FRENCH ALPS-- VAL D'ISÈRE
All my life, I’ve had friends in puffy jackets and translucent goggles pile up in the car to the mountains for the weekend. They say things like… how AMAZING was that shred?? and WOW the feel of that fresh powder SO sick.
((WOOSH… that’s the sound of those phrases going right over my head.))
I…however… have never been one of those people. Somewhere between traveling most winter weekends for cheerleading and having a personal vendetta against winter, I just fully ducked out from any ski/snowboard experience… and I’ve been 100 percent fine with it. Truly.
Then I was invited by the family I babysit for on a week ski vacation during my February break. I thought… free trip… what do I have to lose?
I went to Val D’Isère, a very posh destination in the French Alps on the Italian border. It’s a very prestigious ski resort, which means expensive… but again, I wasn’t the one footing the bill. But let me tell you, it was BEAUTIFUL and totally worth shelling out the extra cash!!
Getting there…
As far as getting there, you have a few options. I personally went by car from Reims which was about 8 hours.
If you’re coming from a far away destination, you can fly into Lyon, France or Geneva Switzerland. Both are about three hours from there. You can find shuttle buses or taxis from these airports starting at about 40 euros per person.
If you’re traveling from France, a train might be another option for you. You can train into Bourg St. Maurice, which is at the bottom of the mountain. From there, it’s about 45 minutes to the top. There are both buses and taxis.
As for traveling around when you’re there, you can use the bus system free of charge. It will take you all around Val D’Isère, although it does stop running around 10pm… so taxis are your best bet after dinner or late night!
Where to sleep…
I stayed in the Club Med in Val D’Isere. Club Med has locations all over the world, and their shtick is that they are the OG all-inclusive. So everything from the food to the drinks to the ski passes are all included in the price. They also hold social events throughout the week and put on performances every night.
I thought the hotel itself was quite nice, but the rooms could use a bit of sprucing up. I heard that at the end of this ski season they are doing just that, so we’ll see! The rooms were also a wee-bit small. But there was little reason to ever actually be in your room, so I didn’t find that so hindering at all.
Like I said before, everything is all inclusive and that included ski rentals and ski lessons. I was able to rent boots, skis, a helmet, and poles all right at Club Med. They set you up in a group lesson according to your level, and they are held twice a day Monday through Friday. The first one will be around 10am and the second around 2pm, and they will last about two hours.
My ski instructor was absolutely amazing! Camille was incredibly patient and very encouraging. We started with the basics. Right on the ground level of the town, there was a ski area where we learned how to maneuver ourselves. There was a drag lift that we would use to get up and down a small hill. A drag lift is basically a metal pole that you hold onto and it’ll “drag” you up the hill.
Day one was VERY rough for me. Between having a cold and getting altitude sickness, I was in extreme mental breakdown mode. After A LOT of water and A LOT of meds, I was able to pull it together for the rest of the week. But my advice? STAY HYDRATED as much as possible!
Once we mastered that area we headed up the bubble lift to the Madeleine area. This was basically a bunny slope area for little kids to practice. They had this tube like treadmill that would bring you back up to the top of the hill. It was quite convenient!
On the other side of that hill was a smaller version of a green slope. Here we practiced turns and stopping. Once we got that down we headed up to the top of Solaise ski lift to conquer our first green hill.
It wasn’t until this moment that I truly understand WHY people would attach wood to their feet and subject themselves to freezing temperatures. The views from the top were gorgeous! And there is an indescribable feeling as you soar down the mountain without a care in the world. So fine friends, I admit I was wrong to judge!
My only complaint about the ski group lessons would be that I felt that I was more advanced than people in my group, so I had to move at a slower pace. I feel like I could’ve been on the greens by day two or three, but we had to wait for everyone to catch up.
If you’re more advanced, don’t you worry this ski resort was MADE for you! Val D’Isère hosts the ski world cup every year, so you can bet your bottom dollar that they have lots of ADVANCED slopes
Another thing— take advantage of the different bars on the slopes! If you’re more advanced you can ski to La Folie Douce, a famous après ski location. If not, you can just take the bus toward La Daille and hop on a bubble lift to the top. They have performers, music bumping, and champagne flowing. The employees ENCOURAGE you to get up and dance on the tables! I went by myself and met some Belgians who took me under their wing. We had a blast!
The grub
Do you eat to live or live to eat? I can tell you for certain, that I’m the second one in that group and Val d’Isère did not disappoint. Club Med had a breakfast, lunch, and dinner buffet so that’s where I ate most days. But let me tell you, the word “buffet” does it NO justice. This was like a gourmet buffet. They had SO many options and everything was delicious. I had everything from ahi tuna to a burger to salmon to tacos… you name it! And don’t even get me started about the dessert bar…. seriously thank god I didn’t stay one more day or you would’ve had to roll me out of there!
We did also have the chance to eat at a couple places in town. We went down to Tignes, the town below Val D’Isère and enjoyed a decadent dinner at Le Kaya. Total mountain-chic vibes here. They pride themselves in having local seafood options. I had a fresh tuna tataki appetizer and a black calamari risotto for my entree. I’m still dreaming about it!
Another place we went to in Val D’Isère was called Avancher. We enjoyed some fondue! And I mean how could you go wrong with melted cheese???
Before you leave Val D’Isère you’ve gotta try Génépi. This pale olive colored liquor is famous in the town, as the herbs in it are harvested right off the mountains you ski down! It is S T R O N G… so maybe just have one at the end of dinner! Lol.
Overall
All in all, Val D’Isère was an absolute treat. Of course, when you’re not paying for it you can really find the good in everything. However even if I did have to shell out the cash for this trip, I still would’ve enjoyed it just the same!
But next winter will I be in snow pants packing up the car to head to the Poconos with my friends? Still probs not. As far as expensive sports go, I’m gonna stick with ones that keep me in the warm weather… like golf! At the same time, I am SO grateful for this opportunity. I mean really, how many people can say… I learned how to ski in the French Alps?