© Val Thorens
© Val Thorens TO
This month sees the start of the winter season
December is when the ski lifts are open and the Christmas holidays are on the horizon.
We can expect sports competitions, opening parties, and there will obviously also be lots of festive celebrations including a visit from a certain Père Noël. As you are no doubt aware, most things in December revolve around the last two weeks of the month, schools break up and travellers from near and far descend on the valley. There are a plethora of events coming up, from parades to special Christmas menus and New Year's blowouts.
Read on for a look at what we like to do in resort throughout December.
Opening day usually falls late November, giving Val Thorens one of the longest ski seasons in Europe due to its altitude 2,300m in resort and 3,200m at the very top peak. The piste bashing teams work hard to keep the pistes ideally primed, ready for the crowds, when the majority of the lifts will have opened.
And, remember, with that altitude it's very very cold, with temperatures averaging from a high of -3°C to a low of -12°C, with around 11 days of snowfall. Make sure thermals are high on your Christmas list.
Christmas and New Year is a popular time for families so the slopes are noticeably busier as soon as the holidays begin. Fortunately, the Trois Vallées ski area is so vast, that even in high season you can find quiet slopes and minimal lift queues. Here are our insider's top tips for the school holidays:
If, like a lot of people, you like to follow several hours of exercise with several hours of drinking, especially during the festive season when many of the bars and clubs are opening up. And you can hit up any of a number of local après-ski sessions - on the piste, the après hot spot is the famous La Folie Douce, and down at the bottom of the slopes, you'll find a range of eateries and bars offering great music, delicious food and happy hours. For late night entertainment, the clubs hold special nights on most days of the week.
Always a big night in Val Thorens, the village is full of revellers who tend to congregate for the countdown to midnight, let off some fireworks and pop Champagne corks. The restaurants will be busy, so it would be best to make a reservation to ensure you can get a table, and many of the bars and clubs are ticket-only, so if there's somewhere you plan to see the New Year in, make sure you've planned ahead.
The Frog Bar in Val Thorens, Europe’s highest pub, has been a favourite since 2007, offering a lively mix of great food, drinks, and entertainment. Famous for serving the best British pub food in the resort, it’s the place to enjoy hearty favourites that hit the spot, from juicy burgers to loaded nachos, all made to satisfy even the hungriest skiers.
Igloo de Thorens Bar offers one of Val Thorens’ most memorable mountain experiences, combining alpine scenery with a truly quirky setting. Built entirely from snow and ice over the course of ten days, the igloo is crafted by hand, day and night, to create a magical winter hideaway high on the slopes.
Favela is Val Thorens’ go-to destination for Latin American street food and lively après-ski fun. Situated on the resort’s famous bar street, it’s the perfect spot to relax, eat, drink, and soak up the vibrant mountain atmosphere.
Klub Summit in Val Thorens is where the party never stops. Located on the famous bar street, they’re open nightly from 23:00 until 05:00 AM, with DJs spinning the best commercial music - from house to pop to disco - all night long.
A Val Thorens institution going from strength to strength with each season. Although a Danish bar through and through, its reputation has steadily grown with all nationalities and it has gained recognition as one of the very best après-ski bars outside Austria.
Downunder Sports Bar sits right in the heart of Val Thorens and is a go-to spot for live sport, cold drinks, and a buzzing social atmosphere. Open day and night, it’s the kind of place where ski boots are welcome, the screens are always on, and there’s something happening from the moment you walk in.
Christmas is synonymous with school holidays. As hundreds of children and their families descend on the pistes, the valley puts on a show for them. There are lots of activities to keep the little ones entertained on and off the mountain. Try your hand at one of the longest toboggan runs in Europe, jump on a snowmobile or head to the ice rink for a skate and music.
A fantastic way to see the resort with your friends and family and a great way to entertain any non-skiers in your group.
For backcountry adventures, this independent company operates in and around the following three heliski destinations: Valgrisenche, The Courmayeur Valley and the Col de Petit St Bernard Pass. They have pioneered 32 drop zones within these three broad valley regions giving you a huge choice of terrain, snow conditions and mountain orientation to ensure you have a day best suited to your ability and preferences.
Head out on a snowmobile with a guide and experience the mountains at night time when the lifts have closed and the pistes are quiet.
Alpamayo are a group of high mountain guides based in Chamonix all year round as well as in Val d'Isere and Tignes in the winter.
Spend an exhilarating trip being pulled in a husky sled. Excursions for 30 minutes or 1 hour are available from the tourist office in St Martin.
With so many families visiting the area for the festive season, there is a real child-like excitement as the big day draws ever closer, and usually there's an opportunity to spot the main man himself meeting and greeting people around the village. You will enjoy a magical week of Christmas festivities including a sound and light show and events and animations for children.
Aside from the festive celebrations, this is still a mountain town… the lifts will all be open and there will be winter sports events and competitions taking place up on the slopes, so make sure you look out for what's on and where.
The market in Val Thorens takes place every Tuesday and Thursday during both winter and summer seasons.
Each week during the winter season on Tuesdays at 18:30, the Val Thorens “Classic and Jazz” Association will put on a free concert in the local church.
A 10k race with 500 D+ elevation gain in the snow... sound like the kind of thing to get in shape for?
This stage of the Freeride World Tour is set to be a must watch event!
Themed face painting, workshops and fancy dress parade for the school holidays
The 17th edition of this unmissable electro festival for party lovers
For more happening in Val Thorens in December, check out our events calendar here.
Find out all about what is happening in the Val Thorens area and how to make the most of your time here. The latest news, reviews of fun activities, current events and the trendiest restaurants, as well as interviews with leading locals, insider's guides and our top choices for things to do, see and experience in the region. Plus, during the winter season, our famous snow reports and dump alerts all in the same place.
See allLatest News & ReviewsA number of events take place over the winter and summer months in Val Thorens and the Belleville valley in which it sits. From ski cross championships and music festivals to a mountain bike race that takes place across the whole of the Three Valleys, the Trois Vallées Addict Tour, and the occasional Tour de France stage, you'll find something to keep you entertained during your stay.
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