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Ski-Areas > Northern Alps > Savoie (73) > Vanoise > Valmorel
Valmorel, ma belle! If only all French stations had been built like this. With its low key attractive architecture, traffic free village with large car-parking area at the edge of town it rivals the best Swiss resorts like Zermat and Saas Fee. Valmorel has a reputation as a family station but there is some excellent off-piste skiing and a liason with Saint-François Longchamp in the neighbouring Maurienne valley.
The resort os situated between the Vanoise National Park and the Lauziere massive in the Savoie department in the Northern Alps region. It is part of the Le Grand Domaine ski domain. The lift served area extends from 1400 metres to 2500 metres. There are 152 km of lift served runs over 3,600 hectares of mountain. The resort features a snowpark.
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A classic is from the Col du Mottet at the summit of the Valmorel pistes down to the Valley des Bellevilles, giving around 1300 meters of vertical with the return by taxi The descent is not technically difficult but the fact that return is by taxi means that you will find very few tracks from other skiers. Although the descent is into the ski factory of the Three Valleys it is far from their pistes and the villages have been left largely untouched by tourism.
From Valmorel take the Pierrafort cabin followed by the Mottet chair. From here you ski down the large south-east facing bowl. It is not too steep and the orientation and altitude mean that the snow transforms rapidly, even in the middle of winter. After you reach the Orgentils chalets follow the right bank of the stream of the same name to the village of the Deux Nants. Turn directly south along a small road that takes you over a bridge crossing the Nant Brun. You now have to climb 300 meters before following the track down through the Longegrasse forest and on to the village of la Flachère. If there is snow in the valley you can continue through the village to the hamlet of la Combe.
You will need your mobile to call a taxi. There are no phone boxes in the villages.
Note that although Val Morel has a reputation as a family ski area there have been numerous fatal avalanches on the off piste and local ski touring routes.
From the top of the Mottet descend to the north to arrive at a plateau called the Plan Salin just before the combe du Mottet rouge crosses under the chair. Continue to the north on 35 degrees slopes.
From the Riondet drag ski to the north below the Pointe de Peleve, 50 meters to the right of the col du Riondet. The route descends to the Combe de Morel blue offering 400m of vertical.
From the top of the Riondet poma ski over to the north-west face. The first choice is to follow the rarely pisted black slope. Otherwise straight-ahead to the left of the black are steeper 40 degree slopes. You can rejoin the Valette blue by skiing around to the right or continue to the Combe du Riondet.
From the Cote drag lift descend the first part of the Mur red to avoid cliffs. There are a series of north to north-east facing couloirs. The lower slopes can be reached from the Madeleine or Grande Combe lifts. The lower slopes are steeper, around 30-35 degrees. The whole bowl offers varied skiing with cornice jumps. The sloped end on the Madeleine blue. Watch out for avalanches in the sector.
From the Lauziere chair follow the Colombe rouge but immediately descend to the left (east) in to the combe de la Rave (Rau de la Rave on the IGN Map). You arrive on the Madeleine piste at the bottom of the valley. Under the Tour de la Flachere at 2050 meters you have to navigate through a short open gorge.
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email: info@valmorel.com
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Category: Ski Areas
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