Frolicking in the French Alps: Exploring The Three Valleys in Winter

We’re in the thick of winter right now, and ski season is underway. Depending on the conditions, ski resorts in the Alps, Rockies, and other places can open as early as October and stay open as late as June. However, if you prefer to visit the mountains in the winter months, January to April are often the best times to go.

Last season, back in March 2022, my brother, our two friends and I spent a week skiing in Les Trois Vallées, and it was nothing short of sublime.

The Three Valleys is one of the most famous ski areas in the world, and offers something for every type of skier. It’s made up of three large resorts (Courchevel, Meribél and Val Thorens) with multiple other gems in between, and sports 600km of piste that attracts hundreds of thousands of people each season.

My family and I used to venture to The Three Valleys a lot in the early 2000s, and it was where my brother and I were taught to ski between the ages of two and nine – therefore, the whole area (particularly Courchevel) holds a special place in our hearts. But this was the first time Matt and I had been back there since, so the trip was filled with both excitement and nostalgia.

Although we ventured to all three resorts for skiing, our accommodation for the week was in Val Thorens. As well as having some beautiful slopes to ski, the surroundings and nightlife were just as good. So, if you’re currently planning a holiday for this season or the next, here’s everything we got up to during our stay in The Three Valleys, and why I’d recommend it to you.

Skiing

As a good 80% of our trip was taken up by skiing, it makes sense to put it first. The skiing conditions in The Three Valleys are incredibly good, which is why the season often starts early and finishes late.

Val Thorens, which sits at 2300m, is consistently snow-sure and easily accessible. It has pistes to suit a variety of skiing abilities, and provides easy access to other resorts and valleys around it. The lifts are modern, quick and efficient, and the town offers a lot of ski-in-ski-out accommodation.

Overall, the whole resort runs like clockwork.

At the side of Val Thorens sits Meribél, also known as the heart of The Three Valleys. Its wide-open pistes and soft snow make it perfect for all abilities, and also make for incredible mountainous views. It’s a charming resort that’s well-connected, and we spent a large chunk of our skiing time around there – we decided it was our favourite out of the three.

On the other side of Meribél lies Courchevel, a smaller, family-friendly resort and the first one I ever visited back in 1999/2000. Another decent resort all around, Courchevel has runs that cater to everyone and lifts that connect all parts of the area for efficient skiing. Due to being so accessible, we were able to ski all the way to Courchevel from Val Thorens by going through Meribél, and then back again at the end of the day.

It’s a truly one-of-a-kind route, and definitely one of the most well-connected ski areas in the world in my opinion.

Food

Anyone who has visited France will know that the French do food extremely well. Meats, cheeses, pastas, desserts – there really is something for everyone.

Although we had one main restaurant that we visited as part of our holiday package, Val Thorens has a wide variety of eateries that cater to all tastes and palettes. The town is complete with steakhouses, cafes and pizzerias, as well as other places offering Latin American and traditional French cuisine – and that’s not even counting what’s available on the mountain!

Val Thorens is a treasure trove of fine food so you can be sure that, wherever you are, you’ll never be far away from a slap-up meal.

Aprés and nightlife

For those wanting a party, Val Thorens boasts many aprés-ski locations both on and off the mountain. The two we sampled on the mountain were 360 and La Folie Douce; both are easily accessible, and don’t worry if you’re not entirely sure where they are, because the sound of heavy bass, loud music and singing can be heard from miles around.

However, for something less club-like, the town has multiple bars and bistros that are perfect for a post-ski get-together. There are also other activities to enjoy, such as a bowling alley, a cinema and a spa.

After the restaurants and establishments close, Val Thorens remains available to people well into the night. Whether it’s the fun and funky club that’s Le Monde or the underground underworld that’s Malaysia, the over-18s are well and truly catered for too.

Throughout The Three Valleys there’s something for everyone, and regardless of the fact that it had been over 12 years since my last visit, it’s clear that the main attractions stay the same – incredible and accessible skiing for beginners and experts, fantastic charm and excellent restaurants. So, wherever you live in the world, The Three Valleys is somewhere every snowsport enthusiast should visit.

Thanks for reading x