14 reasons to drop everything and go to Val d'Isere
As the French ski resort opens for the winter season, Chris Madigan celebrates the best of what’s on offer in Val d’Isère.
1. Open season
First Tracks are Nov 25-26 but First Snow is Dec 8-17. Confused? Premières Traces is the name of Val d’Isère’s opening weekend, with deals on two nights’ accommodation, including lift pass and new equipment testing, from €135pp (£120). Première Neige means World Cup races – men’s slalom; women’s downhill (deals also available). valdisere.com/hebergements/offres-speciales
2. Historic coin
This season sees the start of an ambitious Alpine building project – the €200 million Coin de Val development will transform the area around a bus station into hotels, shops and restaurants. The caveat: it’ll take five years. lecoindeval.com
3. Find Solaise
A project that is complete is the revamp of the Solaise sector – last season’s new gondola increased uplift capacity by 40 per cent. Now a mid-mountain bottleneck has been fixed with the high-capacity Datcha chair lift. valdisere.com
4. Child's play
You think you move mountains for your kids? At Tête de Solaise, a steep-ish slope has been reshaped into a gentle one. There are three covered magic-carpet lifts, a nursery slope with fun obstacles, a playground and tubing tracks. latetedesolaise.fr
5. Touring legends
Earn your turns (and kudos) by climbing to routes inaccessible by lift. The resort runs an introduction weekend April 7-9, covering technique and kit. The Development Centre runs coaching year round. valdisere.com/agenda/village-ski-de-rando
6. It's going off
L’Espace Killy (including Tignes) has amazing off-piste served by lifts, from high glacier, huge snow fields and stunning views to whooping and weaving through trees. The Development Centre help improve skills and confidence. tdcski.com
7. Le Snow Factory
It may sound like a notorious Seventies Hollywood sex’n’drugs’n’disco club; in fact it’s Europe’s largest snow-making facility, generating 2,500 cu m – enough to cover both Wembley and Stamford Bridge a metre deep – in an hour. valdisere.ski
8. Michelin stars
Val d’Isère’s only Michelin-starred restaurant went double stellar in 2015. Benoît Vidal, who took up the toque at the cosy L’Atelier d’Edmond in Le Fornet in 2011, was commended for his beautifully presented local ingredients. atelier-edmond.com
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9. Luxury Scalextric
Already the most jaw-droppingly opulent and playful super-chalet in the resort, with features such as a gold leaf-adorned Lacroix pool, this season Chalet Marco Polo has a huge, bespoke landscaped slot car track for kids and adults alike. chaletmarcopolo.com
10. Hotel check-in
Until France’s highest hotel opens in 2018-19 (in the now disused cable car building at 2,600m), Val’s best boutique option is the refurbed Avancher (re-opens Dec 22). It’s all about the details – outdoor sauna; Tesla charging in the garage! avancher.com
11. Cocktail class
The cocktails are sophisticated at Val chalets served by luxury operator Consensio. Drinks such as a lime leaf-infused caipirinha and a turmeric pisco sour are designed by Rich Woods of Duck & Waffle and Sushisamba. consensiochalets.co.uk
12. High camp
If the only downside to après ski is that you have to wait until après, La Folie Douce is for you – the on-mountain party starts daily at 2.30pm. The life and soul is Kely Starlight – singing, dancing, cabaret-MCing triple threat. lafoliedouce.com
13. Rock outcrop
At the Solaise base, the new 4pm destination is Cocorico, an Austrian-style party terrace with live covers bands. Moris Pub is the place for late-night gigs: look out for the 45’s on Jan 4 – Motown vocals over punky riffs. apresskibands.com
14. Come dine with ski
Scott Dunn can import celebrated cooks to its chalets. Flying chefs include Mauro Colagreco, Pierre Koffmann and Monica Galetti. But we recommend Nottingham genius Sat Bains, who skis and parties as hard as he cooks. scottdunn.com
