In summer you'll probably find it easier to find a space to park your car in Val Thorens. In winter, a covered or underground parking spot is the ideal place to leave your vehicle as it will save you all the hassle of digging it out after a snowfall, scraping your windows and trying to start a frozen car. However, parking in ski resorts can be tight and so you’ll more than likely end up leaving your car outside.
Things to remember:
Traffic wardens or “Police Municipal” are regularly seen patrolling the streets on the look out for illegally parked vehicles. Parking in ski resorts can be very problematic especially during high season, so it is always worth reserving a parking space in advance wherever possible to ensure you have a suitable spot to leave your car. Foreign plates do not give you diplomatic immunity from parking fines so if you do leave your car in an inappropriate spot then you should expect to be ticketed or even towed away and impounded.
Parking fines vary from €11 to €135, with €45 being then norm. If you receive a fine through the post you have three options: throw it away (although the French authorities are cracking down on non-payment of penalties by foreign drivers), pay it, or contest it. If you decide to pay it then the sooner the better as the fine is lowered if paid within 15 days. You can do so either by buying a “timbre amende” from a tabac or tax office, attach it to the ticket and send it off; or by credit card on this website. Should you choose to contest it, then you need to complete the form attached to the fine and send it off to the Police Municipal.
Always pay attention to signs placed around parking areas in resort that may indicate a market or snow clearing taking place the following day. When there is snow to clear, ploughs show very little respect for things in their way and on more than one occasion have been known to scrape up the sides of errant vehicles causing significant damage. If you don’t move your car it will be towed and left elsewhere in resort, generally on the outskirts of town.
A few tips for parking your vehicle:
- Park facing downhill and turn your wheels towards the kerb to act as a brake.
- Leave your car in gear with the handbrake off as it can freeze and you can snap the cabling.
- Lift the windscreen wipers away from the window so that they don’t stick to the glass and get damaged. If there has been heavy snowfall, clear the snow from your windscreen by hand rather that with your wipers – the weight of the snow can be deceptive and you’ll probably just end up burning out your wiper motor. You certainly don’t want to be without functioning windscreen wipers in winter with all the salt from the roads that sprays over your car.
- Remember where you parked. This sounds stupid, but it can be very hard to identify your car under a metre of snow.
Car parks
For those of you driving an electric car you'll find charging stations at the following locations:
- P0, P1 and P2: These car parks have temporary parking spaces for electric cars - once charged you need to return your vehicle to a standard parking bay to avoid penalties.
Enquire with your accommodation provider at the time of booking as some hotels and chalets have charging points installed for guests to use.
Indoor / Covered parking
The indoor and covered parking in Val Thoren is run by Valthoparc who monitor and control the car parks. Val Thorens is also a car free resort meaning you can park up outside your apartment or hotel, drop off your luggage, but then must go and park in one of the car parks. Leaving your car on the street will result in either a ticket or much worse, being towed.
Parking your car indoors will protect it from the heavy snow falls and extreme weather conditions. It is worth checking to see if your accommodation has any car parking available before you set off for resort.
| Long Term Indoor Car Parks | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Car Park | Location | Places | Notes |
| P0 | Just off Rue de Boucle near the Valthoparc bureau | - | Height limit: 2.20m |
| P1 | Central parking on Grand Rue | - | Height limit: 1.85m |
| P2 | Located on Rue du Soleil (the first right off Grand Rue before you enter the main resort) | - | Height limit: 2.14m |
The car parks can be found on the resort map by the blue P. The indoor car parks can be paid for onsite or there are cheaper online prices, and you can pre book your parking before your holiday and save some money.
There are two hourly indoor car parks located in Val Thorens, located on the Grand Rue in the centre of town and Place du Slalom at the end of town by the Residence Gypaete Maeva.
Please check times, dates and fees at the time of parking as these may change.
Outdoor parking
There are a number of different outdoor car parks in Val Thorens. With the designated ones situated just outside of the centre of resort you can park your car and use the free shuttle bus service for the rest of your holiday.
The outdoor parking areas can be found on the resort map marked by the white P (parking découvert). Make sure if you are parking your car in an outdoor car park you have access to a shovel, if there is a heavy snowfall you might have to do a little digging to get out.
| Outdoor Car Parks | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Car Park | Location | Places | Notes |
| P2 | Located on Rue du Soleil (the first right off Grand Rue before you enter the main resort) | - | Height limit: 2.14m |
| P3 | Before the tunnel that heads into the resort by the Circuit de Glace Alain Prost | - | - |
| P4 | Next to the bus car park before the tunnel that takes you into resort | - | - |
Please check times, dates and fees at the time of parking as these may change.
Disabled parking
There are a few spots of disabled access parking in and around the Val Thorens area, most of which can be found in the main public car parks and at the hourly parking car parks, plus there are six disabled spots in the indoor covered car parks.
Before setting off it is best to find out where the closest car park is to your accommodation and the accessibility of this car park. For more information contact Valthoparc, they run the car parks in Val Thorens and will be able to provide you with the most up-to-date information. Alternatively contact the tourist office located in the centre of town at Place de Caron for more information.
Motorhome parking
Val Thorens has a few spots where you can park your camper van or motor home.
Being a car free resort the car parks that cater for motor homes and camper vans are situated just outside the centre of the resort.
- P2: Located just off Grand Rue just after the tunnel when you enter the resort is the main car park for motor homes and is open throughout the summer and winter.
- P3: Also caters for motor homes but is not always open so it is best to check before hand with Valthoparc if you plan on parking here.
In both car parks there is a 'Flot Bleu' spot which allows you to access fresh water and sewage disposal as well as a socket to help with electricity, but bear in mind this can only be used for about 15 minutes so you must have your own electricity available. The coins for the 'Flot Bleu' can be obtained from Valthoparc when paying the occupancy tax.
Please check times, dates and fees at the time of parking as these may change.
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