing freestyle scene and the European X Games are a spectacular attraction in Tignes in March but Val’s own Oakley snow park, among Europe’s best, offers an impressive showcase of local talent all season long.
FAQs About Val d'Isère Ski Holidays
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Typically, Val d'Isère boasts outstanding ski conditions from early December to early May. At 1850m (6,000 feet) it's among the highest resorts in Europe. However, there is more to Val than that:
- 1850m is the lowest point and the skiing is all above this altitude, meaning that the average height of the ski area is considerably higher than other resorts where the accommodation is above 1800m.
- Many of the slopes are north-facing, protecting them from the sun that blights south-facing ski areas in March and April. The Grande Motte and Pisaillas glaciers have great skiing right to the end of the season.
- Whilst benefiting from the same Atlantic depressions as other French resorts, Val often receives heavy snowfall from the Mediterranean low pressures which dump their snow on the Italian Alps. Once in a while, a local weather phenomenon known as the Retour d’Est results in heavy snow in Val while nearby resorts can only read the weather reports in disbelief.
While it can be extremely cold, particularly in December and January, this combination of factors, not to mention extensive artificial snowmaking and glacial terrain, means that Val has one of the best snow records in Europe. In fact, the World Cup Ski circuit holds the Criterium de la Première Neige event in Val every December to test the quality of the first snow.
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All three of Val’s ski areas – Bellevarde, Solaise and Le Fornet – have wide, cruising blue runs higher up and more challenging runs for strong skiers lower down. Beginners will find slow skiing zones and easy runs at the top of Solaise and Bellevarde. There are seven lifts which are completely free of charge (Village/Rogoney), plus three drag lifts in the Solaise area and two in La Daille. For intermediate and advanced skiers seeking long red runs, Tignes has a huge amount to offer. Getting there couldn’t be easier, as the Espace Killy integrates the two resorts seamlessly. The off-piste terrain is vast and taking a guide is the only way to really do it justice.
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You can book your Val d'Isère holiday for as long as you like, although we find that most people tend to go for a week to 10 days. The beauty of booking with Scott Dunn is that there are no limits – we're here to create the trip that caters to your appetite and your schedule.
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Yes! Val has plenty to offer non and part-time skiers. The Leisure Centre, which opened in December 2009, is a fabulous new facility, offering swimming, squash, cardio training, a sports hall, a climbing wall and a range of fitness classes as well as jacuzzi, steam and sauna facilities. The ice driving circuit is the world’s most thrilling driving lesson and dog sledding, ice skating, paragliding, snowshoeing, ice climbing and snowmobiling are just a few of the other activities on offer in Val d'Isère.
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Val d'Isère is nearing its objective to become the first resort to be completely connected to the web, and WiFi is available nearly everywhere. The new Solaise Gondola fits 10 people on heated seats, reaches the top in just seven minutes and also has WiFi access. The resort app will also help you get the best out of your stay.
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The village is bustling with bars, shops and restaurants to suit all tastes and budgets. The policy of leaving the streets covered in snow undoubtedly adds atmosphere and reduces the salt pollution of the Isère River. Rubber “granny gripper”-style crampons are a good idea when wandering through the village to avoid a tumble. Val is restricting vehicular access to make wandering the central streets more of a pleasure and the Vieux Village is the oldest part – a delightful mix of narrow streets and original chalets.
Historically the nightlife, epitomised by Dick’s Tea Bar, has been high on raucousness and low on sophistication but this has changed considerably and we think it now offers a great balance of fun and quality. Eating out is improving every year but quality varies from one season to the next so it is always a good idea to get the most up-to-date advice from our resort team. The lamb shank at the Lodge is always reliable, La Grande Ourse is another favourite and 1789 may look unimpressive but the ‘cote de boeuf’ cooked on the fire is quite delicious. The range of bars and nightspots is just as varied and Café Face, La Doudoune’s Le Chalet and the bar of Le Blizzard come recommended.
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The ski schools in Val d'Isère compete hard for business and as a result, the resort is well served by a multitude of excellent choices. Private and group lessons, as well as guiding, are provided by English-speaking instructors and good coaching can make a massive improvement to your holiday. We recommend Oxygene and Progression in particular.
Whether you're a beginner or a pro, skiing doesn't get much better than in Val d'Isère. Get in touch with us today and allow us to plan the luxury trip of a lifetime.
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