Bad Weather Ski Areas in Val Thorens
Discover the top Val Thorens bad-weather skiing
When the clouds come in and the light turns flat it can be hard to know where to ski and what to do. The high, open pistes can lack the contrast required for orientation during white out conditions and slope and sky can blur into one.
Skiing in bad weather in Val Thorens
One drawback of Val Thorens’ vast ski area is the lack of trees, which can make skiing difficult in poor weather due to reduced visibility. However, some pistes offer better contrast—your best option is to seek out tree-lined runs, as they help provide definition when everything else appears white.
Staying safe in low visibility
In snowy or white-out conditions, always keep the poles that line the pistes in sight. These markers indicate the difficulty of the run with their colour (green, blue, red, or black). The key to staying on track is the orange bands: poles on the right-hand side (when looking downhill) have a 20cm orange band at the top. If you see one, keep it on your right. If a pole is a single colour all the way up, keep it on your left—this simple rule ensures you stay safely on the piste.
Best pistes in Val Thorens for low visibility
If visibility deteriorates, try heading to lower pistes near the resort, as they may sit below the cloud cover, offering better conditions. Runs from the top of the Cascades chairlift are a good option, including the gentle blue Dalles and the steeper black Cascades piste. Alternatively, take Plein Sud and ski the blue run down to the bottom of the Cairn bubble.
If the cloud is sitting in the valley, conditions might be clearer higher up. Consider taking a bubble or cable car to check, but ensure there’s an easy route down in case visibility remains poor. Checking the live webcams can give you a better idea of conditions across the mountain. If it’s snowing in the valley, it’s likely snowing at the top too—creating excellent skiing and quieter pistes.
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Advanced areas in Val Thorens
Private Ski Lessons & Instructors in Val Thorens
See all Private Ski Lessons & Instructors in Val Thorens-
Private ski lessons
This ski school connects snow sports enthusiasts of all abilities with expert ski and snowboard instructors across Europe’s top resorts. With thousands of top-rated, verified instructors to choose from, their private lessons offer a flexible and personalised learning experience.
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Group ski lessons
Established in 1991, this ski and snowboard school was one of the first British ski schools in France and is renowned for its fantastic instructors and excellent customer service.
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Private ski lessons
A ski school that brings technique and pleasure together throughout the Alps.
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Private ski lessons
Established in 1991, this ski and snowboard school was one of the first British-run ski schools in France. Their team is known for going the extra mile, offering excellent customer service and delivering outstanding lessons and guiding.
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Private ski lessons
This company offer private ski and snowboard lessons throughout the winter season for all ages and abilities.
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Private ski lessons
Discover the Val Thorens and the Three Valleys ski domain with one of the most renowned ski schools in the world.
Beginner areas in Val Thorens
Ski School Lessons in Val Thorens
See all Ski School Lessons in Val Thorens-
Private ski lessons
Established in 1991, this ski and snowboard school was one of the first British-run ski schools in France. Their team is known for going the extra mile, offering excellent customer service and delivering outstanding lessons and guiding.
-
Private ski lessons
A ski school that brings technique and pleasure together throughout the Alps.
-
Group ski lessons
This ski school offers group ski lessons for both children and adults, catering to all ability levels. Their group lessons provide a great and affordable way to improve your skiing in a safe, social and supportive environment.
-
Group ski lessons
Established in 1991, this ski and snowboard school was one of the first British ski schools in France and is renowned for its fantastic instructors and excellent customer service.
-
Group ski lessons
Their children group lessons are based on making learning to ski fun and are limited to six children per group for the best learning experience.
-
Private ski lessons
This ski school connects snow sports enthusiasts of all abilities with expert ski and snowboard instructors across Europe’s top resorts. With thousands of top-rated, verified instructors to choose from, their private lessons offer a flexible and personalised learning experience.
Beginner ski hire
Ski Hire in Val Thorens
See all Ski Hire in Val Thorens-
Ride & Style
In the centre of Val Thorens, this shop brings together top snowboarding brands like Vans, The Dudes, Airblaster, ThirtyTwo, Candide, Capita, Volcom, Planks, Salomon, Deeluxe and more.
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Altiloc 2300
This brand new ski and snowboard hire shop situated just a short distance from the main lifts in Val Thorens. Maxime and his team will welcome you and assist you in the store.
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Snowberry
Want to rent skis or snowboards in Val Thorens? Just visit the Skiset Snowberry store!
