The minibuses we use for airport transfers to Val d'Isère can take up to 8 passengers, and are equipped with snow tyres and chains. We employ fully trained and professional transfer drives, who will take you direct to your accommodation within any of the villages that make up the Val d'Isère ski resort.
It is said that more Britons go to Val d'Isère to ski every year than anywhere else in the world! Val d'Isère is well linked to Tignes ski resort and is part of the Espace Killy ski area. With 300 km of pistes and 94 lifts, what more could you need on your ski holiday?
Val d'Isère ski resort covers a huge area - covering the villages of Val d'Isère 1850, which is the epi centre, Portillo, Le Crêt, Funival and La Daille 1785 to the north-west, Le Fornet, Le Laisinant, Les Richardes to the east, plus Joseray, Le Chatelard and La Legettaz to the south.
There are free shuttle buses between the villages of Val d'Isère, going west to east via ‘the village’ (Val d'Isère), or north-south.
Val d'Isère ski resort
Val d'Isère is a spectacular resort on and off the piste. With guaranteed snow throughout the season this is a great choice for couples and families alike.
Val d'Isère is considered a "snow sure" resort, which means snow all through the season with a range of ski pistes for different levels. The Val d'Isère village is located at 1,850m, and the resort reaches an altitude of nearly 3,400m beneath the summit of the Pointe du Montet.
Beginner skiers in Val d’Isère:
There are lots of areas in Val d’Isère to learn or improve skiing or snowboarding. Val has two nursery areas, one in Val d’Isère centre and the other in La Daille, both are at the bottom of the pistes. Both adults and children can use the ‘nursery’ slopes, they are basically short green pistes, that have a small incline.
There are 7 free lifts on the nursery slopes of Val d’Isère. Two chairlifts in Val d’Isère 1850 called Village and Rogoney, three draglifts, two on la Savonette and one on La Légettaz. In La Daille the two free lifts are called Les Lanches 1 & 2.
Once you have confidence, you can either take the Telecabine de Solaise or the Olympique, both gondolas so you feel nice and safe.
Going on the Telecabine de Solaise you will find yourself in the Solaise area, at 2560 metres, above Val d’Isère 1850, where there are tons of blue and green runs. The Madeline is recommended.
The Olympique will take you to Rocher de Bellevarde, where you will find two green runs and a blue, depending on how you are feeling! The Verte and Mont Blanc ski pistes take you to the bottom of the Marmotte lift, which you can lap until your confidence is soaring.
Le Fornet also has some excellent beginners pistes. From any of the other villages you can take a shuttle bus to Le Fornet. Once there take Le Fornet cable car, from the top you can come down Mangard, as your first blue of the day, be we recommend getting the Vallon bubble car to the base of the glacier. It is much quieter over in le Fornet area.
Intermediate skiers in Val d’Isère:
In the Val d’Isère ski resort there are plenty of wide, open blue runs and long reds for you to really improve your skills.
If you are staying in Val d’Isère 1850 probably the best red to do is Piste M. The Telecabine de Solaise will protect you from the wind, and you can hit the run time and time again! Or venture over to Col de L’Iseran, where there are plenty of blues to practise on.
From Lanches take the Funival to the Rocher de Bellevarde, where you can take Diebold or Orange. Diebold is wide and open, so a good one to practise on. Orange is fairly steep and tree lined at the bottom, a ski run to improve on. It leads back down to Lanches.
From Val d’Isère 1850 you could take the Olympique to join in the fun on Orange, but on the way home be sure not to take the black run! Either do Fontaine Froide which turns into Santons, or hop back on the Olympique!
Expert Skiers and Snowboarders:
There are loads of awesome black runs in Val d’Isère, and if you buy the full Espace Killy pass you can visit Tignes ski resort too, meaning you have the choice of 25.
There is a well known Winter Olympic run called the Face de Bellevard, which you can access via the Olympique gondola. Face de Bellevard is one of the less terrifying black runs, so try yourself on this first! If it is a challenge you are looking for try Piste S which is both steep and narrow, or Le Fornet – covered in mogels.
Val d’Isère’s glacier is called Glacier du Pissaillas, and it is worth the view from the top at 2762 metres.
There is loads of off piste to discover, especially between pistes. Always take the right equipment or a guide. Never go alone!
Val d’Isère ski resort piste map
Whiterides offer private airport transfers to Val d’Isère ski resort, direct to your accommodation from four airports; Geneva, Lyon, Chambery, and Grenoble. We also pick up from train stations when required.