An independent guide to Val Thorens
Find out about Val Thorens Slalom Stadium here.
The slalom stadium is accessed from the Lac Blanc chairlift, see the Val Thorens piste map.
The Val Thorens slalom stadium (Stade Yannick Richard) is classified black.
It is used for race training, and for competitions including FIS races and the local weekly chamois (slalom) and flèche (giant slalom) races.
It's possible to book it for a private race for your group - contact Val Thorens Club des Sports.
If the slalom stadium is closed for training or competition, a sign at the bottom of the piste will indicate this; otherwise, it's open to anyone to ski the piste.
If someone has set a course, the etiquette is to ask whether you may ski it or not.
The chamois and flèche races are usually held on Thursday and Friday respectively. During the French school holidays, there are also chamois and flèche races on Tuesday and Wednesday.
If you're keen on doing lots of racing, you can book a competition course with the ESF. It will largely take place on the Stade, and includes participation in some of the slalom and giant slalom races.
The stadium is named after Yannick Richard, a skier who came through the Val Thorens Ski Club. He won several junior national titles and he was a member of the French national junior team, skiing Super G.
He tragically died in a snowmobile accident in Canada.
Val Thorens Stade de Slalom was upgraded in the summer of 2010.
A second arm of the stadium was created - a red piste which is now named in honour of World Cup downhill and Super G racer Adrien Théaux. The piste runs parallel to the main slalom stadium, and is used for Super G.
The slalom stadium is back up to standard for World Cup slaloms and giant slaloms.
Val Thorens hasn't hosted a World Cup race since November 1988, when Pirmin Zurbriggen won a mens' giant slalom, but the Club des Sports hopes to hold another in the future.
For the moment, the Stade regularly hosts FIS and European Cup races, and is used by the French national Alpine ski team for training, especially in early and late season.
In summer 2016, a new Stade chairlift was installed, replacing the old Roc and Stade draglifts. A Val Thorens Ski Club draglift was put in, to give access to the lower half of the Stade. It is exclusively for the use of the Ski Club during training and competition.
The various start huts were painted as a tribute to Val Thorens' ski and snowboard champions.
Marvin van Heek is from Val Thorens but raced for the Netherlands because his father is Dutch.
Adrien Théaux has won three World Cup downhills.
Jean-Frédéric Chapuis was Skicross World Champion in 2013 and Olympic Champion in 2014. The Skicross in Val Thorens is named after him.
Snowboard Cross racer Chloé Trespeuch won a bronze medal at the 2014 Olympics and a silver at the 2022 Olympics. In 2024, she won the Crystal Globe as overall World Cup Snowboard Cross champion.
The second slalom stadium, accessible from the 2 Lacs lift, is now named after Chloé Trespeuch.
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