Skiing in Val d'Isère

Val d’Isère: from the Face de Bellevarde to the Pissaillas glacier

Val d’Isère ski guide: 79 pistes with lengths, the Face de Bellevarde, free beginner lifts, 2026–27 pass prices vs Tignes, the S82 bus and where to stay.

Pistes across Tignes–Val d’Isère (km)

300

Pistes on the Val d’Isère-only pass (km)

150

Top of the Val d’Isère lifts (m)

3185

Downhill piste records in the Val d’Isère sectors

79

Tignes–Val d’Isère pass, adult 19–64, 1 day, 12 Dec 2026–23 Apr 2027 (EUR)

78

Val d’Isère-only pass, adult 19–64, 1 day, same period (EUR)

70

Skiing & terrain in Val d’Isère

All 79 downhill piste records that the operator catalogue files under Val d’Isère sectors (Bellevarde 28, Solaise 28, Fornet/Iseran 13, Pissaillas 10), plus six fun zones and snowparks listed as areas and one row for the linked Tignes area. The same catalogue rows appear in the SkiPair Tignes guide; Tignes pistes are not repeated here.

Downhill piste records in the operator catalogue (Val d’Isère sectors, this table)

79

Records with a published length in metres

77

Runs in the whole Tignes–Val d’Isère area, tourist office count (23 green, 67 blue, 41 red, 29 black)

160

Pistes on the Val d’Isère-only pass (km)

150

• Green pistes in this table: 12
• Blue pistes in this table: 31
• Red pistes in this table: 24
• Black pistes in this table: 11
• Colour not published: 1

Checked 18 October 2026: the operator catalogue behind the Tignes–Val d’Isère interactive map was re-downloaded and its Val d’Isère rows match the 17 October snapshot used in the Tignes guide (same ids, names, colours and lengths). Colours follow French grading (green, blue, red, black); lengths are the catalogue’s per-record value in metres, published for 77 of 79 records (none for ISERANE and SEMANMILLE, which also has no colour). Some runs are split into upper and lower records that carry the same length (OK, Diebold), so never add lengths together. Official totals differ: the tourist office counts 160 runs for the whole linked area (23 green, 67 blue, 41 red, 29 black), the 2025–2026 printed map shows 161, the lift company quotes 21 green and 63 blue, and the full catalogue has 160 records (21/65/44/29 plus one ungraded). None of these publishes a Val d’Isère-only run count, so the 79 here is a catalogue count, not an official resort total. The 150 km and 300 km figures are area totals, not the length of one descent. Snowparks, boardercross lines and fun zones are listed as areas and are not counted; cross-country loops, pedestrian paths and touring itineraries are excluded. Area labels are the catalogue’s own resort and sector fields for each record (e.g. Val d'Isère / SOLAISE); the Tignes row uses the catalogue’s resort name.

Val d’Isère pistes: Solaise, Bellevarde, the Face and the Pissaillas glacier above Le Fornet

Val d’Isère is the eastern half of the Tignes–Val d’Isère ski area: about 300 km of pistes in total, of which the Val d’Isère-only pass covers 150 km. The lift company gives the Val d’Isère lifts a range from 1830 m to 3185 m. Its own slopes fall into four sectors in the operator catalogue — Bellevarde (above the centre and La Daille), Solaise (the other side of the village), Fornet/Iseran and the Pissaillas glacier at the head of the valley — with 79 downhill pistes: 12 green, 31 blue, 24 red, 11 black and one without a published colour.

Bellevarde holds the famous runs. The Face de Bellevarde is a black race piste (2561 m in the catalogue) that the tourist office reserves for advanced skiers; Val d’Isère has hosted downhill, giant slalom, super-G and combined races on it. The OK (Oreiller-Killy) is a red used for a World Cup stage, listed as upper and lower sections. The longest single records are the green Génépy (4728 m), Verte and Les Gamelles (4344 m each) and Borsat (4170 m). Solaise is gentler on top, with ValKids, slow zones and long blues such as Glaciers (4160 m), plus the Face de Solaise blacks (Rhône Alpes, S) back to the village.

