Valmorel Information

Apres-ski

As with most purpose-built French resorts, Valmorel is not a place for hedonistic nightlife; but there are a dozen bars on offer and the resort's tourist office lays on entertainment and activities four evenings a week.

Straight after skiing, head to La Source (tel: +33 479 098 310) at the base of the slopes, which offers a good drinks menu featuring a range of cocktails. As the evening progresses, you can head to the livelier night-time bars, including friendly Le Café de la Gare (tel: +33 479 098 643), the quirky Le Jimbo Lolo (tel: +33 686 973 714; www.jimbololo.fr) and Le Pub du Bourg (tel: +33 479 098 666; www.hoteldubourg.com), a popular saloon bar with an open fireplace, pool table and games.

Eating out

There are several dozen restaurants in Valmorel ski resort, and the growing number of 4- and 5-star accommodation options is driving up the resort's gourmet dining offering. But most restaurants in Valmorel are simpler, family-friendly affairs.

Among the more affordable options is Le Jimbo Lolo (tel: +33 686 973 714; www.jimbololo.fr), which has a South and Central American vibe, serves tapas and Mexican fare, and is fun until closing time at 0200. Le Café Alpin (tel: +33 479 069 022) also offers good-value and tasty dining with its selection of pizzas.

For regional dishes, including crêpes and raclette, La Flambée (tel: +33 479 098 161) is a good choice; while another local favourite is Le Petit Prince (tel: +33 479 098 171; www.restaurant-lepetitprince.com), which cooks up Savoyard specialities including pierrades (meat cooked on a hot stone at the table). Le Prariond (tel: +33 609 884 405; www.leprariond.com) also serves simple local cuisine but with the added bonus of stunning views of Mont Blanc.

Resort Information

Beyond the slopes

There's a lot to do in Valmorel besides downhill skiing and boarding, although most of the alternatives remain outdoors. Among these, ice climbing, dog sledding, pony and donkey treks and horse riding, winter hiking, paragliding, snowmobiling, quad biking and even Segway hire are available to try.

Less conventional offerings include Speed riding (riding downhill with a small parasail attached to the skier's back), a fun and exhilarating option for good skiers and boarders, and zipping about on the snow in a mini two-passenger snowcat (tel: +33 479 243 032; www.choucas-sport.notresphere.com).

A major draw to the region is the Vallées d'Aigueblanche area, which offers thousands of hectares of gentle landscape buried deep in snow, which is used for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Other Nordic skiing disciplines are also popular in this area, with 40km (25 miles) of trails that extend over two linked plateaux in the Naves Valley.

Family fun

With its safe pedestrianised village, family-friendly onus and stress-free, easy-to-access layout, Valmorel ski resort is a good choice for families. In recognition of its service, Valmorel is a current holder of the 'Family Plus' certificate awarded by the French Government.

For young children, there are two Piou Piou Clubs (tel: +33 479 098 186) run by the École du Ski Français that are exclusively for children aged from 18 months to six years old. The chalets where these are based are equipped with all the usual children's comforts as well as outside snow play gardens. Children under three years of age can play under supervision, while those aged three to six can enjoy an introduction to skiing.

Retail therapy

Valmorel does not have a reputation as a shopping resort – there are about 25 shops in total, most of which are either ski outlets providing clothing and accessories or other essential shops.

Wednesday evening is a very different shopping night to most ski resorts, however, as the bakers from Maryan bakery (tel: +33 479 241 770) demonstrate traditional forms of bread-making. For the gorgeous regional Beaufort cheese and other Savoie regional produce, try the Coopérative Laitière (tel: +33 479 098 271).

Splashing out

A visit to the La Léchère (tel: +33 479 226 030; www.lalechere.com) thermal spa is well worth the 15-minute trip from Valmorel to the Vallée du Morel. Although there has been a centre for curative purposes here for a century at least, the lavish spa with its spectacular giant windows is something special. The thermal water bubbles up from 200m (656ft) below ground at a natural temperature of 61°C (142°F) and is allowed to cool before being used in the spa.

Hotels

Although Valmorel ski resort broke away from the concrete accommodation block model of earlier purpose-built resorts, it did still stick to the normal French ski holiday formula of predominantly apartment-style accommodation aimed at the family market. That trend is changing however, with the recent Club Med Village and MGM developments adding 4- and 5-star hotel-style accommodation.

Luxury

Moderate

Cheap