Nightlife Previews and reviews in Val Thorens

Whilst it is lovely in Val Thorens in the sunshine, the clear weather may be just the thing to tempt you on an exploration out of resort. This was the case for us this week as we (along with many others) ventured beyond the boundaries of our resort. For many skiers/snowboarders, a day out on the slopes is planned around one crucial activity; eating lunch. Mountain eateries are rarely located near each other meaning that a location should be chosen in advance and the day’s route is based around that. This week we decided to make our way over to La Tania to sample the cuisine at the famous Ski Lodge.

With the plethora of holidaymakers and students that are in resort at the moment, it’s not merely the pistes that are thriving as interest in après events are at a season high. With the cold air, clouds and snowfall working against us, you might think that the week would have been dry in terms of après and nightlife. But of course, we shouldn't underestimate the joie de vivre of the entertainment outlets in Val Thorens.

It is the second week of the French Holidays and Val Thorens is still very much in party mode (well, when is it not?). After a lengthy day on the slopes in the glorious sunshine that we are lucky enough to have at the moment, the tired skier is spoilt for choice in terms of the après-ski venues available to them in our lively resort. The air has certainly warmed up since the chilling temperatures of the last two weeks, making après-ski and nightlife far more viable and pleasurable.

Up in the mountains, high profile events have a tendency to go down one of two ways. More often than not they are a blinding success – the delayed Frostgun competition being a prime example – but occasionally they crumble under the pressure of their own over-hyped publicity. Now in the final throws of the season, there is a palpable party atmosphere across the Three Valleys expanse and seasonnaires and holidaymakers alike are all in constant search of the next big shindig. The piste-side apres bars have been filling up from the early afternoons and the party continues into the evening at the bars and clubs that line the streets at the higher end of town. Amongst all of this partying, it has been hard to ignore the impending Festi Val Tho, a prominent fixture in the season’s party calendar for the last five years.

If you are lucky enough to be coming out to the mountains for a white Christmas then once the skiing and snowboarding is done for the day here’s a quick run down of where can you go for some Alpine Christmas cheer.

With only a few weeks left of the season, there are parties left right and centre in Val Thorens and we’re having a ball. The town’s various haunts have been populated largely with a mix of seasonnaires and students, all eager to take a piece of the famed Val Thorens nightlife for themselves. Celebrating their birthday this week was The Frog and Roastbeef and it was an apt occasion for a boozy shebang. Whilst they didn’t have the luscious weather that we thought would continue ad nauseum (a planned foam machine and hot-tub had to be cancelled) the day-long party got everyone in fantastic season-high spirits. With the option to go all in for €35 everybody was distinctly merry by mid-afternoon and eager to demonstrate their skills on the snowy bucking bronco outside. There was live music throughout the day as two bands duelled on either side of the room, occasionally making room for a karaoke song and music from DJ Laserman. Acting as the seasonnaire post office and general meeting place, there is always an extremely welcoming atmosphere up at The Frog and it was a pleasure to join them in celebrating their birthday.

The sun is still beaming down on Val Thorens like a benevolent being, making sure we are all making the most of the glorious mountains. Whilst the pistes have experienced a veritable surge in traffic this week, it actually feels far quieter in and around the town than it has done for the last two weeks. There are fewer students and youngsters in the resort than there have been, meaning that the streets, in the afternoons and evenings, are generally a calmer place to wander. This is not to say that the après-ski and nightlife have suffered from any loss of merriment. In fact far from it; with more groups of young adults and families on their holidays, social gatherings and nights out have been extremely pleasant of late, not to mention a more mature affair.

March means spring skiing and après in the sunshine which brings with it lots of festivals so that you can take advantage of the long, brighter days and enjoy a beer or two on the terrace.

This week apparently sees a “Belgian celebration on top of the world” with Belgian Week taking place at Bar 360, Snow Café and Malaysia in Val Thorens.

Of course, the largest event of this week thus far was the end of 2011, New Year's Eve, and the 40 year birthday of Val Thorens. Thousands flocked to Place Caron in the centre of town to usher in 2012 from the slopes of the Alps. The good people of Val Thorens had spent the previous days carving a proud castle into a large block of ice which would house the local DJ. From a nearby scaffold construction, images were projected onto the castle with incredible precision, illuminating the buzzing dance floor.

The weather in Val Thorens at the moment is perfect party weather. The afternoon sunshine is bringing the slope-based bars and dance-floors to life and the warm evening air keeps the party going into the early hours. With the French holidays now over, it is significantly less busy in resort, the vibe is a little more chilled out and there is more room to breathe.

It’s party time in Les Menuires this week with a big birthday to celebrate - it is a whopping 50 years since the station started back in 1965 and I’m guessing it has changed quite a bit since then!