From Le Fornet, the cable car built in 1972 opens the Iseran sector and the Pissaillas glacier, with long blues such as Col (4278 m) and Pyramides (4168 m) and the red Combe du Géant (3880 m). Tignes is linked on skis; its pistes are in our Tignes guide, and you need a Tignes–Val d’Isère pass to ski there. Check the live map for which sectors and links are open.

Val d’Isère for beginners: free lifts in the centre, Solaise and Easy Skiing runs

Beginners start in the village. The tourist office lists three free lifts for first turns: the Savonnette ski tow and the Village chairlift in the resort centre, and the Lanches ski tow from La Daille. The Savonnette green sits on the snow front, so a non-skiing parent can watch from the village.

The next step is Solaise. The lift company sells a 1-ride pass for the Solaise gondola and the ValKids area at the top, and the Easy Skiing ('Ski Tranquille') concept marks gentle green and blue runs on Solaise and Bellevarde with their own logo, which you can follow in the Val d’Isère Ski app. We found no official statement that the Solaise top beginner lifts are free, so check at the ticket office.

Avoid the blacks that end at the village, especially the Face de Bellevarde and the Face de Solaise. Book a lesson for the first days; the schools meet on the central snow front.

Getting to Val d’Isère: Geneva, Lyon or Chambéry, the train to Bourg-Saint-Maurice and the S82 bus

Val d’Isère has no airport. The tourist office gives road distances of 220 km from Geneva (about 3 hours), 240 km from Lyon (about 3 hours), 135 km from Chambéry (about 2 hours) and 165 km from Grenoble (about 2 h 30). In winter, coaches run from Geneva and Lyon Saint-Exupéry airports; the tourist office names Alpine Fleet, Altibus and Ben’s Bus, and Altibus lists Transdev among its carriers. Book ahead and allow at least 3 hours before a return flight.

By rail, the nearest station is Bourg-Saint-Maurice, about 40 minutes away. From there, Altibus route S82 runs to Val d’Isère in about 45 minutes depending on the weather, via Séez, Sainte-Foy-Tarentaise and Tignes; booking 48 hours ahead gets a 10% discount. By road it is 30 km from Bourg-Saint-Maurice; the Col de l’Iseran is closed in winter.

Coaches stop at the Val d’Isère bus station in La Daille. From there, the free red shuttle runs to the centre and on to Le Fornet about every 10 minutes during the day (winter 2026–27 timetable from 28 November 2026 to 2 May 2027). If you arrive late, check the last shuttle or book a taxi.

Val d’Isère with kids: ESF, Oxygène, the Jardin des Neiges and ValKids

The tourist office lists a dozen schools, including ESF, Oxygène, Evolution 2, Progression, TDCski and Neva Ski School, plus independent instructors and the guides’ office. ESF has offices in the centre and at La Daille and groups lessons by age (3–4, 5–12 and teens from 13); it says its instructors speak more than 13 languages. Oxygène teaches children aged 3–12 in groups and meets on the snow front between the Village and Bellevarde Express chairlifts.

For 3–4-year-olds, the Jardin des Neiges at the foot of the slopes teaches through games in groups of up to 8. The Chalet des Aiglons leisure centre takes children up to 11 and can take them to ESF du Centre lessons from age 3. Val d’Isère carries the Famille Plus label.

On the mountain, ValKids at the top of Solaise has an igloo, a mini zip line and a fun run; the Gypaète trail from La Verte has a tunnel and a giant xylophone. The Village Perdu is free but ungroomed, so it suits confident skiers only. Lift passes are free for children under 8 and adults 75 and over.

Where to stay in Val d’Isère: centre, La Daille, Le Laisinant, Le Fornet or La Legettaz

The centre is the most practical base: the Solaise gondola and the Olympique cable car leave from the village, the snow front holds the free beginner lifts and the ski-school meeting points, and shops and restaurants are on foot. It is also the busiest part of the resort.

La Daille, at the entrance to the resort, has the bus station where airport and train coaches arrive, the free Lanches tow and the forest runs of lower Bellevarde. It is handy on arrival day and for Bellevarde skiing, but it is a shuttle ride from the centre in the evening. Le Laisinant is a small hamlet between the centre and Le Fornet, on the red shuttle line — quieter, but you depend on the bus.