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Le Cheval Blanc
Welcome to Intersport Soleil Le Cheval Blanc! The shop focuses on quality, safety and comfort to give you an exceptional experience on the slopes. Their team of experts is on hand to meet all your equipment needs, whether for hire or purchase.
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Val Loc 2400
No need to carry your ski equipment around with you! Simply pick it up from the ski shop in resort. You can collect your equipment from at least 5pm the day before your 1st skiing day.
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Les Balcons
Hire Skis & Snowboards at the beginning of the street Les Balcons, 50 m to the residence Altitude, Val 2400 et Chalets du Soleil. Save time and money by booking online with Intersport. Have your equipment ready to pick up as soon as you arrive and hit the slopes straight away!
Beginner ski lessons
Ski School Lessons in Val Thorens
See all Ski School Lessons in Val Thorens-
Private ski lessons
Established in 1991, this ski and snowboard school was one of the first British-run ski schools in France. Their team is known for going the extra mile, offering excellent customer service and delivering outstanding lessons and guiding.
-
Private ski lessons
A ski school that brings technique and pleasure together throughout the Alps.
-
Group ski lessons
This ski school offers group ski lessons for both children and adults, catering to all ability levels. Their group lessons provide a great and affordable way to improve your skiing in a safe, social and supportive environment.
-
Group ski lessons
Established in 1991, this ski and snowboard school was one of the first British ski schools in France and is renowned for its fantastic instructors and excellent customer service.
-
Group ski lessons
Their children group lessons are based on making learning to ski fun and are limited to six children per group for the best learning experience.
-
Private ski lessons
This ski school connects snow sports enthusiasts of all abilities with expert ski and snowboard instructors across Europe’s top resorts. With thousands of top-rated, verified instructors to choose from, their private lessons offer a flexible and personalised learning experience.
Off-piste areas in Val Thorens
Mountain Guides Val Thorens
See all Mountain Guides Val Thorens-
Oxygene off piste and mountain guiding
Their mountain guides provide excellent off-piste experiences with safety equipment provided.
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ESF mountain guides, Val Thorens
One of the best ways to discover any ski domain is to hire a local mountain guide who knows the resort inside out. They will be able to guide you to the best and safest areas both off and on piste.
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Back country ski guides
A private ski or snowboard session for all ability levels – on and off-piste. It’s all about fun, improvement and discovering new off piste terrain.
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Office de la Montagne high mountain guides
This company specialise in all things high mountain for those that are looking for unique challenges, taking their skiing and snowboarding to the next level.
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Val Thorens ski guides
Quentin, Amelia and Jeremy grew up in the Savoie region and have been skiing and snowboarding in Val Thorens since childhood. Due to their continuous training, they have all competed professionally in alpine and freestyle skiing with some podium finished in the World Cup for France!
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Women's mountain biking courses and guiding
For girls who want to go mountain biking in women's specific groups, or for those who wish to develop their skills with advice from mountain bike guides, Fast Riding People mountain bike school offers guiding and courses.
What should I wear when skiing or snowboarding?
Ski Hire in Val Thorens
See all Ski Hire in Val Thorens-
Ride & Style
In the centre of Val Thorens, this shop brings together top snowboarding brands like Vans, The Dudes, Airblaster, ThirtyTwo, Candide, Capita, Volcom, Planks, Salomon, Deeluxe and more.
-
Altiloc 2300
This brand new ski and snowboard hire shop situated just a short distance from the main lifts in Val Thorens. Maxime and his team will welcome you and assist you in the store.
-
Snowberry
Want to rent skis or snowboards in Val Thorens? Just visit the Skiset Snowberry store!
-
Le Cheval Blanc
Welcome to Intersport Soleil Le Cheval Blanc! The shop focuses on quality, safety and comfort to give you an exceptional experience on the slopes. Their team of experts is on hand to meet all your equipment needs, whether for hire or purchase.
-
Val Loc 2400
No need to carry your ski equipment around with you! Simply pick it up from the ski shop in resort. You can collect your equipment from at least 5pm the day before your 1st skiing day.
-
Les Balcons
Hire Skis & Snowboards at the beginning of the street Les Balcons, 50 m to the residence Altitude, Val 2400 et Chalets du Soleil. Save time and money by booking online with Intersport. Have your equipment ready to pick up as soon as you arrive and hit the slopes straight away!
More inspiration...
Take a look at this year's ski pass prices or find your way around with piste maps for Val Thorens.
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