3 Valleys from Val Thorens

How to do the 3 Valleys from Val Thorens - ideas for routes and lunch stops, and other tips.

This is a 3 Valleys piste map.

3 Valleys from Val Thorens: Leaving Val Thorens

The obvious way to set off is by going to the top of the Plein Sud sector, which involves taking two lifts - Pionniers or Plein Sud, then Funitel 3 Vallées or Télésiege 3 Vallées.

(Another possibility would be head towards Les Menuires, without taking a lift, on Boulevard Cumin, then head over to the Méribel valley from there. Note that Boulevard Cumin is flat in places, so awkward for snowboarders).

At the top of the Plein Sud sector, there's a great view into the Méribel valley and towards Mont Blanc beyond.

The long run down towards Méribel Mottaret is called Lac de la Chambre.

Lac de la Chambre used to be red, but then they made a track at the top which goes a longer way round and is less steep. Now Lac de la Chambre is blue, but it isn't a very easy blue especially when very busy with people charging off to the 3 Valleys first thing in the morning.

The top of the old red is still there, but the lift company seems to have given up pisting it - which is a shame, because it was great fun to ski.

After quite some way, you reach a junction.

To the left, it's a flat track followed by a run down to Plan des Mains chair; to the right, it's downhill first then flat. Either way, there's some flat. I tend to go left, and do the flat first.

You arrive at a flat area where two lifts start.

If you're fast skiers or boarders and want to pack in as much as possible, you could take Mont Vallon bubble up and ski one of the reds back down (Campagnol or Combe du Vallon).

To continue to the centre of Méribel Mottaret, there are two options.

3 Valleys from Val Thorens: to Méribel Mottaret

Option 1 - Plans des Mains Chair

Usually the best option is to go up Plans des Mains chair, then turn right down Sittelle (blue) towards Méribel Mottaret.

If you like the sound of it, you could divert off to the right of Sittelle into the snow park, for example to do the easy boardercross.

The last part into Mottaret (on Martre) is quite often a little hard and icy.

Option 2 - Ours Piste

Instead of going to Mottaret via Plans des Mains, you could take the straight on option - a blue run called Ours (bear).

I like it because it goes through the trees and is scenic, but there's a lot of flat so it isn't necessarily suitable for snowboarders or skiers who are averse to polling and skating along.

Ours brings you to Méribel Mottaret.

3 Valleys from Val Thorens: Méribel Mottaret to Courchevel

There's a shorter and a longer option from Méribel Mottaret to Courchevel.

Option 1 - Pas du Lac

The shorter option is to get Pac du Lac bubble out of Mottaret.

It's two sections, so stay on at the mid-station and go all the way up to Saulire, which is at the top of the Courchevel ski area.

Option 2 - La Truite to Méribel

If you have enough time, you could take La Truite (the trout), which is a very pretty green by the stream and through the trees from Méribel Mottaret to Méribel.

From the Rond Point des Pistes in Méribel, take the Saulire Express bubble (two sections, but obligatory change at the mid-station) to Saulire.

From here, you can go towards Courchevel 1650 (Moriond) or Courchevel 1850.

3 Valleys from Val Thorens: Skiing in Courchevel

There are plenty of fun routes to do in Courchevel.

I'm going to suggest two possibilities - one based on Courchevel 1650 (Moriond), and the other on Courchevel 1850. Of course, you can do your own variants of these routes, and cover more ground if you're fast and have the energy.

Option 1 - Courchevel 1650 (Moriond)

Take the Creux piste. It's reasonably steep for a blue, but the gradient eases lower down.

You reach Chanrossa chairlift, which you can take.

The red run from the top of Chanrossa is Roc Merlet.

At the bottom of Roc Merlet piste where the Roc Merlet chair sets off, continue on the blue runs which are easy, rolling and enjoyable, rolling blue. Keep right so that you pass the top of Roc Mugnier chair, and continue to Bel Air and the Western Ski Park.

It's well worth going down the Bel Air red run and coming back up Chapelets lift. With a view of the rocky faces opposite, this is one of the most picturesque parts of the 3 Valleys.

From the top of the Chapelets lift, turn right down Rochers, a fun gully run, to get back to Bel Air.

There's a posh restaurant at Bel Air, but it also has a takeaway sandwich and panini window with picnic tables by it.

To get back to the top of Saulire, take the green Petite Bosse piste, then a blue run down through the trees to Aiguille du Fruit chair. Turn left at the top of the chairlift, and ski down to Marmottes chair; Marmottes goes up to Saulire.

If you want to go to Courchevel 1850, turn right at the top of Aiguille du Fruit, and follow Altiport/Biollay pistes.

Option 2 - Courchevel 1850

To go towards Courchevel 1850 from Saulire, take the red Combe Saulire piste. The steepest part is at the top.

If it looks too steep, go straight on along the ridge, rather than left down the main run; there's a track that does a zig and a zag to reduce the gradient.

Saulire is quite a long red run. How easy or difficult it is depends a lot on the snow conditions. It's usually fun.

Further down there are left and right options (Téléphone and Bosses) which come back together.

You arrive at the departure station of the Saulire cable car. Just below it is the Family Park, with an easy boardercross.

From the bottom of the Family Park, it's a flat and easy slide to Courchevel 1850.

My usual lunch stop is at the bakery inside the shopping centre in Courchevel. It involves clip-clopping over a hard floor and down some steps, but it's the best value you're likely to find in this part of the world.

If you have time before or after lunch, you could go under the bridge, past the start of Plantrey chair, and all the way down to Le Praz at 1300m; you can admire the ski jump from the 1992 Winter Olympics.

Another option for lunch is the Bouc Blanc restaurant.

Take Chenus bubble out of Courchevel 1850, then Loze Est and Bouc Blanc pistes down to the Bouc Blanc restaurant. It's consistently good food, large portions, and reasonable prices.

From the Bouc Blanc, you can take Folyères piste down to La Tania. It's sometimes a bit icy, but if you've come from Val Thorens skiing through the forest will be novel and fun.

3 Valleys from Val Thorens: Heading Home

There's less skiing and more time on lifts on the way home.

Option 1 - Via Saulire

You can go back via Saulire.

As described in the Courchevel Moriond section, you can get up there on Marmottes chair. From Courchevel 1850, take the Verdons or Chenus bubble, Biollay chair, and Vizelle bubble.

From the top of Saulire, take one of the red runs down to Méribel Mottaret. It's often a bit hard and icy under your skis.

If someone in your party is tired, they could go down to Mottaret in Pas du Lac bubble.

From Mottaret, take Plattières bubble followed by Côte Brune chair.

Côte Brune takes you back at the top of Val Thorens.

You can get back to resort via Goitschel/Chardons and Plein Sud, or the blue run Pluviomètre.

Option 2 - Via Col de la Loze

If you've been to Le Praz, come back up Forêt; if you've been to La Tania, come back up the La Tania bubble. Both bring you back to the Bouc Blanc restaurant. From there, you can pick up Dou des Lanches.

Dou des Lanches arrives at the top of Col de la Loze - famous as a Tour de France climb.

From there, take Pic Bleu piste down past the start of Loze chairlift. After that, you can choose between the Animals Piste or Blanchot, to the bottom of Altiport chair.

Forêt piste (from the bottom of Altiport chair) is totally flat to begin with, but there is a rope tow. Then the bottom of Doron gets you to Méribel.

Take Legends out of Méribel, then Grive and Perdrix to Méribel Mottaret. From Mottaret, the route home is the same as the second part of Option 1.

I hope you have a great 3 Valleys trip.