The definitive guide to Val Thorens

Advantages: Some really good green runs for the novice boarder.
Disadvantages: Expensive

...If you are a novice boarder of have never ventured to Val Thorens then this is the review for you. I went for a week over new years this year. Best new years i have ever had. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Val Thorens is boasted as being the highest ski resort in Europe at 2300 m altitude and is also the summit of the 3 Vallées, the largest ski area in the world. I stayed at Le Portillo, located towards the top end of the village. It's smack bang in the middle of everything. Reasonablly priced as well. I had a kitchenette room which meant that i saved money by not eating out every day. Ski Passes ---------------- An adult half day pass for Val Thorens slopes costs 27 Euros with a full day costing 34 Euros. Make sure that you ask for insurance with these at an additional 2...

rachelreece32 31.01.2006 (01.02.2006) · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Val Thorens

Val Thorens all it cracked up to be?

Advantages: Large piste area.
Disadvantages: Limited beginner areas

...I've been skiing since i was 12, now 23, so a good 12 years of travelling europe trying out different ski resorts, from a drinkers point of view and a non drinkers point of view. I've no been to Val thornes 2 times, the last one being two years ago, This followed on from the pervious year. 2000 was the first time i've been to Val thornes, this was on a student break with my university ski club. So the holiday was started with a typical, 25 hour coach trip. ( I suggest flying out) Being a big fan of skiing i'd checked the snow everday for a good 2 months before i went. I the was a ton of it. This really made the holiday, not only could we ski in Val thorens, but could get over to the all of 3 valees. (Ski over if you dare, we got lost a good 3 or 4 times, panic starts to set in when its 5:15 and all the lifts are starting...

tomgrahamehewitt 06.12.2003 (14.12.2003) · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Val Thorens

SNOW BETTER PLACE TO SKI

Advantages: Great snow. Huge pistes. Great apres ski
Disadvantages: You have to leave... (read on for a few more

...Please keep reading, it should be useful! I have just returned from a one week holiday in Val Thorens, and I thought I should write this review while it is fresh in my memory? Val Thorens prides itself upon being the highest skiing resort in Europe, at an altitude of 2300m. This means almost guaranteed snow; The only real drawback of this tremendous height is that sometimes you really are in the clouds, which can make visibility incredibly difficult, and it can be bittery cold. If you do find yourself in Val Thorens on a sunny and clear day you must go up to the ?Cime de Caron?, where you get the most incredible 360° views of the Alps: Mont Blanc, the three valleys, everything? it really will take your breath away. (quite a tricky ski down though!) If you really are hooked on skiing/snowboarding though, this really is...

pleaseratemyreview 21.04.2003 (22.04.2003) · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Val Thorens

Hit the Piste

Advantages: Likely snow, Lots of slopes, Quality Resort.
Disadvantages: First day madness!

...I have visited Val Thorens once with a few friends and we had a great time! It is a nice big resort in the French Alps so it is not the closest resort to the UK but it is worth the journey. You are told that it is a nice high resort (good for snow) and you really begin to believe it on the drive up the mountain. Once you eventually get there you might have to queue for the key to your hotel room because all the package groups arrive on the same day and it is pretty chaotic. The hotel room that my four friends and I shared was very nice. It was a two level room with bathroom and toilet. It also had a balcony and was very warm. The service in the hotel seemed good, when we had a problem with a light it was fixed very quickly. If all the hotels are at least as good as this one then you should be happy with the accommodation. I did...

tendril- 06.06.2001 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Val Thorens

Roll VT

Advantages: Lots of off piste. Quality, guaranteed snow
Disadvantages: Not the best place to learn.

...So far I've visited Val Thorens (VT) twice. Both times I have driven over with mates and both times we've stayed with a friend in VT. This means that we have been able to drastically reduce our outlay, please ourselves when we go and (most importantly) to bring back vast quantities of booze bought cheaply just before getting on the ferry! VT is the highest resort in Europe at 2300m+ (I think the height is right) It was purpose built about 25 years ago and is very popular with locals and more experienced skiers/boarders due to the vast amount of off-piste available. In fact there are no trees around VT so virtually everything you can see is skiable! This is in addition to being part of the well-known '3 Valleys' complex. You'd have to be there all season to ski it all, it's huge! On both our visits (one at New Year 98/99 and one in...

noyzboyz 13.03.2002 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Val Thorens

Gold Medal, but not world record...

