TROIS VALL�ES, BIG AND BEAUTIFULFrance's Largest Interconnected Ski Regionby Charles LeochaFrom wherever you stand, you have vistas of snow-covered mountains stretching as far as the eye can see. And whatever you can see, you can ski or snowboard down. And in most cases, there is a lift that will take you to a starting point from which you can glide down any slope. It is truly amazing.
Another way to look at the expanse of this region is to take a look at how many of the largest ski resorts in the United States can fit into the Trois Vall�es region. The late Snow Country magazine once did some of the calculations that resulted in the conclusion that the six largest ski areas in the United States could fit inside Le Trois Vall�es. That means that Killington, Vail, Heavenly, Steamboat, Squaw Valley and Park City could all fit inside the space covered by Le Trois Vall�es with room left over with almost 10,000 acres left over. So you can throw in Jackson Hole, Taos, Sun Valley, Keystone, Crested Butte, Alta, Solitude, Cranmore and Stowe and still have room left over. The expanse is breathtaking. The scenery is spectacular. And the overall skiing is unmatched.
The Trois Vall�es consists of three roughly parallel valleys dotted with seven major village centers. Skiers starting in Courchevel can drop into the relatively new village of La Tania or over the ridge to the adjacent valley anchored by M�ribel. From M�ribel lifts rise to the next ridge that offers slopes descending into Les Menuires and St. Martin de Belleville or to Val Thorens. From Val Thorens a fourth valley, the Maurienne, beckons with long trails towards the Italian border.
CourchevelThe largest and most upscale resort in the Trois Vall�es region is Courchevel. This is the land of the beautiful people--the glitterati, movie stars and models of France. This is the top spot to see and be seen. Courchevel is actually a series of five villages at different levels along the side of the mountain. Courchevel 1850 is the most prestigious and has most of the late-nightlife, but the other villages all have excellent access to the slopes, convenient lifts, fine restaurants and their own personal flair. Plus, as you drop down the mountainside so do the prices.
Apr�s-ski in Courchevel is delightful in dozens of bars just off the slopes. But the nightlife at discos and clubs doesn't get started until late, very late by American and Canadian standards. If the nightlife seems out of reach in havens of the rich and famous such as La Grange or Les Caves, head to Le Kalico, L'Accord or Le Grenier. M�ribelThis village was founded by the British. It was conceived as a resort where the chalet style would reign supreme. It has remained true to its beginnings. Peaked gabled roofs over wooden chalets seem to rise non-stop from the new Olympic complex to the altiport and even the large hotels in Mottaret are true to the Alpine chalet style. And M�ribel is still the resort of choice for the British in the Trois Vall�es.
The skiing drops from the ridge separating the resort from Courchevel and from the Les Menuires/Val Thorens area. The views at the top of Saulire are 360 degrees of spectacular beauty. Skiers can only dream of skiing all they can see. From the crest of the opposite ridge, long cruising trails head to the traditional village of St. Martin de Belleville or to the purpose-built complex of Les Menuires and a bit further to Val Thorens. At the end of the valley Mont du Vallon presides majestically with expert runs dropping beneath the lift. M�ribel is relatively quiet at night. But nightlife can be found at Dick's Tea Bar, a clone of the bar in Val d'Is�re. Both M�ribel and M�ribel-Mottaret have plenty of excellent restaurants with excellent meals ranging from gourmet to Savoyard country. Les Menuires/St. Martin de BellevilleThese villages are at the lower levels of the Vall�es du Belleville. The are an exercise in opposites. Les Menuires is modern and purpose built. St. Martin de Belleville is old and traditional. Together they offer the best of both worlds.
In Les Menuires you will find skiers traveling with families and those looking for the steeps. The skiing is wide open on the west-facing slope, with lifts running up toward Val Thorens. An abundance of beginner and intermediate runs pass picturesque shepherd huts on the way down the valley toward the traditional baroque village of St. Martin de Belleville. The east-facing side of the valley offers more challenging skiing from Pointe de la Masse (9,213 feet), which can be reached rapidly by riding a combination of two high-speed lifts. In the afternoon the area is deserted as skiers follow the sun. The off-trail skiing from here and nearby C�me de Caron is exceptional, especially in spring when skiers can drop over the backside of these mountains with certified guides. The lifts taking skiers to the Roc des Trois Marches and to Mont de la Challe provide the best connections to M�ribel and the rest of Les Trois Vall�es. Val ThorensNone of the Trois Vall�es villages is more attuned to the single-minded pursuit of winter sport than Val Thorens. From the moment you park your car in indoor parking near this cluster of high-rise apartments and hotels, you can feel the hum of sport activity.
