Bonjour! Skiing in Les 3 Vallées, France, the world’s largest ski area, should be on every snow enthusiast’s bucket list, writes Phil Osborn. France is easily accessible and achievable, so don’t be put off by a few extra air miles, or a language barrier. Add in Lyon and Paris to your French ski vacation, to help create a truly memorable experience, plus stop-over in Qatar, and you will be rewarded for your extra effort travelling from Australia.
Where is Les 3 Vallées, located?
Les 3 Vallées is located in the Tarentaise Valley in the Savoie, which is part of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, Southeastern France. Les 3 Vallées is located to south of the town of Moûtiers.
What resorts are in Les 3 Vallées?
Val Thorens, Méribel, Courchevel, Orelle, Saint Martin De Belleville, Les Menuires, Brides-les-Bains.
How Do You Get there from Australia?
From Australia, the most direct flights to the French Alps, are via the Middle Eastern carriers. We flew with Qatar Airways from Sydney, a 15 hour and 10 minute flight to Qatar, with a 3 hour stop-over in Qatar. From Qatar you can fly directly to Lyon with a 5 hour and 55 minute flight. We decided to start our trip in Paris, so the flight was 7 hours and 10 minutes from Qatar to Paris. We flew out of Lyon on the way home.
On our stop-over, we organised the Al Maha Platinum transit service. We had a Qatar Airways host waiting at the aerobridge, who assisted with transit formalities. The key benefit is access to the Oryx Lounge where you can have a shower, a meal and freshen up ready for the final flight leg to France. Our experience flying with Qatar Airways was excellent and it’s really not hard to see why Qatar Airways is consistently ranked as one of the world’s leading airlines.
We stayed in Doha, Qatar for one night on the return flight, and read below for our review and travel ideas of our experience of this destination.
Qantas now have direct Perth to Paris flights, which no doubt will be welcomed by many Australian skiers and snowboarders.
Paris to Lyon:
As we started our journey in Paris, we chose to use Rail Euorpe fast train from Paris to Lyon, which takes 1 hour and 58 minutes. If we drove a car it would have been 6 hours. Rail Europe has the best network of trains all over France, that can have you in your desired destination quickly.
Lyon to Les 3 Vallées?
- On the trip down from Lyon to Les 3 Vallées we used Rail Europe – From Lyon Part Dieu to Moutiers, the train is a scenic option. You have one change at Chambéry – Challes-les-Eaux. The travel time is 3 hours. You get to experience the French country side on the train.
- Alps2Alps van transfer – takes 2 hours to Méribel and offers a door-to-door service. With loads of luggage / skis, this will be the most convenient option. If you travel mid-week, you can pick up a discount. We used this service on our return.
- A Helicopter from Lyon to Courchevel is the fastest way to travel. The helicopters are like taxis in this part of the world for the well healed guests of Les 3 Vallées.
- Car – you could hire a car and drive, but you don’t need a car once you are in the resort and you’ll be charged parking fees.
Les 3 Vallées – the world’s largest ski area!
Les 3 Vallées is the world’s largest interconnected ski area, with 600kms of trails in the 1,500 hectares of ski runs. It’s massive, and to give you some context, you could put the 5 largest US resorts within Les 3 Vallées. Tip number 1, download the Les 3 Vallées App onto your phone – it will be your best friend helping you to navigate around the resorts.
The 3 largest resorts are Val Thorens, Méribel and Courchevel. The 3 Vallées is easily one of the world’s best ski locations. It’s spectacularly beautiful with incredible mountain vistas everywhere you look.
Epic Australia Pass – 7 consecutive days – what you need to know?
Tip 2: If you have the Epic Australia Pass you need to know that RFID technology used in Australia is different to France. So you need a different mountain access card.
To collect your Pass in Les 3 Vallées present your Australian issued Mountain Access Card and a valid photo ID that states your full name and date of birth (this could include your Passport or Driver’s License) at a ticket window. The ticket agent will use the Customer ID number displayed on the front of your card to search for your account in the system, verify that your account information matches with your photo ID, and issue your new access card. Just to make sure you are up with all the requirements and where to collect your pass, please click here for more detailed information.
Video Edit – Dash Osborn
Val Thorens – Europe’s highest elevated ski resort!
Our journey started at Val Thorens, the highest elevated resort in Les 3 Vallées and Europe, that sits at 2300m and rises to 3200m at the top. The quality of the snow at this elevation was excellent. Val Thorens is really lively. It’s filled with very passionate skiers and snowboarders. Plus it has a great party vibe, with young people from all over Europe descending on one of Europe’s most snow sure resorts. Val Thorens has a broad range of accommodation suitable for all budgets. The smaller, self-catered apartments are popular and plentiful right through to the most stylishly appointed 5 star hotels and chalets.
The ski terrain has a big mountain feel to it. While we were there, the groomers were superb – no ice and perfect snow conditions. If we had arrived earlier after a recent snow fall, we could have enjoyed the off-piste terrain. There is easy access of all lifts and Val Thorens caters perfectly for all levels of skiers and snowboarders. In fact, Val Thorens has one of the most modern and impressive lift systems I’ve seen in the world. The Freeride World Tour, the most hardcore event for off-piste skiers and snowboarders, runs in Val Thorens in February.
