Record Breaking Opening Weekend for Val Thorens

Some 17,448 skiers and snowboarders, mostly French, enjoyed the pistes on Val Thorens opening weekend (November 20 to 21) according to recently released official figures.

Alix Ostyn from the Val Thorens Tourist Office says, “Our biggest fans showed up in record breaking numbered also helped by blue skies and great conditions.”

Val Thorens, Europe’s highest resort, is the first non-glacier ski area to open in France and heralds the beginning of the main winter ski season.

 It is the first time the lifts have been open in 18 months, due to the pandemic. Since March 2020 all ski lifts in France have been shut, other than a few end-of-season days last winter at a handful of resorts and summer skiing.

On the past weekend the snow was mostly man-made, 30 percent of the ski area was open, similar to an average year, and seven ski lifts were operating.

Snow is in the forecast for Val Thorens, which should allow more of its 150kms of pistes to open.

This season Val Thorens is planning to keep its doors open to skiers and snowboarders until early May 2022.

Ostyn says, “We’re ready to welcome everyone in the safest conditions.”

But the predominantly blue skies and sunshine helped create a celebratory vibe.

And more real snow is coming soon.

When it does there will be even more reason to celebrate.

The post Record Breaking Opening Weekend for Val Thorens appeared first on InTheSnow.

Some 17,448 skiers and snowboarders, mostly French, enjoyed the pistes on Val Thorens opening weekend (November 20 to 21) according to recently released official figures. Alix Ostyn from the Val Thorens Tourist Office says, “Our biggest fans showed up in record breaking numbered also helped by blue skies and great conditions.” Val Thorens, Europe’s highest…