Val d'Isère
Handpicked villas, chalets and homes, booked direct with our team.
Search your Stay
About the Destination
Val d’Isere sits high in the Tarentaise valley of the Savoie Alps, close to the Italian border, at around 1,850 metres with skiing that climbs well above 3,000. Its altitude is central to its reputation, giving it one of the most reliable snow records in the Alps and a long season, and its lifts link directly with neighbouring Tignes to form a vast shared domain, historically known as the Espace Killy after the local champion Jean-Claude Killy, that ranks among the great ski areas of the world.
The resort has a serious sporting pedigree to match. The Face de Bellevarde, the steep run that drops back to the village, hosted the men’s downhill at the 1992 Winter Olympics and still hosts World Cup racing, and the surrounding terrain has long drawn strong skiers to its off-piste and its high bowls. Beginners are well served too, with gentle nursery slopes right in the village and a broad spread of blue and red runs across the linked area. For all that, the village itself has kept a traditional stone-and-timber core around its old church rather than giving way entirely to purpose-built blocks, which lends the place more character than many high-altitude resorts, and its restaurants and shops keep it lively through the evening.
Winter runs long here, from late November or December through into May in a good year, with the Christmas and February holidays the busiest and priciest weeks. Summer is a real season too, worth knowing about: the glacier above the resort at the Pissaillas offers summer skiing into the warmer months, while the surrounding Vanoise National Park opens up for high-altitude hiking, trail running, cycling over the famous Col de l’Iseran, and climbing, all under long alpine daylight and with a fraction of the winter crowds.
Val d’Isere suits skiers who want altitude, snow security and a village with some soul. For families and groups who want to ski from the door and gather in their own space at the end of the day, chalet rentals in Val d’Isere range from the heart of the village to quieter addresses on the slopes above.
