Val Thorens Apres Ski Report: 8th February 2012

It has been another incredibly cold week up in resort - temperatures reaching the -20s on several occasions - but that has not deterred custom from the multitude of bars and clubs in town. Throughout the last couple of weeks, a new hotel bar called Tango has been gaining popularity at the top of town just off Plein Sud. When the sun goes down, the bar is quite hard to spot as the new hotel has not yet been fully furnished. Yet, with its older and more established neighbours, the Scandinavian team behind Tango are doing a stellar job at making it a worthy and diverse contemporary. Whilst many bars in Val Thorens serve up cocktails, there are few that do so with as much authenticity and flair as here. Highly recommended!

A stone’s throw down the road is The Frog and Roastbeef, “The Highest Pub in Europe” and one of the liveliest and most welcoming bars in Val Thorens. The English run establishment is a favourite amongst British guests and seasonnaires, but there really is something to keep everyone happy at The Frog. With karaoke nights, live bands, DJs, drinks promotions (Toss the Boss is particularly fun) and the fabled ‘Frog Challenge”, there’s always something to keep you entertained. Further down the winding Rue De Gebroulaz is The Snow Cafe, a small Dutch bar which is popular on bar crawl nights. Its walls are lined with quirky signs and artefacts and there seems to be extreme sports being constantly screened on the wall-mounted flat screens making this a pleasantly distracting place to have a few drinks and a decent boogie.

The weather has been mostly clear this week (the odd passing cloud permitted) and if you wrap up warm enough, mountainside après ski is where it’s at. After a long day on the slopes, why not wind down with a hot chocolate or a vin chaud at one of the warm, pleasant chalet restaurant/bars that pepper the pistes of the resort. Chalet de Marine and Chalet du Thorens, the two establishments which draw the crowds on the south eastern facing slopes of the valley (both can be accessed by the Cascades chairlift), are both ideal for a cosy afternoon drink. The latter is popular for its bar, Bar 360, which pumps out big tunes every afternoon and is always busy. The chalet also hosts fondue nights during the week and provides a torchlight descent back to resort, certainly one of the ‘must-dos’ in Val Thorens. If you fancy stepping it up a gear and partying in the sunlight, head over to Plein Sud after 2:30 and try your luck at the forever crammed La Folie Douce. Sure, it’s busy and it can take an age to get to the bar, but this is one of the most famous parties in The Three valleys and for good reason.

Valentine’s Day is now less than a week away so it’s time to start making those reservations. The Val Thorens tourist office is holding a valentines event at Place Caron on Tuesday evening at 7pm; expect mulled wine, heart-shaped balloons by romantic torchlight. There is also a classical concert at the Polycultural Hall from the young violinist Hugues Borsarello from 6:30pm. As for restaurants, La Palliot is a reasonably priced option in the centre of town. The family run establishment pride themselves on their superb homemade pizzas and offer a cosy environment in which to enjoy them. For something really special however, you could book a table at Resteraunte L’Oxalys, Val Thorens’ Michelin worthy cuisine with a kitchen run by the renowned Jean Suplice. If you are willing to spare no expense, this would surely make for an unforgettable evening of fine dining. Book now!