Advantages: Cheap, Location, All you really need
Disadvantages: Random Choices of kitchen equipment...

...We visited the Olympiades apartments as part of a univeristy ski trip to Val Thorens in December 2006. Paying a mere £269 as a base price for the holiday, I have to say I was a little sceptical about the accommodation that we were set to be recieving. On reflection, however, it was more than we could have hoped for. Location: The hotel is towards the southern end of the Val Thorens resort, but less than 75 metres to the top of the "Retour" run leading to all the lifts. We had a room at the front of the Hotel, which had lovely views looking over the resort and the mountains, though those at the back's panorama over a road and less spectacular hill might not have been quite as appealing. For those interested in the Apres Ski, les Olympiades is 20 seconds walk from Malaysia nightclub. Those more appealed by practicality, there are two...

DaC_87 08.01.2007 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Résidence Les Olympiades, Val Thorens

The best snow

Advantages: Great snow, glacier provides year round skking
Disadvantages: Can get very cold!

...We took the snow train from Dover to the alps as it gives you an extra days skiing over those who fly. The coach then takes you up a rocky mountanous road stopping at every resort, until last stop Val Thorens. At 2300 feet it is a very high altitude resort. This is excellent for guaranteeing snow, and fresh snow at that, but it can feel significantly colder than other resorts that are not as high. There is the glacier which does year round skiing, literally and is worth a trip for the amazing views. There are runs for everyone, although probably more so for the intermediate skiier than the total beginner. There are plenty of wide open runs to enjoy. And for those who get bored easily a pass for the three valleys (about £60 more than a Val Thorens only pass for the week) will see you able to ski one of the biggest ski areas in...

thomas007 03.08.2003 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Val Thorens

WWF Val Venis

Advantages: -
Disadvantages: -

...Val Venis ; Val Venis made his WWF Debut in 1998 ; the first memorable match he had was a great match with D'Lo Brown at Summerslam 1998. The two tore down the house in a great opener despite the shoddy ending. In this match Val earned my respect as an athlete. Val then went on with his " Porn Star " gimmick which was pretty funny and good television. He then entered a feud with Mick Foley in 1999 where the angle was built around Val Venis stealing " Rocko " who was The Rocks sock which was a gift from Mick Foley. Foley wanted to get it back despite the Rock not really caring... It was a good feud for Val to be involved in because it was pushing him up the ladder despite the fact that the match on PPV wasn't very good to say the least and even showed the " Testicular Claw " as the " Mandible Claw " at the same time. He then...

Marshwwf316 05.10.2001 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Val Venis

Ski Val D'Isere on a budget

Advantages: Extensive Ski-ing, great night life
Disadvantages: Can be Expensive if you don't watch out

...I may have set myself a bit of a task here, as Val D'Isere is one of the most expensive resorts in the French Alps, but having stayed there two years running, once in a chalet and once in an appartment, I shall attempt to share some hints of how to ski in one of the best resorts in the world and not come home bankrupt. At 1850 metres, and with the heighest lift being 3550 metres, Val D'Isere has a long ski-ing season lasting from November until May. With great snow making facilities you are pretty much snow sure when the rest of Europe is suffering as it was in January of this year when I last hit the slopes. Over in Tignes, reachable by bus or lift system from Val, there is even a glacier for Summer Ski-ing! There are 2 snowparks for you boarders out there, although I really noticed a drop in popularity of boarding this year...

Nell31 22.08.2005 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Val d´Isère

Val McDermid - An Author

Advantages: Hard back and paper back. Very good read.
Disadvantages: the need to ensure that the books in a series are read in chronological order.

...Val Mcdermid writes about crime, whether it be based on her own Private Eye - Kate Brannigan, or a forensic phychologist-Tony Hill. She writes serials that involves these characters, and another about a lesbian journalist, Lindsay Gordon. (which I have not read.) Some people may already be familiar with Tony Hill, a pyhycologist who suffers from sexual dysfunction, as some of his stories have been dramatised and can be seen on ITV or DVD box sets. Ms Mcdermid is regually nominated and wins awards such as the Crime Writers' Association Gold Dagger, Portico Prize for Fiction, Theakston's Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year and was short listed for British Book Awards 2008. The reason for all her prizes is due to her excellent writing. She crafts her stories so that you know the main caracters so well you can concider them...

aquarius2005 26.04.2008 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Val McDermid