As the highest resort in the Alps, Val Thorens, it's wide-open, bowl-type skiing above the tree line. The P�clet cable car takes skiers up to the P�clet glacier, offering year-round skiing for intermediates and above. While most of the skiing in the bowl-shaped area above Val Thorens is intermediate and advanced, experts can find plenty of challenges. The cable car ride to the top of C�me de Caron, the highest point in the three valleys, is spectacular if you are lucky enough to be blessed with clear weather and limited winds. The view is worth the trip, the rocks on top make a perfect picnic spot and the runs seem endless. From here you can take a black run straight down, or a slightly easier advanced intermediate. True experts will want to ski over the ridge to the little-used fourth valley and the lone Rosael quad chair that will bring you back. When skiing Val Thorens be ready for changeable weather. At this altitude the winds can pick up at an instant and clouds can move in quickly. Dress for winter conditions, even if the skies are clear and the sun strong when you leave the base area for Cime Caron. Val Thorens over the past few years has added excellent accommodations to supplement the original apartment complexes. Even the rich and pampered can find lodging here that will provide hot tubs and luxury suites. But those who come for the sport without the high pricetag can find excellent rooms in hotels and residences. Charles Leocha is the author of Ski Europe (World Leisure) $21.95 |
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The Trois Vall�es is beyond imagination for skiers who have only visited resorts in the U.S. and Canada. It can not be explained. It can only be experienced. But even a lifetime of experience won't allow a skier to search out all that the Trois Vall�es has to offer. It is that big, that vast, virtually endless. 
This region is the heavyweight king when it comes to destination, lift-served ski regions. No other national region comes close to these vast peak-studded skifields and valleys and the interlocking modern lifts that link them. True experts will have virtually unlimited off-piste itineraries that will test any skier and offer heart-stopping adventure. 
The region is sprinkled with excellent restaurants ranging from Michelin-star eateries in every valley to dozens of small atmospheric traditional restaurants that specialize in the local Savoyard specialties of tartiflette, fondue and raclette. Long lunches on the slopes are a national passion. In the cold weather refuges offer warm fireplaces surrounded by tables and in the spring skiers pack the sun-drenched decks. Scores of mountain restaurants offer everything from gourmet meals to spaghetti. All promise a great meal, wonder views and, on most days, brilliant sun. Each resort has its own character as well its own ski area. 
You don't need to arrive in a Bogner ski suit. Courchevel has something for everyone. The skiing literally surrounds the town. Ski down the wonderful bowls of beneath Saulire back toward the village or down to Les Creux. Test yourself down groomed expert runs beneath Chanrossa. Wind down the narrow Les Suisses. Or ride to the peak of Col de La Loze and cruise down to the sister village of La Tania. 
Some skiers refer to Meribel as the hub of the Trois Vall�es. The village has two basic centers for both lodging and for the lift systems--Meribel Mottaret at 1,700 meters and M�ribel at 1,450 meters. Both are excellent centers for any winter activities. These are the two villages at the heart of the region. Both village centers are well-connected with the other valleys. 
From a distance Les Menuires' original buildings look like a misplaced spaceship resting on the snow. This isn't a judgment of good or bad, the resort works wonderfully. The resort has been making dramatic strides in blending the resort into the environment and adding an Alpine feel to the area. All new construction has been created with wood and peaked roofs. Giant pines were planted at the entrance to the area to improve the first impression and covered wooden arcades now connect the buildings adding a natural feel to the compound and inside the decor has been made much more Savoyard with plenty of wood and farm influences. The original center still serves as an excellent village center and is a most convenient main meeting place for ski schools and children's programs. 
At 2,300 meters, Val Thorens is designed for the young and restless, or at least for the young-at-heart and active. It's altitude is the highest of any European resort. Outside, the crowd is one teeming mass of rainbow-colored movement: snowmobilers, skiers, snowboarders, parasailors, and monoskiers riding high-speed lifts and winding through the apartment and hotel complexes. The real claim to fame is the atmosphere of sport, sure snow and the lofty location of this fun town. If you're looking to have a drink of wine and a laugh with the locals, then you'll fit right in.