Are you falling, or is this gliding? Not a single mogul, or patch of ice disrupts your descent of the mountains in Val d’Isere. It is ceaselessly perfect. The pristine white backdrop that oozes tranquillity and its majestic outline seems photographed, edited and colour enhanced. Can this really be skiing, for surely this perfection is imaginary?

In Val d’Isere, this is reality. Wooden chalets, with their snow-covered rooftops shining from the light in the valley create a 300km panorama worthy of a professional Christmas card. The 3480m high pistes fashion a glow of breath-taking beauty, with snow that is perfect for all levels: you can be snow-plough steady or ski slalom smooth and you won’t have to worry about facing sneaky ski jumps down the slope, because moguls are nowhere to be seen.

There are 153 runs in Val d’Isere, with 67 blue runs, which provide wonderfully laid-back skiing, like the Mangard run, which is a great fun for every skier, and the final straight is great for building up an exhilarating rush of speed.

There are 40 great red skiing runs, and Diebold and Vert, in La Dialle, are great for those who are intermediate skiers, as the long winding slope through the valley is perfect for getting into a rhythm.

Lastly, there are a number of black runs, like La Face, a famous l’Olympique life to the top of the Rocher de Bellevarde, the steep start is great for the better skier, and is close to the green and blue runs should you find this run a little too tricky. Therefore, it is safe to say that Val d’Isere has a great variety of idyllic slopes for every skier, but rather than only having easy-going relaxed slopes, there are a number of more challenging and thrilling slopes for those intermediate skiers to improve their technique while seeing the most picturesque backdrop of any ski resort.

This world-class resort, has gained a reputation for being the most renowned and largest ski resorts in Tarentaise, having risen to fame after it hosted the 1992 Olympic Games and the 2009 World Championships. It accommodates more than 27,000 people, and has been flourishing since 1932 when it began turning into the famous ski resort it is now. There are a number of mountains in the valley including Bellavarde, and Sollasie, which are easy to travel all over with three drag lifts for Solaise, two for Bellevarde in La Daille, and seven lifts across them.

This modern system means that you will find it very rare to be queuing even at peak times like mid-February, and March time when the snow is at its best. Those more daring can find harder routes, like the iconic route from Aiguille Percee to Les Brevieres to see the amazing ‘Eye of the Needle’ rock formation at the side of the slope, at Tignes  (Val d’Isere’s neighbour connected by Espace Killy, which has 96 lifts to safely get you across) and even go into the unknown and brace the off-piste terrain.

In Val d’Isere, the heavy snowfall means that any beginners can have a field day face planting in beautiful deep snow, that puts the comfort of your pillow to shame. Even if you are a new skier or a slow learner, there is no reason to be put off, for unlike many other ski resorts, you can continue skiing and practising until the end of the season, as the stunning glacial symbol of the Vanoise park la Grande Motte, in La Daille, and the Pissaillas glaciers, in Le Fornet stay open until May, allowing skiers to stay up almost as late as the après-ski.

Adventures After the Slopes

Dick’s Tea Bar Ski Destination

Val d’Isere would of course not be complete without some of the most famous places for apres-ski, bringing your day of skiing to a vibrant and memorable conclusion as you unwind at the bars. Among the most iconic is the classic Dick’s Tea Bar: the Europe-famous, celebrity favoured bar where Martin Garrix has been DJ and One direction has partied.

It is a safe to say you will definitely enjoy your time here – whether that’s a comforting glühwein before heading to a spa, or some of the smoothest cocktails in town. James-Bond worthy VIP tables are also available, with violinists and saxophone players tempting you to dance the night away.

La Folie Douce Val d’Isere

Another favourite is La Folie Douce, where there is enough action and entertainment happening to get your head spinning, even before you start on the Genepi shots. Bringing all the generations together in a number of events including a traditional floor show, the boutique shop, and outdoor clubbing where the karaoke comes out for an amusing sing-a-long and dance-off.

A delicious dinner to complete this experience, try The Fruitiere, where Chef Franck Mischler manages to combine fine dining contemporary cuisine with the mountain way of life, serving you fantastic dishes using all local ingredients, while you can enjoy a stunning view of Mont Blanc in a private seating area, Le Kiosque.

Cocorico

There is also the legendary Cocorico, the bar that fuses an Austrian Apres-Ski with the traditional French atmosphere. At the foot of Solaise this bar creates a hotspot for the valley to enjoy live music and DJs, large beers and dancing on the tables outside, with an unforgettable view of Val d’Isere.

Living in Luxury: Val d’Isere’s 5-Star Hotels

The Hotel Avenue Lodge

When it comes to the question of where to stay in Val d’Isere, its holidaymakers are truly spoilt for choice. The Hotel Avenue Lodge masquerades as a magnificent Tarentaise ski chalet. Indoors the hotel offers modern design, 54 cosy yet sophisticated suites providing the warm homeliness of a ski lodge with the elite sophistication of a 5 star-hotel.

