Ski Vald'isere - Ski Resort Guide
Val d'isere guide and useful info for resort based activities!
High altitude glacier skiing, oodles of off piste and a real party town with boutique shopping and colourful cafes offering apres ski with a thump! Get the heads up on where's good (and not so good) to go...Where to Party?
The world renowned Val D’Isere has long been a name synonymous with hardcore après ski. It’s fun, live for the moment vibe rubs off on everyone, even the more mature skier will find it hard to resist getting up for a good old stomp to the beat in their ski boots.
Dicks Tea Bar
Starting first with the most famous bar, Dicks Tea Bar needs little introduction. Located in the centre of the village, this is where all the international DJs end up spinning the decks until 4am. Make sure you’ve checked out the snow report for the next day before embarking on a night out here.
Café Face
One of the busiest spots in town found at the bottom of Bellevarde Face. Brilliant for live music straight from the mountain. 2 Euros for a beer at 4pm with prices rising steadily every hour. The interior hasn’t been touched since ’93 so don’t expect anything uber-cool but the locals and seasonnaires love it.
Members Bar And Club
If you’ve money to burn and the crowd in Dicks Tea Bar are getting too raucous step next door into the members bar. Sophisticated and stylish with some of the most expensive yet delicious cocktails around.
Grand Marnier
The gimmick here is that every drink, no matter what, is served with a shot of Grand Marnier. If you order one of the mouth-watering crepes off the menu you can help yourself to the bottle. Not such a great place if you can’t stand the stuff. Located at the bottom of the town slopes it is ideally located for après ski or even lunch.
Saloon
Find it near the beginner’s slopes, excellent happy hour offers here plus wi-fi. If you’re looking for a quiet drink though it’s probably best to give this place a miss. It can get very loud, with staff and punters alike getting stuck in to swing of things. Great fun.
Victors
Located just by the Spar supermarket Victors is brilliant for chilling and chatting with a drink in hand. Has a no music policy, so anyone who likes to boast about their feats of the day can do so without shouting. Food here is excellent too.
Le Graal
Cheap beer and a flashing dance floor…what more can I add? If you’re unpretentious about your nightclubs then this is the place for you, also very kindly provides a free bus service to wherever you are staying until the early hours of the morning.
Morris Pub
This place is steeped in local history. One of the very first pubs in |Val D’Isere, it has a faithful following of local and tourists alike. Good value drinks and cracking bands ensure the Morris Pub will remain popular for quite sometime to come.
Pacific
One of the most welcoming establishments in town, this large pub has everything. Great après ski, all major sporting events shown on their 7 huge tvs and some great bar meals. Next door to Precision Ski rental.
Blue Note
Quite often overlooked, this cosy little bar is well worth a visit. With free bar snacks and some of the cheapest drinks in Val, this place is great for just kicking off your boots and hovering up some beverages. Right next to ESF.
Where to Eat?
Billabong CaféAs the name suggests, this is for the younger clientele. You won’t find gourmet food here but the burgers are great. Find it at behind the billabong clothes shop.
Hotel Aigle des Neiges
The hotel is the umbrella for three really good quality restaurants. Starting with the a la carte room at the top end of the budget and a cheerful tapas restaurant as an alternative. Used to be called Les Latitudes.
L’Arolay
It’s worth going over to Le Fornet if you want to sample a high standard of local dishes. The staff are super friendly and the atmosphere cosy and welcoming.
La Perdrix Blanche
Although La Perdrix may be a bit confused in its identity at least the choice is wide. The menu can be anything from local Savoyard specialities, to pizzas to Chinese! Easily found on the main high street.
La Savoyarde
If you can squeeze it into your budget somehow, definitely try and pay a visit to La Savoyard. Contrary to the name, the menu isn’t particularly Savoie, more like top French cuisine. If Olympic medals extended to restaurant Maitre d’s then Armando would be gold ever year. Here you will be beautifully looked after which will help take the shock out of the bill. Very extensive wine list.
La Table des Neiges
Probably not the best place to go if you are in desperate need of calories. However the dishes are beautiful presented – almost too good to eat.
La Taverne d'Alsace
At the opposite end of the scale, La Taverne serves up huge portions of German style hearty fodder. Imagine sauerkraut and sausages or potatoes and pork. Perfect after a hard day on the mountain.
What to do?
With one of the most comprehensive high streets in the European Alps, Val D’Isereis a haven for those who like to give their card a workout whilst on holiday.
From designer boutiques to bric-a-bracs there is enough variety to keep everybody happy.
Residents and visitors alike tend to ski hard and play hard and the options are certainly there for whatever your preferences are.
- Hot air ballooning and light aircraft flights.
- Heli-tours. Heli-skiing is forbidden in France but you can be dropped and picked up across the border in Italy or Switzerland.
- Ice driving at la Daille. Take your own car or hire an Audi for 50 euros per 25mins.
- Public swimming baths.
- Cinema with English speaking films.
- Powder monkey for internet and free wi-fi.
- Cross country skiing, 21kms of beautiful trails.
- Glacier walking on La grande motte glacier with a visit to Grotte du Glace (ice cave).
- Ice climbing, La daille has a 200m ice cascade where guides will teach you how to use crampons and ice axes etc.
- Husky sledding, with or without a guide, can be booked to include an alpine restaurant.
- Parasailing over spectacular scenery from the Solaise summit.
- Also ice-rink. Museums and a casino.
Ski Vald'isere Chalets
Apartments SolaiseApartments Daille Soleil
Apartments du Laisinent
Apartments Balcons Bellvarde