​	Richard Tasker ifyouski Ski Holiday Expert "Having spent a season here, I would now be hard pushed to holiday anywhere else in France – The combination of guaranteed snow, the largest ski area in the world and a party scene to match makes Val Thorens hard to beat"

Val Thorens has long been considered the ugly duckling of the 3 valleys, but if you’re a fan of function over form then you’ll soon realise it is definitely a swan in disguise! The resort is designed around skiing, with pistes dissecting the village and lifts everywhere, getting to and from the slopes couldn’t be easier.

Combine this with guaranteed snow and one of France’s liveliest après and nightlife scenes and Val Thorens is hard to beat. Did I mention it forms part of the largest ski area in the world too? Just a little over 600km of piste at your disposal.

Val Thorens has long been the preferred destination of those seeking budget self catering holidays and students out for a week of alcohol-fuelled fun but in recent years the chalets have started to take over along with a handful of top-notch hotels, diversifying the resort’s clientele and attracting more families as well as those looking for a bit of pampering and comfort (see Altapura hotel).

The skiing available is perfect for all levels with lots of nursery slopes, long, cruisey blues and reds and some tricky mogul blacks for the experts. The pistes are packed with excellent snow and surrounded by extensive off-piste opportunities. On a powder day head over to the quiet slopes of Orelle for fresh tracks and stunning views.

It has après ski and nightlife to rival all but the most raucous of Austrian resorts. The Folie Douce or 360 bar are favourite mountainside dance floors and there is the infamous ‘bar street’ with the highest pub in Europe, the Frog and Roastbeef, to keep you entertained till the early hours.

There may be no trees but don’t forget you are seamlessly linked to 2 other valleys with endless variety of terrain in Meribel and Courchevel, not to mention down the valley in the sunny Les Menuires and pretty St Martin. ​

Snow reliability. At 2300m this is Europe’s highest resort with lifts that soar over 3200m. What it lacks in pretty tree-lined runs, it makes up for with spectacular views and bucket loads of snow that stays fresh and lasts long into the spring when lower resorts have started their golf seasons. For pre-Christmas trips Val Thorens is a safe bet too with a couple of glaciers and lifts that open up a couple of weeks before other destinations.

1)	As well as a plethora of excellent eateries, Val Thorens is home to the excellent, 2 Michelin starred Oxalys restaurant. The highest stars in Europe and run by the youngest chef in France to achieve 2.
2)	Val Thorens boasts the largest nightclub in the Alps. Inexplicably named Malaysia it attracts world-class DJs and is to be found underneath the piste!
3)	Largely traffic free. It’s illegal to park on the road Mon-Fri so most of the time Val Thorens has a pedestrianised feel and people jump on and off regular free ski buses which do continuous loops (that’s when they’re not skiing back to the door!)
4)	This resort has one of the best parks in the Alps – for those who like to be in the air as much as on the snow, head here to watch the pros and practice your moves on a huge variety of jumps and features.
5)	Surprisingly entertaining for non skiers Val Thorens has a huge sports centre, ten pin bowling, lots of shops and one of the longest (and hairiest) toboggan runs to be found anywhere.

A brand new lift, inventively called the ‘Val Thorens’ on the North facing side of the valley, opens up another couple of runs and extends Val Thorens’ already plentiful supply of cruisey reds and blues.

Hotel Altapura – New for this season - is ski in ski out with contemporary decor and is decked out with an amazing spa and restaurants serving up the very best cuisine. Also close to the village centre, it's easy to see why this is one of the best hotels in Val Thorens.

7 nights at this catered property start from £1,342pp

Click here for more information.