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Val d’Isere has a well-deserved reputation for two things: the off-piste and the nightlife – and not necessarily in that order. The resort attracts everyone from the rich and famous (Bono and Richard Branson are regulars), who enjoy the 5-star chalets and fine dining, to snowboarders who live and breathe their sport. And, it seems, once you’ve been here, you’ll keep coming back.
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The key factor that lures people back here is the skiing. You may sometimes get more snow in America but in Val d’Isere you have access to challenging slopes, awesome off-piste and a good track record for blue-sky skiing.
There are three villages that make up the resort: La Daille, Le Fornet and Val d’Isere itself, with each having it’s own charm and appeal. La Daille is in great proximitiy to the slopes, and some of the best runs end up here, and being slightly out of the centre means it can be a cheaper place to stay in resort. Val d’Isere has its share of less attractive buildings but being a traditional ski town, Alpine brickwork and wood are springing up everywhere. Finally, Le Fornet sits at the far end of the Isere valley as a picture-postcard town. It can be expensive but is home to some of the best tree skiing and off-piste in resort.
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Val does get very busy with university trips in early January and these weeks see Val d’Isere’s party scene reaching a crescendo – great if you want to ski all day and dance all night.
| Nearest airports | Type of resort | Stay in | Go for a |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chambery Geneva Grenoble Lyon | Mountain town | Chalets Hotels Independent Travel Self-Catered Tour operator | Week Week+ Weekend |
| Good for | On the piste | Children | Food and drink |
| Cross-country Freestyle Ski-touring Snowboarding | British ski schools Free nursery slopes Mobile ski hire Online lift passes Ski in, ski out Snow sure | Creches Babysitting Ski schools | Apres-ski Evening drinking Resort dining Vegetarian Family friendly Live music Late drinking Mountain dining |
| Other | Other activities | ||
| Internet access Churches | Adrenaline fuelled Sightseeing Relaxation Shopping |
| Report date: | 1 Dec 2008 |
|---|---|
| Last snowed: | 1 Dec 2008 |
| Fresh snow: | 10cm |
| Lifts open: | 30 out of 46 |
Snow depth: | |
| Lower slopes: | 60cm |
| Upper slopes: | 110cm |
Piste information: | |
| On-piste: | Excellent |
| Off-piste: | Varied |
| Resort runs: | Good |
