©
Vanoise National Park Discovery
3 stops
6 nights
77 miles
Names that are like music to the ears of any ski fan. Méribel, Courchevel and Val d'Isère make up a trio like no other in the world. These resorts lie in the heart of the superb Vanoise National Park. Here, “it's easier to ski than to walk, you just have to let yourself slide,” remarked émile Allais in 1937, the first Frenchman to win the world skiing championship and a founder of the école du Ski Français (Ski School of France). Over to you then to make the most of the Three Valleys and all their surroundings...
01
Departure
Recommended duration : 2 nights
Val d'Isère
Things to do, see, and discover
During your stay
©
Vanoise glacier tour
This is one of the region's most popular itineraries: from mid-June to mid- September, the Vanoise glacier tour offers an incredible journey along marked paths amid the permanent snow cover. Allow seven days to complete the full loop starting from Pralognan-la-Vanoise, staying overnight in a serviced hut (in between two more comfy stays in the Relais & Châteaux).
On the road
©
Arpin spinning mill
Established in the little village of Séez-Saint-Bernard since 1817, Arpin Woolen Mill keeps alive a family wool spinning and weaving business. Jackets, blankets, bags, cloaks, mountain knickerbockers and the renowned Draps de Bonneval are manufactured on century-old machinery some of which are included on the National Heritage inventory. The same gestures of shearing, washing, drying and carding the wool have been made for almost 200 years. The spinning mill is open to visitors and the adjoining shop sells products made on site.
02
52 milesCar
Recommended duration : 2 nights
Courchevel
©
Known as sheer heaven for skiers and the alpine jet-set hotspot, the Courchevel resort is a magnet for all who love downhill skiing and hiking. Its 300 slopes make the resort one of the largest and most beautiful ski areas in Europe. Far from downtown's luxury boutiques, the Creux red run and the black run named simply M are sheer schusshing pleasure.
Things to do, see, and discover
During your stay
©
Maison du Parc National de la Vanoise, Termignon
In 1963, this was the first national park to be created in France. It stretches from the high Maurienne valleys to those in the Tarentaise. With imposing glaciers towering above, there are some 1,500 species of plants found here. You can walk the park along 500km of marked paths. In bad weather, head over to the Maison du Parc which has a wealth of documentation and shows documentaries on the local flora and fauna.
During your stay
©
Adventure and adrenaline: via cordata and via ferrata (summer)
Thrill-seekers, climbers, and mountaineers will find themselves taking the vertiginous via cordata and via ferrata in the Vallée des Avals. Both the technical and safe routes can only be done with a guide. Hanging over the void, facing the Vanoise and Mont Blanc glaciers, the footbridges and rope bridges will get your adrenaline pumping...
During your stay
©
Discover mountain biking on snow with the fatbike (winter)
These bikes are called 'snow bikes' or 'fatbikes' due to the thickness of their tires. Developed in the mid-1980s to pedal in sand or snow, these bikes with oversized wheels are a real pleasure to ride. Perfect for outings as an alternative to snowshoeing, they are also used by the most daring on steep slopes!
03
25 milesCar
Recommended duration : 2 nights
Saint Martin de Belleville
Things to do, see, and discover
During your stay
©
Experience skiing and Qi Gong
Between December and April, Caroline Vincent, refuge warden and skier, provides visitors with the opportunity to discover the Three Valleys in a unique way by alternating backcountry skiing and ski touring with an initiation into Qi Gong, a traditional Chinese gymnastic practice and breathing science. You'll learn many key techniques allowing you to connect with an exceptional environment and live in the present moment...
During your stay
©
Celebrating the arrival of summer / Saint Martin
An ancient ritual celebrated in the valley every June 21, 'l'emmontagnée' is a great festival that brings together villagers, farmers, and their herds. The cows and goats leave the village of Saint-Martin-de-Belleville in the early morning and reach their mountain pasture between Les Menuires and Val Thorens to the sound of the bells. The shepherds pass through the villages of Saint-Marcel, Praranger, and Le Bettaix in a joyful and lively atmosphere.
Itinerary suggestions