Fresh from being voted the world’s best ski resort at the World Ski Awards in Kitzbühel at the weekend, from a total of 188 ski resorts from 20 different countries that were competing, Val Thorens will open this week, with the added bonus of plenty of fresh snow.
The official opening is on Saturday 23 November 2013, but the resort will open two days before, on the 20 and 21, for ski clubs and locals, to make sure that everything is perfect for the big opening on the Saturday. The resort expects to welcome around 5,000 skiers during this opening weekend.
Thanks to recent heavy snowfalls, the conditions are reported to be excellent. There is currently 60cm of snow at 2,300m and 90cm at 3,200m. 12 lifts and 19 runs will be opened, and the day pass will cost €37.60. The full ski area will be opened from 7 December.
During this first weekend, Val Thorens is hosting the Ski Force Winter Tour. Skiers can test for free new equipment from 18 of the biggest international ski brands. DJ Jay Style NRJ Extravadance will be playing from 9pm to 1am on Saturday.
Four chair lifts will be renovated or replaced this winter (part of a total investment of20 million Euros), bringing the transportation rate up to 65,470 people per hour.
Val Thorens will also open Europe’s highest zip wire this winter from which adrenaline addicts will launch themselves from the start at 3,230m, at the top of the Bouchet chairlift in Orelle, and whizz down a 1,300m long cable, at 250m above the glaciers, to arrive at 3,000m, at the Col de Thorens. It will open to the public early February
In the last five years, new upmarket hotels and residences have opened every winter. This winter, on 5 December 2013, Europe’s highest five-star hotel, the Koh-I Nor will open its doors. The legendary Fitz Roy hotel has undergone a “full redesign” for this winter and has earned a 5th star in the process. Val Thorens now has 2,000 upmarket beds and more will be created in the next two years. In December 2014, a Club Med will open, and another five-star hotel in December 2015.