Val Thorens tips:
- Make sure you get a guide to show you around on your first day. This is a big resort and it’ll help you navigate around until you find your bearings. Our guide for Val Thorens was from Prosneige Ski School based in Val Thorens.
- Exploring how to connect Les 3 Vallées resorts, we had a guide on our third day from Oxygene ski and snowboard school. Allow 5 hours at a minimum to ski around the loop. It’s a fantastic day trip. Not having to worry about how to connect the lifts initially, just allows you to enjoy going from Val Thorens, across to Méribel and Courchevel.
- Try La Bee Double zip line. Trust me, this is an adrenaline rush and a must do activity at Val Thorens. It’s for people aged 14 and up and priced at €30.
- Snow Tubing – I’ve done tubing in other parts of the world and nothing compares to the speed and adrenaline of tubing at Val Thorens. It’s fast and will get your heart pumping. 30 minutes is €13. Family rate €11 per person.
- Sledding: My kids loved this as much as anything we did on the trip. The course is 6km in length, the longest in France and takes approximately 45 minutes. Price: €20 for one go. My family went at 4.30pm and were supplied a sled, a head torch and then let down a snow filled, natural course that’ll have you laughing all the way done. Tip – wear all your ski gear, you get covered in snow. The French say sledging, which we thought was a great name for sledding.
- Authentic French markets – Tuesday and Thursday local producers of cheese, wine, art and crafts sell their wonderful produce and add a great vibe to Val Thorens.
- La Folie Douce – I’ve never been to a rowdier après bar. This place is pumping, so much that we backed out, wondering how everyone was going to ski back down the hill. The answer is they all somehow struggle down, with loads of laughing and good cheer.
- The Board aquatic, gym and wellness centre is fantastic. Make sure you use the spa, saunas and hammam and pool. We loved it. €22.50 for wellness entry.
Dining in Val Thorens:
- Chalet de la Marine – situated on the slopes of Val Thorens, this impressive restaurant and bistro offers either fine-dining inside or a more casual bistro meals outside. We loved soaking up the sun on the outside balcony for lunch, absorbing all the atmosphere of this vibrant bistro.
- Chez Pépé Nicolas is a must experience destination restaurant on your Val Thorens visit. The location is on a farm in the Belleville valley, between Les Menuires and Val Thorens. You can access by shuttle in the evening or during the day you can ski here. The setting is an authentic rustic French farm serving delicious French fare sourced from local products.
- Fahrenheit Seven F7 is an easily accessed restaurant and hotel to the slopes of Val Thorens. The Italian inspired menu is fresh and creative. We can highly recommend it.
Méribel – the heart of the 3 Vallées
Méribel is the heart of Les 3 Vallées and it’s picturesque chalet village atmosphere is stunning. It is considered the easiest access point for skiing to all the other resorts in Les 3 Vallées. Méribel is situated in the forest, so if the weather is windy it is the most sheltered part of Les 3 Vallées, but being at a slightly lower elevation, during our stay, the snow can be more variable. Méribel is a luxurious ski village, with a sophisticated feel and flavour that most Australian skiers and snowboarders would love to visit. Méribel ski area is also huge, with terrain to suit every level of ability.
Méribel Tips:
- Méribel Scenic Flights – easily one of the best highlights and experience on our trip. The flights can be 15, 20 or 30 minute long and will give you a bird’s eye view of Méribel, Courchevel and depending on your flight length, Val Thorens. The small plane ride is actually really smooth and taking off and landing on snow was a first for me.
- Méribel Black Forest sledding is awesome. The long, winding course is a challenge that will appeal to every age. We all loved it.
- Swin/sauna/spa or ice skate at the Olympic complex in the middle of the Méribel.
- Window shop at designer ski stores for your next ski or snowboard outfit.
- Enjoy local markets on Tuesday and Fridays and purchase local French cheese, saucisson (dry-cured meats) and local crafts.
- Accommodation – self-catered or fully catered chalets are popular in Méribel to suit various budgets and group sizes. Make sure you speak to your snow travel specialist to help you find the best chalet to suit your needs.
Dining in Méribel:
- Méribel is a foodie’s paradise and is loaded with quality restaurants. We had the most amazing experience at La Chaudanne Hotel & Spa at their Brasserie – Le80. We went for dinner at 9pm, where the festive atmosphere turns it up a notch, with live DJ, disco lights and champagne, champagne, more champagne. Trust us, this was so much fun.
- Discover le Clos Bernard – a traditional, award winning, French restaurant, Clos Bernard is tucked away in the forest, just off the piste. Go for lunch or dinner and lap up this fabulous French restaurant experience. After visiting this incredible restaurant for lunch, I then went on to experience the nearly Méribel Scenic Flights.
- We enjoyed Les Rhodos Méribel, an on-mountain restaurant. It’s location and setting on the mountain was perfect for lunch and coffee breaks.
- Buy a crepe at Chez Denise et Lucette, opposite the carousel at the base area, their lemon and sugar crepes are delicious.
