What to do in Val Thorens without skiing?

Val Thorens is about far more than alpine skiing. Spa and wellness, a giant toboggan run, snowshoeing, a zip line, snowmobiling or simply a fine meal: Europe’s highest resort brims with activities for non-skiers and rest days alike. Here is a practical overview to help you make the most of the mountain, whether you ski-in/ski-out or not.

Recharge at the spa and wellness area

After a morning in the crisp mountain air, nothing quite compares to the warmth of a sauna or a hammam. Wellness is perhaps the easiest way to enjoy a stay without ever putting on your skis. At Résidence Les Ancolies, our Spa & Hammam lets you unwind just steps from your accommodation, well away from the queues.

Val Thorens also has a sports centre with a swimming pool and water park, handy for keeping the children happy or for a late-afternoon swim. Many establishments in the resort offer massages and treatments by appointment. Do remember to book the day before in high season, as the slots go quickly.

Take on the longest toboggan run in France

Tobogganing is the most accessible thrill the resort has to offer. The Cosmojet, a rail toboggan, claims the title of longest toboggan run in France, with more than 5 kilometres of descent. It sets off at 3,000 metres, at the foot of the Péclet glacier, reached in around ten minutes by funitel. The ride unfolds over roughly 45 minutes of sweeping bends and illuminated tunnels.

A few useful pointers before you set off:

• Open to children from age 5 when accompanied by an adult, and solo from age 9 (a minimum height applies).
• Generally open from mid-January to the end of April, depending on snow conditions.
• Wrap up warm and bring gloves, as the cold is very real at this altitude.

It is a wonderful family experience, a shared moment to treasure with no need to know how to ski.

Go snowshoeing and try cross-country skiing

To reconnect with a little calm, snowshoeing is hard to beat. Waymarked trails and outings led by mountain guides carry you across snowy landscapes far from the bustle of the pistes. It is also a chance to spot wildlife and get to know the Vanoise massif that encircles the resort.

Those who favour gentler exercise will delight in cross-country skiing and strolls along the groomed routes. These pursuits ask little in the way of technique and suit every level. To plan your programme, the Explore Val Thorens page gathers our tips and favourite spots around the residence.

Seek out thrills beyond alpine skiing

Val Thorens has a reputation as a thrill-seeker’s resort, and not only on the pistes. It is home to La Tyrolienne, billed as the highest zip line in the world: 1,300 metres of cable between 3,230 and 3,000 metres of altitude, for a descent of around 1 minute 45 at speeds approaching 100 km/h. Open from age 8, it links two summits high above the valleys, with a breathtaking view.

Craving silence and wide-open spaces? Snowmobiling and dog-sledding are among the winter classics. They often take place in the late afternoon or evening, by appointment with the resort’s providers. Tandem paragliding, conditions permitting, offers another spectacular perspective over the ski area.

Take time for the table and the mountain

A successful stay also turns on good food. Between Savoyard specialities, mountain restaurants reached on foot or by cable car, and gourmet interludes, the resort is as much to be savoured as it is to be explored. Our own table, the Le Rendez-Vous restaurant, welcomes you to prolong the conviviality of a day in the mountains, skiers and non-skiers together.

Finally, do not overlook the simple pleasure of a stroll. Val Thorens is a pedestrian resort perched at around 2,300 metres, which makes it easy to wander between shops, sunny terraces and viewpoints over the 3 Vallées. To check which activities are open and their hours by season, consult the official website of the Val Thorens tourist office and that of the 3 Vallées ski area.