The Valmeinier and Valloire ski area

I tested skiing for you on the Valloire Galibier Thabor ski area which brings together the Valmeinier and Valloire areas.

These two stations are in Mauritian. Skiing is done on sunny slopes with majestic landscapes. The lowest point of the area is around 1400 meters above sea level, on the side of Valloire, and the highest at 2750 meters on the side of Valmeinier.

The resorts are not big ski factories, which allows you to ski on relatively uncrowded slopes, especially at altitude.

But the best thing is to set off quickly to explore the Valmeinier and Valloire ski area.

Valmeinier ski resort

Valmeinier is accessible by the very winding road which goes up from Saint Michael of Maurienne towards the Col du Télégraphe, Valloire and the Col du Galibier (closed in winter). A little before the Col du Télégraphe, it branches off to the left towards the small valley occupied by the Valmeinier resort. It takes about ten kilometers from Saint Michel de Maurienne and its TGV train station.

The first village that makes up the resort is Valmeinier 1500. It is an old small village clinging to the sunny slopes of the valley, overlooking the torrent that flows at the bottom of it. It is a village that grew up around, above in fact, its church around the few houses that made up the habitat. It is quiet, it has the essentials but nothing more. The positive point is that you should not go too high (shorter journey, altitude with less risk of snow and ice on the road, etc.).

Another positive point is that this village serves as a starting point for skiing on both the Valmeinier and Valloire sides. A chairlift takes skiers and pedestrians from one side of the valley to the other at the foot of the lifts corresponding to each of the areas.

Higher up, at an altitude of 1800 meters, we find the village of Valmeinier 1800 on a sunny slope. It is a modern resort with architecture mimicking large chalets or small buildings with large sloping roofs. We find this type of resort in many other ski areas, such as La Plagne Villages or Soleil, Les Coches, Valmorel, La Rosière, etc. It is quite neutral aesthetically, but we know that we come here to ski. On the other hand, the small snow front is pleasant, with restaurants and life. Chairlifts leave from there to reach the summits.

From Valmeinier 1800, you can ski in the Valmeinier area. However, to reach Valloire, you have to go down towards Valmeinier 1500 or just opposite at the start of the Grandes Drozes chairlift. An easy blue run takes you there from the bottom of the Valmeinier 1800 resort. The return from Valloire can be done more easily since a chairlift (Inversins) allows you to go back up from the bottom of the valley, where the runs that arrive from the Valloire ridges end.

The resort village of Valloire

If we continue on the road, leaving the Valmeinier fork on the left, we first reach the telegraph fort, with an impressive view of the Maurienne Valley and the village of Valloire then. This one occupies a wide valley at the foot of the road that goes up to the Col du Galibier in summer. There is an old nucleus, with a church and old stone houses, nestled and stuck to the mountain. This is where the starting point of the ski lifts is located. The rest of the village of Valloire extends into the valley and along the banks of the Valloirette, the torrent that flows through its middle. The hamlet of La Ruaz, a small district of Valloire located on the Galibier road a short distance from the center of Valloire is very quiet. It consists of chalets and small residences and it has the advantage of having a ski lift that gives access to the Sétaz massif. One of the sectors of the Valloire ski area connected to the rest of the area by pretty slopes.

Valloire is a real mountain village, inhabited all year round, with summer tourism that continues until the closing of the Galibier pass. You will enjoy strolling there, and enjoying the restaurants and a beautiful digestive stroll along the river or between the small houses. If Valmeinier 1800 offers a winter sports atmosphere, Valloire offers the life of an authentic village that comes alive in winter around skiing.

A lovely destination less than 20 km from Saint Michel de Maurienne.

discover Valloire in winter — The village of Valloire in winter

The Valmeinier and Valloire ski area

The Valloire and Valmeinier ski area can be broken down into two parts: Valloire Galibier Thabor, in three main sectors.

The slopes of Valmeinier, above the two Valmeinier 1500 and 1800 stations, under the protective eye of Mont Thabor.

The massif of Crey of the Quarter which separates the valleys of Valmeinier and Valloire and whose lifts provide the connection between the parts of the area.

Le Sétaz massif which separates the slopes of the Neuvachette valley where beautiful sunny slopes of the Valloire area are traced and that of the Valloirette, which descends from the Galibier. On the Sétaz massif, accessible by cable car from Valloire, many slopes descend towards the two valleys and the village of Valloire below.

