How Val Thorens is ready for the 2020-21 ski season.

Off-piste skiing. Photo Caron Lou T. Loubere. OT Val Thorens. How Val Thorens is ready for the 2020-21 ski season.

How Val Thorens is ready for the 2020-21 ski season.

Here is how Val Thorens is getting ready now for the 2020-21 ski season. Val Thorens is the highest ski resort in Europe, starting at 2300 m and with pistes up to 3200 m. The resort is part of Les 3 Vallées, the biggest ski carousel in the world. Within the whole 3 Vallées, the lower slopes are around 600 m (at Brides les Bains).

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90% of the resort is above tree-line. It is what here Britons call “snow-sure” resorts. I never understood that claim being Argentine born. Las Leñas has a base of 2230 and the top at 3400+ and I remember some seasons with no snow at all! But well, obviously there is more chance to have better snow the higher you go!
Lift in Val Thorens. Photo. C.Doucret. OT Val Thorens. How Val Thorens is ready for the 2020-21 ski season.
Lift in Val Thorens. Photo. C.Doucret. OT Val Thorens. How Val Thorens is ready for the 2020-21 ski season.
But coming back to Val Thorens, the resort has the longest ski season in Europe. It starts on December 1st and goes all the way to May 9th. A whole 170 days of ski season. It was going to open on November 21st, but with the new decree in France locking the country for one month, it changed. Let’s hope that resorts can open in December!
If you go to Val Thorens, all the lodging is slope-side- you don’t need to move to go to the lifts. The trails run between the buildings. The resort is not the prettiest, but they have been renovating façades using wood and now is looking much better. Now it looks more village-like.

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Val Thorens hosts the first stage of the World Cup Ski Cross

Val Thorens World Cup Ski Cross- PhotoL Laurent Salino. Val Thorens Tourism Office. Val Thorens hosts the first stage of the World Cup Ski Cross.

Val Thorens hosts the first stage of the World Cup Ski Cross

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Val Thorens starts the 2019-20 ski season hosting the first stage of the World Cup Ski Cross on 6-7 December. 

Ski Cross World Cup. Photo: C. Ducruet. OT Val Thorens. Val Thorens hosts the first stage of the World Cup Ski Cross.
Ski Cross World Cup. Photo: C. Ducruet. OT Val Thorens. Val Thorens hosts the first stage of the World Cup Ski Cross.

Val Thorens, the highest and more snow-reliable resort in the massive Trois Vallées of France is hosting as every year the Audi FIS Ski Cross World Cup, which will kick off on 6-7 December with 30 women and 70 men facing each other on the slopes. Within the international line up we’ll have two Britons: Emma Peters and Oliver Davies.

The village of Val Thorens gets very busy this weekend with cheering fans and competitors alike. If you want to view the action, a great spot is on the ‘Jean-Fred Chapuis’ slope, named after the French Olympic champion and Val Thorens local.

During the Audi FIS Ski Cross World Cup, teams of four compete coming down a course full of bumps and jumps. It is very interesting to see how they make it down (if they do and do not crash on the way) and who makes it first. Obviously, it is lots of fun, even though deep down, people wish the riders to have some falls (I guess not getting hurt!). But this race is definitely not for the faint hearted!

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What is new for Val Thorens for 2019/20.

Works are undergoing at Val Thorens this summer for the next winter season 2019-20. What is new for Val Thorens for 2019/20.

What is new for Val Thorens for 2019/20.

Following the closure at the end of January of the cable car Cime Caron, the replacement of the load carrier cables has started in May. This gigantic project will cost €6 million and will be finished in November, right on time for the start of the winter season 2019/2020.

Lac 2 - lake reservoir for snow making at Val Thorens. What is new for Val Thorens for 2019/20.
Lac 2 – lake reservoir for snow making at Val Thorens. What is new for Val Thorens for 2019/20.

Furthermore, two Gazex will be installed under the line of the cable car in order to secure even more the area and allow a faster opening to customers in the mornings.

The water reservoir Lac 2, used for snow making, will be expanded with a capacity going from 88 000m3 to 306 000m3.

Snow guns are added at the top of the blue piste Plateaux in order to improve customer satisfaction on this highly frequented area between the snowpark and the Family Park. In addition, it will facilitate the access to Funitel Grand Fond at the beginning of the season.

Col, the last fixed-grip chairlift of Val Thorens, will have its 25 years “Grande Inspection”. The top of the lift offers stunning views over Glacier de Chavière and Parc de la Vanoise.

Val Thorens- Lorries are carrying the loading cables. Photo: Val Thorens TO. What is new for Val Thorens for 2019/20.
Val Thorens- Lorries are carrying the loading cables. Photo: Val Thorens TO. What is new for Val Thorens for 2019/20.

Funitel Peclet, situated at the spine of the ski area, will undergo a major check-up, starting this summer with a three-year implementation timeframe.

The descent speed of Cairn and Caron gondolas will be increased. For our non-skiing customers, those two lifts link the summit of Cime Caron from the resort centre.

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