Feature Archives

This under-the-radar French resort is ideal for spring skiing, slow travel and families looking for a quieter Alpine experience. Tucked between the Beaufortain massif and the Aravis mountains, Val d’Arly is one of those places that has quietly kept its identity while the rest of the Alps raced ahead. That’s no bad thing. If your idea of spring skiing is sun on your face, a local cheese plate for lunch and barely a queue in sight, this unpretentious corner of the French Alps might just be your next favourite place. It’s not a single resort but a cluster of four traditional Savoyard villages—Crest-Voland, Cohennoz, Notre-Dame-de-Bellecombe and Flumet—linked with Les Saisies and Hauteluce under the wider Espace Diamant ski area. Between them, they offer access to nearly 200km of pistes, but the pace here is distinctly relaxed. This isn’t about racing for first lifts. It’s about skiing that fits around good food, local heritage, and soaking up the view. Despite its relatively modest altitude—most slopes sit between 1,200 and 2,000 metres—Val d’Arly fares surprisingly well in spring. That’s thanks to its north-facing terrain, especially around Notre-Dame-de-Bellecombe, where the snow lingers longer and the tree-lined runs stay well-shaded. My ESF instructor, Dimitri—who also happens to be a musician on the side—pointed out several off-piste bowls that hold great snow days after a fall. I started in Notre-Dame-de-Bellecombe and skied across to Les Saisies, Crest-Voland and beyond. The terrain is playful—gentle rollers, natural undulations, wide pistes perfect for cruising—and there’s plenty of variety if you want to mix mellow runs with more technical challenges. Even the local black run near Les Saisies skied more like a red, which suited the spring snow conditions perfectly. Dimitri told me the area used to be much busier in March ten years ago, but now it offers a peaceful escape for those in the know. “We still get the Dutch, Belgians, French, and some Brits,” he said, “but nothing like the big-name resorts. It’s good skiing, good vibe.” Espace Diamant, the main draw, links Val d’Arly with Les Saisies and several other resorts for a total of 192km of runs, 159 slopes and 82 lifts. But it never feels overwhelming. What’s refreshing here is the space. Wide pistes, sweeping bowls, and minimal lift queues—even during peak lunch hours. The top of Chard du Beurre (1,889m) gives you a spectacular “balcon sur le Mont Blanc” view, and from there you can scope out the Chaîne des Aravis and the Beaufortain peaks. Local instructors say this area is perfect for families, beginners and intermediates, with especially good green and blue runs around Crest-Voland and Les Saisies. But for more experienced skiers, the off-piste potential around Plan des Fours and the Lac de Flumet area adds a bit of adventure. The day after alpine skiing, I tried a short ski touring taster with local guide Thibault Chambéliant. A Nordic ski race was underway in Les Saisies that morning—no surprise, as the area is known for its 120km of cross-country tracks. Thibault, who normally tours in the quieter corners of the Aravis, says the discipline is growing fast. “Ten years ago, no one was doing it. Now, even beginners can get started—Decathlon makes it cheap.” He prefers it for the calm: “Alpine skiing is noisy—lifts, people. Touring, it’s just you and the mountains.” Val d’Arly’s villages offer a real contrast to big resorts. Notre-Dame-de-Bellecombe, where I stayed, has a population of just 450 people. By late March, locals joke that no one’s out before 8am and most shops start to wind down. Elodie, from the local office du tourisme, casually mentioned that the ski instructor I’d met earlier was her cousin—because of course he was. That’s the sort of place this is. Back in the 1930s, before chairlifts and gondolas, skiers in Notre-Dame-de-Bellecombe relied on something far more rustic: a télétraîneau, or ski train. Pulled by a Ford V8 engine and running on a cable system, the open-air sleigh could carry up to twenty people up the mountain. One of only three of its kind in France, Think hay bales for seats and a ski tow powered by farm mechanics. Restored in 2017 for its 80th anniversary, it now sits proudly on display as a reminder of how deep the roots of ski culture run in this valley. Local food culture is equally strong. At La Ferme de Victorine, once a working farm, the cow barn overlooks the dining room, where a herd still munches hay just metres from diners (pictured below). Down the valley in Flumet, Le Toi du Monde offers a more contemporary take on Alpine dining. Owner Florent, an engineer by trade, inherited the farm from his grandmother and transformed it into a sustainable restaurant and eco-project. “We wanted to push the environmental vision as far as we could,” he told me. “We produce almost half of our own ingredients here.” During a cheese tasting, I learned how much is still made by hand in the villages using traditional methods. Cheesemaker Corinne Mollier explained, “In summer, when the cows eat flowers in the pastures, the cheese is sweet. In winter, they eat hay—and the taste changes.” It summed up the area's slow tourism ethos - taking time to understand the land, meet the producers, and savour what’s on your plate. Even the village walls offer surprises, like a mural of Michelangelo’s David reimagined as a skier, rainbow puffer and all—part of the annual Val d’Arly Street Art Festival. I stayed at Chalet Hôtel du Mont Charvin in Crest-Voland, a traditional alpine hotel with comfortable rooms, warm hospitality, and a generous breakfast. It’s well located for exploring both Val d’Arly and Les Saisies, and its quiet, homely atmosphere matched the feel of the whole trip. Val d’Arly might not have the high-altitude glamour of the big-name resorts, but that’s precisely its charm. It’s a place that doesn’t shout for attention—but deserves it all the same. Need to Know Ski Area: Espace Diamant (192km of pistes) Altitude: 1,000–2,069m Best for: Families, relaxed skiers, food lovers, spring ski fans Transfers: 1hr 30 from Geneva Where to stay: Chalet Hôtel du Mont Charvin, Crest-Voland Images above the télétraîneau from Espace Diamant Tourism; image of the télétraîneau and those below copyright Katy Dartford.

Feature

//Feature

Val d’Arly: Big Views, Easygoing Vibes & Local Charm

//Feature

Fast Tracks to Spanish Peaks

//Feature

Ski Forever

//Feature

Family Favourites

//Feature

Hidden Gems

//Feature

[Resort Insider] Bad Gastein

//Feature

Pre-Christmas Ski Week Outsells Christmas

//Feature

Austria’s Ötztal Wonderland

//Feature

Saas-Fee & Saas-Grund: The Pearl of the Alps

//Feature

Gourmet Delights

//Feature

Val d’Arly: Big Views, Easygoing Vibes & Local Charm

//Feature

Fast Tracks to Spanish Peaks

//Feature

Ski Forever

//Feature

Family Favourites

//Feature

Hidden Gems

//Feature

[Resort Insider] Bad Gastein

//Feature

Pre-Christmas Ski Week Outsells Christmas

//Feature

Austria’s Ötztal Wonderland

//Feature

Saas-Fee & Saas-Grund: The Pearl of the Alps

//Feature

Gourmet Delights

Get exclusive updates and offers!