The sun bathes all the slopes from mid-morning, especially those at higher altitudes. On the other hand, shade sets in on the northern slopes from early afternoon in the heart of winter, which sometimes makes some slopes more difficult than they really are. In particular, the slopes that descend from Sétaz to Valloire (these are red and black) and those that provide the link between Valloire and Valmeinier (return to Valmeinier) on the Crey du Quart side (blue Grapil and Améra slopes, for example).

On the other hand, if you like skiing until closing time in full sun, you should choose the high slopes of Valmeinier and those between Crey du Quart and the Grand Plateau in Valloire.

In total, the Valmeinier and Valloire Ski Area offers 90 slopes served by 30 ski lifts for routes that will have you skiing over 160 km.

There's no time to be bored in the Valmeinier and Valloire ski areas.

In the Valmeinier area there are some magnificent slopes: these are those served by the Inversins chairlifts and especially higher up Sandonnière (two red slopes in the sun, of which I especially appreciated the Moraine slope). These are slopes that are a little away from the resort, with good snow cover and a sufficient slope without being dangerous, a dark blue or light red...

The other slopes of Valmeinier are simpler and much more frequented. They are perfect for beginners or skiers who want to go for a stroll.

The slopes that go back down from Valloire to Valmeinier are quite fast even if they are not very difficult. The difficulty, for beginners, lies in the fact that they often follow the path of fairly narrow paths, with tight bends, which become dangerous when the slope is frozen or scraped. In my opinion, these are only return slopes but not slopes on which you can have fun.

As for Valloire, there are several very pleasant areas to ski.

When you find yourself at the top of Crey du Quart, a beautiful crossing of the slopes allows you to get to know the whole of this side of Valloire. We continue the Escargot, a green one which serves as a link to reach the red of Blanchon, then Mulot, until the departure of the Cornafond chairlift on the opposite slope. We go up with this chairlift to the Sétaz sector, from which we go back down with Bouquetin and Blaireau. We then find ourselves at the departure of the Montissot chairlift which takes us back up to the starting slope and completes the loop.

Another beautiful sunny area is that of Large Tray. It is accessed by ski lift, and to come back down you can take a beautiful sunny red (Gerboise), the black Mérégers or a beautiful walk on the blue Primevère or Selles route. All these slopes lead back to the Montissot chairlift or the Cornafond chairlift depending on the massif you want to explore.

Finally, a mention for the long walk of the elves which leads back to Valloire or the two slopes (one black and one red) which allow you to go back down from Thymel (on the Sétaz) towards Valloire. The same descent can be done by a very pretty ski walk on a green slope, but still sloping, the Myosotis.

The other trails also present pleasant difficulties to overcome or offer beautiful landscapes but sometimes they are short or in the shade (depending on the month and the time of day).

In any case, in Valloire, the skiing is good and you can ski with the family because the slopes all end up more or less at the same meeting points.

To return to Valmeinier from Valloire, take the Brive 2 chairlift towards Crey du Quart and then descend directly towards Valmeinier 1500, or via Praz Violette and Pierre du Midi (be careful, they are both demanding) towards Inversins and Valmeinier 1800. Otherwise, you can also reach Inversins via the Combe Orsière (blue) piste link from the Grand Plateau.

What do we do in Valloire and Valmeinier when we are not skiing?

When you're not skiing, Valloire and Valmeinier offer all the classic winter activities: sledding, hiking, snowshoeing, etc.

In Valloire, in the evening you can also try Mountain Karting to hurtle down the Lièvre slope from the top of the Lac de la Vieille chairlift. Speed, fun and beautiful landscapes when the sky takes on its pastel colours before sinking into the alpine night.

In the Sétaz area, you can practice Snakegliss. It is a train of sleds attached to each other and driven by a lead sled that makes turns that cause a nice centrifugal force on the sleds at the back. Speed and jolts on the menu. Laughter at the finish.

In the village of Valloire, the large ice rink allows you to test your balance on ice skates.

In Valmeinier, for snow sports you have the choice between sledding, snow scootering, tubing and Snakegliss. The shuttles will take you to the starting points of the activities.

On the other hand, if you want to go back up the slopes, you can try the Moonbike. More "natural", dog sled rides are possible in Valmeinier.

There are of course other possible activities (Segway, paragliding, etc.) and I'll let you discover them on the websites of the Tourist Offices of Valloire and Valmeinier.

In any case, a winter stay in Valloire or Valmeinier will be fun and friendly in a sunny ski area accessible to the whole family and all levels of skiers.

Good holidays !