Nothing is done by halves in Val; people (including huge numbers of Brits) come here to ski hard by day and play hard by night, though you will meet a higher class of reveller than in many resorts. It is busy at peak times and almost as pricy as Courchevel, but the range of skiing, dining and nightlife options make it a first-division resort nonetheless.

Orientation
Sharing the Espace Killy ski area with neighbouring Tignes, Val d’Isère is at the end of a road that passes from the town of Bourg St Maurice through La Daille to the village itself. This road can get congested on changeover days. There are three main ski areas that beginners and improvers will find themselves on – the first right at the foot of the mountain, where the nursery slopes are, and the other two high up on Solaise and Bellevarde.

The slopes
We put this resort in the ‘Second and Third Timers’ section because having been there with a couple of young kids, one of whom didn’t remember much from the first time they went, it became clear the occasional steepness of sections of the blue and green runs are not ideal for absolute beginners. The nursery slopes in the village have a steep first section that will test your snowplough skills, but the rest is really fine. The easier greens are up on Solaise, especially the long Madeleine run. To get to any of the ‘Ski Tranquille’ area greens at Bellevarde means negotiating a steep and often bumped-up 100m hill from the Olympique lift; if you can handle the gentle blue that links them, we suggest the Bellevarde then Loyes chairs to get up to this ski area.

As the excellent Where to Ski & Snowboard guidebook says, “it would be better for novices if the piste classifications were more reliable.” It goes on to highlight one route, back down to the satellite of La Daille, as ‘the world’s trickiest green run.’ They’re right; instructors will often switch you over to the red run here because it’s easier. The blue Santons back to Val is a combination of a steep gully followed by acres of flat ground you must pole over; best to take the lift back.

There’s a special Purple Piste for kids who can meander its course looking out for model animals and totem poles too – it’s sponsored by Lindt so every now and then there are promo people handing out Milka chocolate (hence the colour scheme).

The village
As you first drive into Val, the unpromising hinterland gives way to a well-planned and attractive village with a definite centre which is largely pedestrianised. But do bear in mind that if the snow comes down, Val is a ‘village blanche’ where they don’t clear the slopes and therefore you might need chains to get out again. The local Spar sells everything from oysters and Krug to cases of Stella and dishcloths, and the rest of the town is similar; Michelin stars or a slice of pizza to go. You can party all night at Dick’s Tea Bar, or have a quiet drink at the Taverne d’Alsace; one thing Val is not short on is options.

Our recommendations:

Hotel Christiania
Well positioned about a 150m walk to the western end of the lift area (good for Bellevarde and Olympique lifts). The food, and restaurant service, is truly outstanding and caters to a mix of nationalities and groups, from single skiers to couples and families. The concierges, maitre d’, and front desk staff are all incredibly helpful and friendly. The heated indoor pool is an excellent alternative for when the weather is lousy, and rooms are very spacious with great bathrooms. The décor is Savoyard-by-the-yard but if you want Le Corbusier, you’re in the wrong town.

Bar l’Ouillette

Really tucked away at the start of the Madeleine lift on Solaise, on a sunny day this is hard to beat. The open-air grill tempts skiers for a chunk of beef, some frites and a salad, or just a sandwich, at decent prices (bearing in mind the nosebleed-inducing expense for mediocre food elsewhere on the mountain).

Restaurant La Fruitière
If you’ve earned a big lunch, this is the place to have it, a reconstructed milking parlour with separate café/snack and restaurant-proper areas. There’s a big terrace too; hard to miss even as you negotiate the hairy slope towards it on the La Daille piste. If the ‘world’s trickiest green’, the Verte run, is too much to contemplate after a glass or six, you can get back on the Daille telecabin and hop the free bus back to Val.

Access to slopes: 12345
Beginner’s area: 12345
Overall: 12345
Cost: High
Getting there: Allow four hours from either Lyon or Geneva and three hours for the 130km from Chambery. 24km from the ski train stop at Bourg St Maurice.