Culinary options are nothing less than exquisite French cusine made from the  flavoursome ingredients. The stay is rounded out with a sauna and pool facilities. Service leaves nothing to be desired including helicopter transfers from the ariport to get to the lodge and quickly on to the slopes for your first holiday run.

Madamoiselle Val d’Isère – Airelles Collection

Another luxurious alternative would be the Madamoiselle Val d’Isère – Airelles Collection, where its 41 rooms and suites epitomise authenticity, as this hotel is both a stylish architectural masterpiece, but also maintains a level of medieval culture as its interior was inspired by Savoyard history. This hotel ensures every guest has a wonderful experience that is personal to them, thanks to the caring service and staff.

The chic, wooded bedrooms are harmonised by a medieval aesthetic, transporting guests into the valley’s history. The Junior Suite has an extraordinary view of Solaise Mountain that can be enjoyed from the comfort of its own outdoor wooded hot tub – this room is definitely one of the hotel’s favourites. The Guerlain spa provides 1200 metres squared of tranquillity and a detoxing poolside juice bar with fresh juices and herbal teas to sooth the senses.

La Mourra

For the holidaymakers looking for a more peaceful, quiet experience, the hotel La Mourra is the place for you. In this exquisite hotel, there are a number of beautiful, rustic-style suites, which have a combination of wooded design and stylish decor and layout. There is an option for guests to stay in their own chalet, which brings everything you could possibly wish for to the comfort of your own room.

A homely living room complete with the snug warmth of a fireplace, a home cinema, a private spa with an indoor swimming pool, and a massage cabin to ensure you are completely stress-free. It is safe to say that a holiday experience here would be perfectly complete.

Tasting the Cuisine of the Valley

The village of Val d’Isere is bustling with life and atmosphere, with countless restaurants, bars and hotels, all rife with happy holidaymakers and locals. From your first waking moment, to the second you flop back into bed, Val d’Isere will keep your stomach as content as your mind and soul on this calming holiday.

Le Signal

The convivial restaurant Le Signal awaits you at the top of the ski lift from Le Fornet, with outside seating and a breath-taking view of the valley, or cosy, atmospheric seating inside, bringing fine dining 2330m up the mountain. This is an ideal location for a finer lunch while skiing, although while there is excellent service, there is a longer waiting time for food, so those in a rush to get back to slopes may prefer a quicker bite to eat in the outdoor coffee bar where delicious paninis and hotdogs are served.

La Peau de Vache

An alternative is the cosy, bohemian restaurant La Peau de Vache, where a snug, candle-lit ambience and friendly staff make you feel so comfortable you could stay there all afternoon – while tucking into the piste’s favourite burger, foie gras and Morell mushrooms. Even the generous wine list encourages you to spend a relaxed lunchtime here as a pleasant break from a morning of skiing. However, as the restaurant is so popular it is worth booking a table even a few days in advance, so that you can arrive without the stress of no table being free.

L’Atelier d’Edmond

Another delightful, gastronomic restaurant L’Atelier d’Edmond is a highly recommended option for lunch. Its authenticity combines a typical chalet with a Savoyard atmosphere, where you can sit next to a warm fireplace and enjoy a pleasant meal.

The specialities here are a guaranteed mouth-watering feast, with the crayfish, the sauteed scallops and the crispy bread biscuit, all of which head chef Benoit Vidal has prepared to have wonderful, unique flavours. L’Atelier d’Edmond even reopens its doors for dinner at 7:30pm so there is even more reason to give it a visit during your stay in Val d’Isere.

All of these experiences will give you every taste, feel and view of Val d’Isere, but one final highlight the valley has on offer, which will give you the ultimate view and feel of the valley, is paragliding. Simply take the cable car up the Solaise, and with an instructor there to look after you, you simply ski off the take off point, and then spread your wings and begin your graceful descent down through the valley from the 650m height.

You can see the breath-taking mountains, the intricate chalets dotted through the valley and the endless stretch of perfect snow, as you fly through the sky. Any lover of skiing will find this experience truly spectacular, for it feels like every thrill of skiing, has an even greater view, and all you have to do, is sit back and enjoy.

In Val d’Isere, therefore, you are never short of something to do, or somewhere to ski. But what makes it that bit more special to another resort in the Alps? The simple answer is that, while you can get the atmosphere of a skiing resort with the wooden chalets and quirky après-ski bars anywhere, you can’t get snow, accommodation, cuisine and atmosphere quite as perfectly luxurious anywhere else. Therefore, choose to visit Val d’Isere where your skiing holiday will be guaranteed to have the best snow to ski on all season, alongside a wonderful holiday experience.