Valloire ski resort guide Ski area, apres-ski, things to see & do in Valloire
Valloire review
Valloire is a delightful resort sitting at 1430m at the foot of the Galiber Pass, famous for the its grueling stretch of road which is part of the Tour du France.
The village has been welcoming snow sports enthusiasts for over 110 years who come to soak up the stunning mountain scenery, enjoy the fantastic ski terrain and wander around the old town thats packed with coffee shops, patisseries, boulangeries and home to the weekly market.
Après-ski
Valloire does not have a reputation for a wild apres-ski scene but there are over a dozen bars and pubs including a sports bar where the price of drinks won't break the bank. For late night partying, there are two nightclubs that open from 11pm with free entrance. For dining, Valloire offers the full spectrum of restaurants including fine dining where you can sample some authentic Savoyard cuisine.
| Key information (whole area) | |
|---|---|
| Altitude | 1430m |
| Top lift | 2600m |
| Family | |
| Beginner | |
| Intermediate | |
| Expert | |
| Piste (km) | 150 |
| Longest run | 12 km |
| Off piste | |
| Cross country | 10 km |
| Season | Dec - April |
| Snowboard parks | 1 |
| Heli Skiing | ✘ |
| Summer skiing | ✘ |
| Glacier skiing | ✘ |
| Babysitting | ✘ |
| Creche | ✔ |
| Apres ski | Lively |
Valloire ski area guide
The Galibier Thabor ski area links the resorts of Valloire and Valmeinier and offers 150km of slopes including 2 international competition runs, slalom slopes and a snowpark. With an annual average of 450 inches of snow and with 70% of the ski area lying at altitudes of over 2000m, the skiing conditions are usually excellent. The season typically starts mid December and runs through to late April.
The local skiing area is accessed by two cable cars - Setaz and Cret de la Brive which may have 10 minute queues first thing in the morning when the ski schools meet - apart from that, lift queues are rare. For more extensive terrain, the Three Valleys is just a 40 minute drive and day trips can be arranged by the Valloire ski schools. The resort of Orelle connects to Val Thorens and is the gateway to over 600kms of linked pistes.
Beginners
Valloire has some great beginner slopes at the top of the peaks such as Gros Crey (2594m) on the Valmeinier side which is fantastic for first timers as they can experience high altitude skiing and enjoy the panoramic views.
Intermediate
With 150kms of pistes around the Galibier - Thabor ski area, intermediate skiers will feel it has been tailor made for them with lots of long blue and red trails that wind down the mountainsides into the pine forests. One of the main intermediate spots is below La Setaz-des-Prés (2538m)and from here, you can cross over in to the Valmeinier sector.
Advanced
There are just 9 black trails across the ski area so fairly limited for expert skiers and boarders. However, the off-piste terrain is excellent and is best explored with the help of a local guide. Ski touring is also an option and these can be arranged with the ski schools.
Snowboarding
The Lac de la Vieille Snowpark in Valloire is ranked as a top terrain park providing freestylers with a half pipe, ski cross, an expert level slopestyle course with 7 features in a row and an intermediate zone.
Featured ski chalets
Traditional chalets are the norm in Valloire where you will find excellent great value accommodation close to the lifts and apres-ski. New high spec residences have started to appear over recent years in anticipation of increased tourism as the word gets out about just how good Valloire is.
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Childcare
Valloire is a fantastic resort for families and provides exceptional facilities for smaller children including daycare centres and kindergarten where children aged between 6 months and 6 years are looked after. Plus, for children under 5 years old, the lift pass is free!
Things to see and do around Valloire
Valloire ski resort provides some mouth watering activities in addition to skiing and snowboarding including...
- Ten pin bowling
- Cinema
- Paragliding
- Ice skating
- Sledging
- Snowshoeing
- Horese-drawn carriage tours
- Tour the Galibier brewery
- Wellness and fitness centre - Val'Form
Our view on Valloire
Outside of France, Valloire is not that well known which means the immaculate pistes are never crowded and with its state of the art lift system, more time is spent actually skiing as opposed to waiting around.
For an authentic ski holiday that offers excellent facilities and won't cost the earth, Valloire is waiting to be explored.