- For more Méribel dining options click here
For more information on visiting Les 3 Vallées click here
Exploring France to build the ultimate winter holiday?
Paris:
Paris needs no introduction. It’s a spectacular and majestic city. The area of Paris we chose to stay was in the 4th arrondissement, in the Marais, a very hip area of Paris and close to all the major attractions. We stayed at Le Grand Mazarin a boutique 5-star hotel, stylishly decorated with a homely, welcoming atmosphere. You step out the door at Le Grand Mazarin into the most bohemian, lively part of Paris with excellent restaurants, shops and access to the Metro. We walked from Le Grand Mazarin to the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Champs Elysées, Louvre in a day. The best coffee we had in Paris was at the Le Grand Mazarin and their meals are simply outstanding. A stunning feature, that the Australian guests all loved, was the heated swimming pool and spa. Adorned with a hand painted ceiling mural, the Le Grand Mazarin pool is simple outstanding.
Travel Tip in Paris – if you are travelling with skis or loads of luggage, maybe consider an Uber from the airport to your hotel. We travelled with plenty of bags and found the metro had lots of stairs after we caught the train from the Charles De Gaul airport. We managed all the stairs, but was really assisted by so many lovely Parisians who couldn’t have done more to assist us. It blew away my negative stereo type of Parisian residents very quickly. I love this aspect of travel, when stereo types are broken, and a warm human spirit of kindness replaces it.
Exploring France to build the ultimate winter holiday?
Lyon – The International Airport Gateway to the French Alps.
Lyon, the second largest city in France is only 2 hours from Les 3 Vallées. Exploring this magnificent city will help create a memorable winter holiday in France. We allowed 2 nights to explore Lyon, which is really only scratching the surface of what’s available to experience in this historic and modern city.
Accommodation Lyon:
We stayed at the Pullman Lyon, conveniently located right next to the train station – Lyon Part Dieu. You can walk easily with your bags from the station to the hotel in around 2 minutes, or around 5 minutes from the various train platforms.
The Pullman Lyon is a new hotel that opened in November 2023. We soon discovered the hotel is conveniently located, with excellent public transport access to the whole of Lyon. The hotel rooms are beautifully appointed, with really comfortable beds. The food and beverage at the Pullman Hotel is excellent. We dined for breakfast and lunch at the hotel and can attest to the food, service and atmosphere as being first class. The Pullman gym was well equipped and our kids loved it.
Another great option, if you are planning perhaps a longer stay and want to self-cater, would be the Warwick Hotel – which are serviced apartments that allow you to cook your own meals and reside in the upmarket residential area of Lyon.
What to do in Lyon?
Lyon is a walkable city. Our favourite area to explore was Vieux Lyon, the historic quarter of the city. Within this area is Fourvière, home to the Basilique Notre-Dame de Fouvière, which we walked up to view the entire city of Lyon. You can catch the funicular – a cable car to ride to the top that drops you off near the base of the Basilique. From the vantage point up high, you can see the confluence of the two rivers Rhone and Soane, which is the reason Lyon City was constructed. Lyon embraces the rivers, with stunning architecture all along the river banks that follow the winding river.
We loved Restaurant Le Vieux Lyon, a traditional French Bouchon restaurant. The owner was our waiter, entertainer and genuinely engaged with us as his guest. It was such a lovely experience.
Lyon City Card
The Lyon City Card is a great way to explore the city, starting at 29 Euro. You can purchase for 1,2,3 or 4 days. Included in the Lyon City Card is access to all public transport, 27 museums plus discounts to a wide range of activities.
We can highly recommend visiting Lyon, it will add a great deal to your French winter holiday experience.
Qatar Stop-over:
On our return from France we arranged a one night stop-over in Doha, Qatar. It was such an amazing experience that exceeded our expectations. You step into a completely different culture and it was one of the highlights of the trip for every member of our family. You probably should consider two nights in Doha. Australians have visa free travel for three months. Qatar Airways has amazing hotel stop over deals to encourage international visitors to Doha. We stayed at the Raddisson Blue, Doha.
Our Doha highlight was the the Souq waqif, the original trading market. The character of the architecture of the mud-daubed buildings, with winding alley ways is so exotic, our family loved absorbing the atmosphere of this historic location.
We loved people watching in Doha, seeing the men wearing the thawb (long flowing robe), with ghutra rectangular headdress and the women wearing abaya (long flowing robe like dress) and shayla (head dress).
We loved walking around the port area and seeing the colourful harbour and boats. In the distance, across the harbour from Souq waqif, you can see the very modern city of Doha.
After skiing and snowboarding in France, it was nice to relax by the hotel pool, in warm weather, to thaw out.
Verdict:
Les 3 Vallées, Lyon and Paris all exceeded our expectations. We loved the life experience we created on this trip. We can strongly recommend you experience a winter ski holiday in France. It’s certainly worth the effort. And stopping over in Doha, Qatar just adds another great experience and makes the journey unique and memorable. I’m pretty sure nothing beats travel for enriching your life!
Meet the team from Les 3 Vallées – Val Thorens and Méribel at the Snow Travel Expo 18 May Melbourne and 25 May Sydney and plan your dream French ski holiday!