For seriously challenging skiing and a huge range of terrain, you can’t beat Val d’Isère – it’s a skier and snowboarder’s dream. Trees, steeps, cliffs, endless backcountry and some of the best pistes in France make for a brilliant experience. And all this before you even think about the link with Tignes.
Val d’Isère at a Glance
Challenging pistes and endless backcountry boarding.
Busy in the school holidays and expensive.
Key Facts
Top lift
Vertical
Pistes
Ski area
Season 2026/27
Nearest airport
Transfer times are a typical private transfer in good conditions; allow extra time on winter Saturdays.
Pistes by Difficulty
Beginner (green)
Intermediate (blue)
Advanced (red)
Expert (black)
Plan Your Trip
Ski Holiday Deals
Ski Rental (-10%)
Airport Transfers
Where to Stay
Off-Piste Guiding
Travel Insurance
Where to stay in Val d’Isère
Val d’Isère stretches along the valley, with lifts at La Daille, the centre and Le Fornet. Free ski buses link them all.
We may earn a commission if you book through our links, at no extra cost to you.
Pick your base
- CentreWalk to the Solaise and Bellevarde lifts, bars and restaurants.See places →
- La DaillePurpose-built base at the Tignes end, with the Funival funicular up to Bellevarde.See places →
- Le FornetQuiet hamlet up the valley, with a cable car towards the Pissaillas glacier.See places →
Local tip: First week in Val? Stay central. You can walk to the Solaise and Bellevarde lifts, and the free Red bus runs from La Daille to Le Fornet.
Self-catering? Browse apartments and chalets in Val d’Isère →
The Skiing
Freeriding
Ski the Banane, a long off-piste run which takes you back down to town. Awesome mix of drops, chutes and rollers.
Freestyle
Excellent range of rails and kickers for all standards at the Oakley Valpark.
Pistes
Some of the best pistes in France.
Val d’Isère Ski & Snowboard Guide
Val d’Isère offers some of the best skiing and snowboarding in France and so unsurprisingly it’s a very popular resort. There’s a great lift system, massive snow depth and loads of off-piste just near the lifts. The main village has been developed into a tasteful tourist area. The main street has lots of designer shops, bars and restaurants. Further back you will find all the accommodation, ranging from affordable to exorbitant.
The skiing and snowboarding
Val d’Isère is skier and snowboarder heaven. Freeriders will have the time of their lives as there are 200 miles of piste and a vast tract of off-piste. Try the Les Marmottes, which has tons of fresh off-piste tracks, and the Vallée Perdue which has a risky track only a few feet wide in places.
For freestylers, there is an endless area available to indulge yourselves. The fun park under the Mont Blanc chair is small but still a must-see. Additionally, there are two slopes in the village center which are perfect for beginners. Once you are comfortable with the basics of snowboarding, there are plenty of slopes available for you to enjoy.
Where to eat
You have lots of dining options to choose from. For those who want to taste luxury cooking, there are various places such as La Fruitière, where guests can sample wines and cheeses from across France and the menu includes wholesome meat and pasta dishes. Le Signal is another pleasant dining service which offers traditional cuisine made from fresh ingredients.
If you are looking for moderately-priced eating places, L’Edelweiss is a warm, welcoming restaurant which is a particularly good choice after a cold day. Les Tufs is another ideal place which offers a menu that includes pizza, pasta and fondue. For those of you on a budget, Les Marmottes has by far the best self-service and you can find good dishes under €10.
Après shred
Val d’Isère is a great spot for young crowds and boasts some amazing clubs. Much of the partying takes place at Folie Douce, a crazy outdoor club on the slopes. But keep in mind that the drinks’ prices here are ridiculously high. In the village, there are some notable nightlife spots such as Café Face, a good, relatively cheap club. The Morris pub has great live music and is ideal for late-night partying.
If you want a quiet and unobtrusive setting, check out the Bluenote, a small, friendly bar frequented by seasonaires. Sports lovers can head to the Pacific, which has lots of screens and an abundance of drinks. The ideal place for seasonaires is the Saloon, complete with a DJ and live music. Le Doudoune is a noisy nightclub open until 5 am with a free shuttle service to drop you home.
Val d’Isère Gallery
Val d’Isère Skiing & Snowboarding Video
Watch this: The longest run in Val d’Isère: Grande Motte glacier to Val Claret village (full run)
Experience the longest run in Val d’Isère from the iconic Grande Motte Glacier at 3,456 m all the way down to Val Claret village. Get stunning panoramic views of Mont Blanc, Bellecôte peak, and Tignes Lake along the way. Connected by lifts and slopes, the Tignes-Val d’Isère ski area boasts 300 km of pistes, 20 km of ski routes, and 71 lifts, making it one of the largest ski resorts in France.
Practical Information
Opening dates
Lift passes
Nearest airports
Tourist office
Place Jacques Mouflier, BP 228
73155 Val d’Isère cedex
Val d’Isère Skiing FAQ
Yes. Val d’Isère and Tignes share one lift-linked area with 300 km of pistes and 71 lifts. It’s called Tignes–Val d’Isère (formerly Espace Killy). Val d’Isère opens on 28 Nov 2026, the day the link to Tignes opens. Both close on 2 May 2027. Early in the season, the full area opens only when snow allows. Our guide to skiing in Tignes explains which pass covers both.
An adult day pass costs €78 in 2026/27, and 6 days cost €468. It’s the Tignes–Val d’Isère pass, so it covers the whole 300 km area, not just Val d’Isère. Prices are fixed by period, not dynamic, so there’s no point waiting for a better online rate. In low season, 28 Nov – 11 Dec and 24 Apr – 2 May, 6 days cost €402.
Chambéry is closest, 2 h – 2 h 30 by private transfer in good conditions. Most UK flights land in Geneva, 3 h – 3 h 30 away, and direct coaches run from Geneva and Lyon. Allow extra time on winter Saturdays. Turin isn’t an option in winter. By train, go to Bourg-Saint-Maurice and take the Altibus up. Or pre-book a private transfer to Val d’Isère.
Yes, even though it’s famous for steeps. Several free lifts make your first turns easy. On the village snow front you’ll find the Jardin des Neiges and the gentle Savonnette green run. Solaise and Bellevarde both have easy-skiing areas higher up. Book lessons early for school holidays, when it’s busy, and arrange your ski hire before you arrive.
Yes, it’s one of the best off-piste resorts in the French Alps. There’s loads of freeride terrain close to the lifts, and the Pissaillas glacier takes you to 3,197 m. There are also two marked, secured ski-touring zones. Off-piste is unpatrolled, so go with a guide or a ski-school instructor. Our Val d’Isère off-piste guide covers the classic lines.
Val d’Isère is expensive because it’s high, snow-sure and famous, and busy in school holidays. The 6-day Tignes–Val d’Isère pass costs €468, the dearest of the big French areas. That’s more than the Swiss list prices at Verbier and Zermatt. To save, ski 4 Jan – 5 Feb 2027, when there are no French school holidays. Or go in low season, when 6 days cost €402. See our ski deals.
Please leave a comment below if you need specific advice for your ski holiday to Val d’Isère, or if you have any recommendations to help us improve this guide. Happy holidays!
