The ski area known as the Three Valleys, or Trois Vallees, is home to some of the most exclusive individual resorts in the French Alps. As the name suggests, this huge region spreads into three different Alpine valleys; Saint-Bon, Allues and Belleville, though in recent years the slopes have extended into another valley, the Maurienne, which can be reached by a chairlift from Val Thorens. Along with Val Thorens, the most famous and glamorous resorts in the area are Meribel and Courchevel, long time holiday destinations of the rich and famous and home to some of the best ski runs in France. Les Trois Vallees is actually the largest skiing area in the world which is only connected by the slopes themselves and ski lifts. Covering over 600 kilometres of downhill runs and 120 kilometres of cross-country skiing trails, the Three Valleys is not only one of the most fashionable resorts, but also one of the busiest.
Home to some of the most difficult black runs in the Alps, Courchevel has always been more popular with those who are on holiday to ski, rather than just look good on the slopes! This is also where you will find most of the ski instructors in the region based if you are looking for lessons. Most of the cheaper accommodation is in the nearby town of La Tania, which was built as athlete accommodation for the 1992 Winter Olympics, which also saw the ski jump and Nordic skiing events held in the Courchevel area.
Meribel is definitely a playground for the rich and famous, with few large hotels and budget options when it comes to accommodation. Most visitors stay in the private chalets that you see as you make your way into the town by road or by skis. As well as being home to dozens of ski runs for all abilities, there are also a number of other winter activities on offer in the area, thanks to the local company SnoEscape. They offer extreme sports such as paragliding, helicopter or snow mobile trips and even a day in the mountains on a dog-sled. They keep the activities coming in the summer months, when you can join their staff on guided hikes and mountain bike rides, or try canyoning in the Alpine rivers.
The highest ski resort in Europe at a staggering 2300 metres in altitude, Val Thorens is the smallest of the three main resorts in the Three Valleys. Thanks to its altitude and north-facing slopes, Val Thorens usually enjoys good snow cover from September through to May. Popular with snowboarders as well as skiers, Val Thorens has its own snow park, with half pipes and jumps for the more experienced boarders.
Looking for self catering holiday accommodation in The Three Valleys? Then below is a selection of gites in The Three Valleys and villas in The Three Valleys that can be rented direct from their owners. You can either click on each listing for further details or you can use our search engine on the left if you are looking for something in particular.
