Top 5 Ski Slopes in Les Trois Vallées

If you are thinking about taking to the slopes in the near future, look no further than Les Trois Vallées, the largest ski area in the world. Situated in the French Alps, the Three Valleys ski resort has more than 370 miles of ski slopes, and boasts an impressive 183 ski lifts, with the ability to transport over 200,000 skiers and hour! With that many runs to contend with it can be difficult to know where to begin, so here are our top 5 ski slopes to get you started.

1) ‘Folyères’ – La Tania

Located at the edge of Courchevel 1850, this blue run winds its way straight through a forest, down into the lovely village of La Tania. The tree-lined Folyères is a beautiful slope with surroundings that the whole family can enjoy, and the piste is not too challenging even for novice skiers. Because La Tania is situated at lower altitude than most of the other resorts, snow cover can be thin towards the end of the season. Luckily, snow cannons have now been installed on the lower half of the run to make sure conditions are optimal for as long as possible.

2) Mottaret Snow Park – Méribel

If you are looking to show off your tricks in front of an audience, look no further than the Mottaret Snow Park. Situated alongside the Plattières piste, as well as below the Plattières ski lift, there will always be an audience to watch your jumps (or your crashes!). Intermediate skiers will enjoy the 4-man border-cross, which you can race your mates down, and snowboarders are often found risking life and limb on the half and quarter pipes. The snow park even has its own chairlift, so you can repeat the run as many times as you like.

3) Jerusalem – Méribel

Jerusalem is a red run on the St Martin de Belleville side of Méribel, rolling its way down to the St Martin village itself. If you get the chance whilst on holiday to visit this small resort for lunch it will be well worth your while, since it is the only traditional village left in the Three Valleys. Jerusalem itself is a wide and undulating piste, steep enough for you to pick up speed without fearing for your life! If you fancy something more demanding, the off-piste route is an excellent alternative. Be warned, Jerusalem does not always open during times of thin snow cover.

4) La Masse

La Masse may be a mountain rather than a single slope, but it was just too hard to choose a winner from its numerous pistes! When the sun is shining, I would advise taking the chair lift to the top and experiencing the panoramic views. From the top, you can choose between a black and a red run, both of which are not suitable for beginners but intermediates will enjoy. Luckily, there are enough runs on the rest of La Masse to suit all abilities, varying from winding blues to the fantastic La Noir.

5) The Courchevel Couloirs

Lastly, we come to the Couloirs, which can be seen from almost all points in Courchevel. These are not technically pistes and should be avoided by all but the most capable of skiers. If you do feel like taking on a challenge then the Couloirs are the place for you! The Couloirs wind down between ribs of rock and can be accessed by traversing off the piste. If you are not feeling brave enough to give it a try yourself, you can ski down one of the many red or blue slopes alongside the Couloirs and watch the groups skiing (or falling) down instead!

So there you have it, my top 5 pistes in the Three Valleys. There are many other fantastic other runs to mention in this amazing part of the Alps, so whatever your ability or preference you will find something to suit you.

This article was provided by Chloe who writes on health and fitness for ActiveQuote Health Insurance, a health insurance comparison website. After going skiing for the first time in the Three Valleys four years ago she became hooked, and has returned every year since!