Val Thorens lies at an altitude of 2,300 metres, below the permanent snowfields. The landscape features high-altitude lakes, rugged ridges and flowering valleys. The seasons bring different highlights: in winter, skiing and snow activities shape your stay; in summer, hiking, mountain biking and swimming take centre stage. It takes about 20 minutes to walk from one end of the resort to the other. You don’t need a car to make this crossing.
Winter: Ski Resort and Off-Piste Activities
From Val Thorens, you can access the Val Thorens-Orelle ski area and Les 3 Vallées. The linked ski area has 600 kilometres of pistes, which you can ski from one resort to the next without taking off your skis. Alongside skiing, the winter activities include tobogganing, snowshoeing, swimming, cinema and bowling, as well as snowmobile and dog-sled rides. Opening times for individual activities may vary by season.
There are different tobogganing experiences to choose from. La Piste aux Étoiles is 250 metres long, with a vertical drop of 45 metres. At the bottom, two free covered conveyor belts take you back to Place Caron. Snake Gliss, by contrast, is a 45-minute descent from the top of the Funitel de Péclet: individual sledges are joined together to form a snake of up to ten sledges, steered by a professional guide. The distance and duration provided give you a specific guide to each activity.
Freestyle enthusiasts will find the Snowpark VT Park in the Plateaux area. Its features include tables, rails and boxes in various sizes. ECLIPSO, in the Caron 3200 building, offers a different kind of experience: its two immersive virtual reality experiences are themed around the Colosseum and the Titanic. They are located at the summit of Cime Caron.
Summer: Hiking, Mountain Lifts and Mountain Biking
There are 50 hiking trails in total, starting in Val Thorens, Les Menuires or Saint-Martin-de-Belleville. This number may change as trails are added or adjusted; check route information before setting out. In summer, open mountain lifts take hikers and mountain bikers to the valley’s main peaks and high-altitude trails. Check seasonal timetables before your trip.
The Belleville Bike Park covers Val Thorens, Les Menuires and Saint-Martin-de-Belleville. It offers around 20 downhill and enduro trails for all ability levels, accessible by mountain lifts. The number and layout of trails may change. One specific route is the green Combe de Thorens trail: it starts at the top of the 2 Lacs gondola and descends for 6.8 kilometres, with a vertical drop of 423 metres. It is suitable for getting started with enduro riding. Before your ride, check the seasonal information on the trail and mountain lift access.
A Glimpse into the Resort’s History
Amid the skiing and outdoor activities, the Chapelle Notre-Dame-des-Neiges adds a cultural highlight. It was built in 1992 to mark the resort’s 20th anniversary. Architect Chiantello designed the chapel with a forecourt and a canopy supported by stone columns. The year and occasion place the building in the more recent history of Val Thorens; its design can be seen in the architectural features described above.
Discover more destinations: Les MĂ©nuires.
Go to the main travel overview: Saint-Martin-De-Belleville.
