Valmeinier introduction
General Information
Valmeinier is a commune found in the Savoie region in the southeastern part of France. It is situated in the Rhône Alps region at the foot of Mont Thabor. The Valmeinier ski area is connected to the Valloire ski area offering 150 km of ski runs in the midst of the spectacular Maurienne valley. The ski resort is located in between the Vanoise and Ecrins National Parks. Nearby are two Valmeinier villages set at two different altitudes at the foot of the slopes. One is a traditional village set at 1500 m and the other is a modern village set at 1800 m. Both offers visitors a splendid view of the beautiful surroundings. Valmeinier is accessible in just 1 hour via flight transfer from Chambery and in 2 hours and a half from Geneva.
Winter Activities
Skiing in Valmeinier is available from December to April and snow conditions are generally good because of its proximity to the northern Alps. The Valmeinier ski area covering 1600 hectare is now called "Galibier - Thabor" and is shared with Valloire and reaches up to over 2600m altitude. There is a good mixture of slopes offering 83 ski runs of varying levels of difficulty. Beginners may choose the wide gentle runs, the intermediate skiers may choose the blue and red pistes and the experts may opt to go off-piste or try the black runs at Setaz. Snowboarders will also love the wide slopes of Valmeinier. There is also a snow park at the Crey du Quart and three high-altitude restaurants for those who want to take a ski break. The first ski lift in the resort was installed in 1973 but now, there's a total of 33 lifts composed of 2 gondolas, 17 chairlifts and 14 ski lifts.
Summer Activities
For those who simply want to explore Valmeinier, there are plenty of sports and cultural activities to get involved in aside from skiing and snowboarding. During the day, there are outings on snowshoes, excursions to explore the unspoilt landscapes of Savoie and trips to the surrounding villages, microlight flights, paragliding, ice skating and dog sledding. Visitors can try the new glide, which is a compromise between the ski and the paragliding. There are also food exhibits where locals introduce their native produce. Towards the evening, there are torch-lit parades, night skiing, dances and concerts, slide shows, more dog sledging and sledge runs. Children will also have fun learning how to ski at the French Ski School. They surely enjoy themselves at the company of ski professionals.
Other Information
Valmeinier offers a wide range of accommodations in the village resort like hotels and inns. There are also recently constructed residences in Valmeinier 1800 with studios, 4-room flats and individual chalets Two holiday villages in Valmeinier 1500 also offer board and lodging packages with free services like child-minding. If you wish to have direct access to the slopes, choose to stay in Valmeinier 1500. For entertainment and après ski, there are more than 50 shops awaiting you in both villages. In Valmeinier 1500, there are one cinema, one pub and three bar restaurants. At Valmeinier 1800, there are 2 cinemas, 3 pubs, one discotheque, one pizzeria, a bowling alley and 11 bar-restaurants. If you still wish to have further activities, you can visit the not so far neighboring village of Valloire.