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What's new in Val Thorens for 2015-16
The tourist office in Val Thorens has released a video explaining what's new in Val Thorens for the coming winter season 2015-16.
On the piste, a very welcome development is the creation of an easy skicross type course, called Fun Slope, aimed at kids and lower level skiers. Certain sectors are to be opened up outside normal hours, for touring skiing. Off the piste, a new five star hotel opens.
This is the video made by Val Thorens tourist office (in French, with English subtitles), setting out what's new in Val Thorens for winter 2015-16.
What's new in Val Thorens for 2015-16: on the piste
Fun Slope
The main innovation for 2015-16 on the piste is the creation of a new easy skiercross course, to be called Fun Slope. In the video, Jérome Grellet, Director General of the SETAM, says that it will be accessible to as many people as possible, so it should be ideal for kids and relative beginners.
It will be 1km long, and have rolling bumps (known as 'woops' in French), banked corners, a tunnel, and some special sound effects. Although Val Thorens already has a skiercross course, it is too difficult for lower level skiers and boarders, and it is usually closed for the first two months of the season, for competition. The new Fun Slope is therefore a very welcome development. From the video, it looks as though it may go alongside the Traversée des Deux Lacs, towards the Portette and Moraine chairlifts. Update: see the exact location on the new 2015-16 Val Thorens piste map.
Fight Ski Club
In another skiing development, there's to be an 'experience' around the existing World Cup skiercross course, allowing skiers and boarders to be videoed and timed, with a related community called the Fight Ski Club.
Touring skiing
Director General of the Service des Pistes for the Belleville Valley, Benjamin Blanc, speaks in the video about new opportunities which will be created for touring skiing. They will open one run in the early morning, and a different run in the late afternoon, outside the opening hours of the lifts, so that people can go touring skiing on those slopes without risk.
Piste de la Chasse & Piste de Lory
There'll be a new piste in the Plein Sud sector. This is a project which has been under consideration for some time. When you get to the bottom of Pluviometre, instead of going into the resort of Val Thorens, or Les Menuires, it'll be possible to follow the new red piste de la Chasse over the road, and via the chalet Chez Pépé Nicolas, to boulevard Cumin and the Plan de l' Eau chairlift.
The new piste de Lory will start from the top of the Funitel de Thorens, and go into the Pierre Lory valley. The tourist office website says the piste will go to the bottom of the Bouchet chairlift. I can't imagine how it would do that, so I'll have to wait until the season starts and see. Update: it doesn't go to the Bouchet chairlift, but to the Peyron and Rosael chairlifts, which makes more sense - see new VT piste map.
What's new in Val Thorens for 2015-16: hotels, restaurants, and services
Hotel Pashmina
Val Thorens is excited about the opening of a new 5 star hotel, the Pashmina. It has been built by the Gorini family, who already own and run the Hotel les Trois Vallées, and the Chalet de la Marine mountain restaurant. One of the USPs of the new accommodation is the option to sleep in an igloo on the roof of the building.
L' Epicurien, La Pause, and La Maison
In the video, the Director of the tourist office, Grégory Guzzo, also says that the Epicurien restaurant at le Montana has won a Michelin star, with its chef Jéremy Gillon; and La Pause and La Maison have become maitres restaurateurs.
VT Pass concierge service
Finally, a new service is to be offered by the tourist office, VT Pass. In effect, they are offering a concierge service. You call the number, and you can benefit from the type of service that a hotel concierge might offer. Ordering flowers for someone, and being accompanied from the parking to your accommodation, are examples given in the film.
Longer term projects for Val Thorens
In the longer term, there will be more changes in Val Thorens, assuming the lift company, SETAM, is accorded an extension to its current concession.
There's to be a chairlift from the bottom of the Caron cable car, allowing a return to Val Thorens via the piste du Fond. The Plateaux draglifts will be removed once this chair is in place.
One of the older chairlifts, Boismint, will be replaced, and the Roc and Stade draglifts will be replaced by a chairlift.
€1.2 million is to be invested in a new refuge alongside the existing Lac du Lou refuge. There'll be a guardian in residence in the summer and winter seasons, and 35 beds. The idea is to bring more people into this wild valley.
