Val Thorens, Popular France Ski Resorts

Val Thorens, located in the Tarentaise Valley, Savoie, French Alps, is the highest ski resort in Europe, at 2300 m altitude. It is located in the commune of Saint-Martin-de-Belleville in the Savoie département. The resort forms part of the 3 vallées linked ski area which, with over 600 km of piste, is the largest linked ski area in the world.

Given the high altitude of Val Thorens and the Glacier de Péclet the often large volume of snow means that the resort is usually open from September until about May. The highest ski-able peaks are Pointe du Bouchet (3220m) and Cime de Caron (3200m), with its cable car of the same name, one of the biggest in the world with its capacity of 150+1 passengers.

Many of its slopes face north and north-west, providing for good snow conditions. This means that the slopes are not as sunny, so the resort tends to attract a crowd more interested in skiing than "terracing." However, the resort itself faces south, and many people enjoy sitting outside in the sunshine when they have finished skiing. As well as a combination of 68 marked runs, Val Thorens also has 5 terrain parks giving access to bordercross tracks, quarter pipes and jumps.


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