3 VALLéES

Situated in the French Alps, the 3 Vallées is spread, as you can probably guess, over three valleys – and thanks to its well-linked runs it’s not impossible to ski all three in a day. Equally, it’s so big (more than 600km of runs) that if you’re there for a week, you’ll rarely need to ski the same run twice. With great grooming and wide, open slopes as well as some more challenging, steep terrain it is well suited to all levels of skiers.

Which resort you stay in will depend on the style you’re looking for, and your budget. Courchevel has some of the most expensive hotel rooms Scout has ever seen and with several village areas spread over the mountain the general rule is that the higher you go, the greater the luxury stakes and therefore the price.

Méribel village has several parts and since it’s in the center of the 3 valleys it is also the most convenient if you’re wanting to explore different areas each day. It has the feel of a more traditional European village, with plenty of chalets and luxury hotels, as well as a few budget options. It is particularly popular with the British and has a decent party scene.

Val Thorens is, at 3230m/10,600ft, the highest resort in the Alps and as a result the snow is almost always good (especially on its two glaciers). The village is less traditional, being one of those that was purpose built in the 60s/70s and it consists mainly of high-rise hotels scattered around a base area and on the slopes.

The other main village and resort is Les Menuires, situated just down the valley from Val Thorens. The smaller towns and villages of Brides les Bains, St Martin de Belleville, La Tania and Orelle (in Italy) offer accommodation with lifts to access the main ski areas.

The 3 Vallées is relatively easy to get to from the main transit hubs of Lyon, Chambery and Geneva – each within three hours’ drive. There are also direct trains from London to Moûtiers and from there it’s only a short bus or taxi ride to the villages.