Le Fornet (1930 m, about 70 permanent residents) is the most traditional hamlet, with the cable car to the Iseran sector and the Pissaillas glacier; it suits keen skiers who want that end of the area. La Legettaz is on the blue shuttle line to the Rond-Point des Pistes, every 15 minutes from 8.30 am to 11 pm. Wherever you book, check the real walk to the nearest lift or shuttle stop and the last bus time.

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Val d’Isère ski pass or Tignes–Val d’Isère: 2026–27 prices

The lift company sells two areas: Val d’Isère only (150 km) and Tignes–Val d’Isère (300 km). For the main period, 12 December 2026 to 23 April 2027, a 1-day adult pass (19–64) costs €70 for Val d’Isère and €78 for Tignes–Val d’Isère; children 8–18 and seniors 65–74 pay €57 and €63. A 6 = 7 days Tignes–Val d’Isère pass (ski 7 days for the price of 6) is €468 for an adult and €378 for a child or senior. Prices checked 18 October 2026.

Early season, 28 November to 11 December 2026, is cheaper: €60 for a Val d’Isère day and €67 for Tignes–Val d’Isère. Passes are free for children under 8 and adults 75 and over, with proof of age; multi-day passes include free entries to the Aquasportif pool centre.

On the price tables, the Val d’Isère-only area is sold by the half-day and day, while the multi-day passes are for Tignes–Val d’Isère. A beginner can start with the 1-ride ticket for the Solaise gondola and ValKids instead of a full pass.

Best time to ski in Val d’Isère: snow history, 2026–27 season dates and forecasts

February and March are historically the best snow window in Val d’Isère. At Météo-France’s Val d’Isère Joseray station (1854 m), the 1991–2020 average snow depth rises from about 92 cm in January to 112 cm in February and 116 cm in March, then falls to about 76 cm in April. Higher up, the Le Molard station (2310 m, roughly 25 seasons of records) averages about 137 cm in February, 151 cm in March and still 137 cm in April. December and January are the best shoulder months for fresh snow (about 131 cm and 124 cm of new snow in an average month at Joseray) while the base builds; April keeps good cover high up while the village level melts. These are SkiPair calculations from Météo-France daily station data; averages do not guarantee any given season.

For 2026–27 the tourist office lists a season from 28 November 2026 to 2 May 2027, with first tracks on 28–29 November and the men’s Critérium World Cup races on 12–13 December 2026. Early and late in the season, not every sector or link is open, and the cheaper pass periods reflect that.

Before you travel, check the forecast, the snow report and the live ski map together. On a stormy day, stick to the sheltered runs around La Daille and the lower Bellevarde slopes, and keep the high Iseran and Pissaillas sectors for clear days.

Find ski partners in Val d’Isère for the Face de Bellevarde or a day in Tignes

Val d’Isère works well for a solo trip: the train and S82 bus reach the resort without a car, and free shuttles link every hamlet. On SkiPair, add your dates, where you are staying and your level to find people skiing the same week — a partner for the Face de Bellevarde, an intermediate group for the long Solaise blues, or someone to share the transfer from Geneva or Lyon.

Agree beforehand on the pass (a Val d’Isère-only pass does not cover Tignes), a meeting point such as the top of the Solaise gondola or the Olympique cable car, and the last lift and shuttle home. For off-piste, ski with a guide or school rather than someone you have just met.

Ski pass prices for Val d'Isère

Check the operator’s current prices for your ski dates, ticket duration, age group and the area covered by the pass.

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Weather and snow

A clearer view of the snow in Val d'Isère: recent snowfall, what is forecast next, and an outlook for your dates.

Snow and temperature are model estimates. They do not confirm that lifts or pistes are open. Further-ahead dates show seasonal patterns rather than a weather forecast.

Flights & getting to Val d'Isère

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Closest airport is Geneva (GVA).

Val d'Isère is better with your kind of people

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A glimpse of Val d'Isère

Archive photos · cropped for display

Questions about this resort