What to Do in Val Thorens
Traveling to the French Alps sounds like an absolute dream. The beautiful landscapes were enough to convince me to join my family on their annual ski trip for the very first time. Yet, once settled in the car, driving down to Val Thorens from Paris, it occurred to me that I not only haven't been skiing since I was no older than six years old, but I also have absolutely no interest in learning how to ski again. I spent the next few hours trying to figure out what else there is to do up in the picturesque mountains of Les Trois Vallées.
Image Credit: MaxPixel
Snowboarding
Now, really, take this option with a pinch of salt. If you don't already know how to snowboard, it is much harder than skiing. It'll take you a lot longer to get the hang of and you'll be falling over a lot more than if you were to ski. If you're considering snowboarding, perhaps you should just learn how to ski instead. Maybe then you'll at least be able to follow everyone else on the slopes instead of staying at the snowboarding school with the toddlers. Unless you know you learn board sports at some radical speed, or if you're okay spending the entire vacation by yourself on your derriere, trust me, and find something else to do.
Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons/Varaine
Food & Drinks
How could you possibly go to the French Alps and not have any fromage?! Quelle honte! The fondue savoyarde, as the name suggests, originates from the Savoy region and is usually paired with a white wine. Otherwise, raclette is also another cheesy dish that originates from the Savoy region (as well as parts of Switzerland). If you don't like cheese, there are plenty of other wonderful treats such as Liège or Belgian Waffles, crêpes, pizzas, and hot cocoa. The Telegraph wrote a list of restaurants in Val Thorens that may be worth the read if you don't plan on cooking and don't have an all-inclusive hotel like Club Med.
Image Credit: Pixabay/skeeze
Non-Skiing Winter Activities
There is an endless list of activities for non-skiers that doesn't involve snowboarding. Airbags, mountain biking, ice diving, ice driving, snowmobiles, sled dogs, yoga classes, snowshoe outings and footpaths are the basic winter activities Val Thorens offers. Unfortunately, they don't have an ice skating rink, but they do also have a sports center where you can play ping pong, tennis, basketball or even swim.
Helicopter Ride
Although a little pricey, a helicopter ride is the best way to get the most of the view up in the mountains. For 119 Euros for a ten minutes ride, you'll get to see the alps from a whole new perspective!
Image Credit: Flickr/Sykes Cottages
Evening in a Yurt
Do like the Mongolians did and spend a cosy evening in a yurt at an altitude of 2500m. Chefs from Chalet de la Marine will cook dishes for up to 16 people for a unique and relatively isolated dining experience. The menu can be found here for the 2016/2017 winter season. At the end of the meal, you can go down by foot or by descente de ski aux flambeaux.
Indoor Entertainment
Most of these activities aren't wallet-friendly - going skiing in the alps usually isn't either. However, in the evening you may want to spend some time bonding together doing some indoor activities that won't break the bank. There's a bowling alley, tons of bars, concerts every week, and a movie theater, which means there's bound to be something for everyone.
Whether you're getting bored of skiing, don't ski at all, or just want to try something new, there are so many options at Val Thorens. If you intend to visit Val Thorens over the summer when skiing won't even be an option, there are plenty of other activities for the warmer season too!
Image Credit: MaxPixel
