What's New in Val Thorens 2025-26
9th September 2025
An independent guide to Val Thorens
9th September 2025
The latest changes and developments in Val Thorens and the 3 Valleys
in advance of the Winter season 2025-26.
There's to be a new 10-seater Doppelmayr gondola called Face Nord, at cost of €15 million.
The tourist office says that it will provide access to Face Nord and Asters pistes, as well as linking to Orelle via the Lory piste. This suggests that it will go to the same arrival point as the existing Funitel de Thorens.
The tourist office says:
'This state-of-the-art lift replaces the old Glacier and Col chairlifts which were dismantled in recent years...'
It doesn't seem possible that Face Nord will give access to the same areas that the old Glacier and Col lifts reached; it must 'replace' them in a vaguer sense.
Unfortunately bad driving led to the Cime de Caron cable car crashing into the arrival station in November 2024, and as a result it was closed for the whole season.
The Cime de Caron reopens in Winter 2025-26, with two brand new cars.
Alpine Fleet ski transfers are easy, reliable and convenient. Based in Geneva, the company's founders Hugh and Simon are British and British-Italian. Find out more about Alpine Fleet.
Alpine Fleet offer shared and private transfers to Saint-Martin, Les Menuires and Val Thorens (and other ski resorts). Use the form below to get a quote in Swiss Francs, CHF. If you proceed to booking, use the code ValThorensG to get a 5% discount.
The Folie Douce is being renovated in advance of Winter 2025-26.
The venue will be lighter and brighter, with a higher ceiling. There's going to be a second balcony.
Technically, the Ice Cross isn't new, but it returns in 2025-26 after a successful debut last Winter.
The ice track will be installed in the heart of the resort for the racing from 4th to 6th December 2025.
Other sporting events include:
These are highlights of the Freeirde World Tour in Val Thorens in 2025.
A fully autonomous drone is to be installed on the roof of the Lac du Lou refuge.
It can be activated and launched in less than 10 seconds, in order to survey the whole of the Vallon du Lou. Thermal imaging cameras are able to scan for signs of avalanches or for people.
The old Chenus bubbles out of Courchevel 1850 have finally been removed, and to replace them there's a new 10-seater Chenus télécabine. There will be 400m2 of solar panels on the roof of the arrival station.
The Côte Brune chair is replaced by a new télécabine.
Skiing Made Easy is a Kindle ebook and paperback. It's a practical guide to learning to ski, based on many happy seasons of ski teaching in Val Thorens.
'This is the book I wish I'd had when I started skiing' - Amazon reviewer.
Read more about Skiing Made Easy.
Buy the paperback direct for the best price. Or buy the paperback on Amazon or the Kindle ebook (affiliate links).
Skiing Made Easier is the follow-up to Skiing Made Easy, and covers technique beyond basic parallel turns - carving, short turns, bumps and off piste.
Read more about Skiing Made Easier.
Buy the paperback direct or on Amazon. Buy the Kindle ebook (affiliate links).
Backcountry Access BCA Tracker 3 on Amazon (affiliate link).
£337.61 at the time of writing.