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Val d'Isere, France Height: 1850m (snow range 1550 – 3550m) Winter season: 28th November 2009 to 2nd May 2010 (although skiing is available year round and the glacier is open during July and August)  Good for: Intermediate and advanced skiers; snowboarding; glacier skiing; heli-skiing; nightlife; families; over 65s; teenagers. Although there are fewer green (easy) trails than blues and reds, there is still a good selection of nursery slopes for beginners (served by free lifts) and plenty of ski schools to choose from.
Resort description The resort is featured by a number of different tour operators and there is a great variety of accommodation, including large catered chalets (some with their own sauna) suitable for groups. Before you book, however, it is always worth checking the chalet layouts; how many bedrooms/bathrooms there are and how beds are distributed – twin and triple rooms and fairly commonplace but some chalets will offer "family" rooms or suites which sleep 4.
There is a good selection of gentle nursery slopes, served by lifts which are free to beginners. Intermediates, meanwhile, are spoilt for choice with plenty of enjoyable blue and red runs as well as access to Tignes and La Grande Motte glacier. Val d'Isere remains a popular choice also with more advanced skiers with giant moguls, black runs and off-piste opportunities – although in many areas it is recommended that you take a local guide. For the ultimate thrill, why not have a go at heli-skiing?
The resort itself is lively with a fantastic choice of restaurants and bars to enjoy a spot of après-ski which can last to the early hours of the morning. There are also plenty of off-piste activities to enjoy including a cinema, indoor swimming pool, ice rink, fitness centre, snow shoe trails, ice climbing and dog sledding.
Car hire FranceMore features on FranceVal d'Isere, France |
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The lift system is linked with nearby Tignes to offer 300kms of marked runs as part of the Espace Killy. Most of the slopes lie in a northerly direction, meaning the snow tends to last longer and the terrain here is highly regarded, but there are also 2 snow parks in the locality. There are lift pass discounts available to the under 13s and over 65s. There are also pedestrian passes for those who don't want to ski but still want to enjoy the beautiful views and slope-side restaurant facilities.
There is a good choice of ski schools in the locality including Oxygène Ski School which offers children's and teenagers' lessons as well as a Scaredy Cat course for nervous adults!
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