The last weekend of November is my favourite time to ski in Europe, and Val Thorens is the reason.
While we lived in France, my wife and I skied Val Thorens on that weekend every year from 2019 to 2022. These photos are from the 2019 trip, three days at the end of November.
Friday morning, about 10:50 am, from the balcony of our ski-out hotel.
In short: Kris Hehl is a travel designer based in North Vancouver, British Columbia, licensed by Consumer Protection BC (CPBC #65932). He has travelled to more than 50 countries, skied Val Thorens every late November from 2019 to 2022, and plans European ski trips for small and large groups.
We always booked a ski-out chalet or hotel, and this was the view on our first morning. Snow was already piled along the balcony rail.
That was the pattern every year: fresh snow most days, and on some nights more than 50 centimetres of it.
First Runs of the Weekend
On Saturday we were out early. By about 9:55 am my wife was already turning down a wide, nearly empty piste.
My wife on one of the first runs of Saturday morning.
The ski area runs from 1,825 metres up to 3,230 metres at Pointe du Bouchet: about 1,400 metres of vertical.
A minute later it was my turn in front of the camera, at the top of the same run.
On its own, the Val Thorens and Orelle sector has 150 kilometres of slopes, which is plenty for an early-season weekend.
Me at the top of the run, about 9:55 am.
Book ski-in, ski-out lodging. Val Thorens is built for it, so you are on the first lift without a shuttle or a long walk in ski boots.
By about 10:20 am we were back down in the village.
The village centre at about 10:20 am, with the snow running right up to the buildings.
This is what surprised me most about skiing in Europe: the ski towns are huge. Val Thorens has hundreds of ski-out options, from chalets to large hotels, and there was so much to do off the slopes that we were never bored, not once in four Novembers. It feels less like a ski hill with a lodge and more like a full town built at the head of a valley. And because it sits so high, the snow is there when most resorts are still waiting for winter. That mix of size and altitude is why I kept going back.
It is also a young resort. The first of its drag lifts went in in 1971 and the first ski school opened in 1972. In summer the roads up here belong to cyclists: the Tour de France has finished stages in Val Thorens in 1994 and in July 2019.
At 2,300 metres, Val Thorens is Europe’s highest ski resort and the top of the Les 3 Vallées ski area.
By about 11 am we were back up high, looking down on the village. From there the whole resort fits in one frame.
The highest lift top in the area is Cime Caron, at about 3,200 metres. The resort quotes the Michelin Green Guide calling it the most beautiful view in the Alps.
Val Thorens from above, just before 11 am. The village is the small cluster in the middle.
About 99% of the Val Thorens ski area sits above 2,000 metres, according to the resort.
That altitude is the whole story in November. On the last weekend of the month, at least 70% of the resort was open on every one of our trips.
Five minutes later, a mountain hut came into view across the slope.
A mountain hut on the piste at about 11:05 am, with drifts of fresh snow in front.
Les 3 Vallées links about 600 kilometres of pistes, and 85% of the ski area sits above 1,800 metres.
By the area’s own count, 15% of its runs are green, 41% blue, 33% red and 11% black, close to an even split between easy and expert terrain.
When to Go to Val Thorens
Val Thorens is in the commune of Les Belleville, in Savoie, and it usually opens in mid to late November, ahead of the rest of Les 3 Vallées. For the 2026 to 2027 season, Val Thorens and Orelle are scheduled to open on 21 November and close on 2 May (as of October 2026, check before you go).
For winter 2026 to 2027, the wider Les 3 Vallées area opens on 5 December, two weeks after Val Thorens.
My pick is still the last weekend of November. I was always blown away by how much snow there was that early.
If you want the whole Les 3 Vallées network open, plan for December onward instead.
Early in the season only Val Thorens and Orelle may be open, so a local pass can cover it. Check which pass fits your dates before you go.
Away from the groomed runs, there were plenty of ski touring opportunities too. With that much new snow, it is worth doing properly.
For ski touring or off-piste, hire a qualified local mountain guide and check the daily avalanche bulletin before you go.
The Ski Test Weekend
My pass from the ski test weekend, at the end of the day, about 4:55 pm.
Opening weekend has one more draw: Decathlon’s annual ski test weekend, where you get to test the newest ski gear.
It lets you try any new ski you are curious about, on fresh snow, before you buy.
Gear test events like this one run on set dates that change from year to year, so check the dates before you book.
If you are planning a ski trip to Europe, this is the kind of weekend I like to build a trip around. I organize ski trips for small and large groups, and I also personally escort groups to lesser-known resorts and areas.
Before you book, these are the three things I would sort first.
Go on the last weekend of November for early-season snow at altitude, and check opening dates before you book.
Book a ski-out chalet or hotel so you are on the first lift.
Check which pass covers what is open: Val Thorens and Orelle open before the rest of Les 3 Vallées.
Four Novembers in Val Thorens, the same weekend, and more snow than I expected every single time. Thank you for reading along.