Where to Ski And Snowboard - Free lift passes if you’re 40 in Valmorel

Free lift passes if you’re 40 in Valmorel

9th December 2016, by Abi Butcher

The French ski resort of Valmorel celebrates 40 years this season. Pic: Scalpfoto

The French ski resort of Valmorel is this season celebrating its 40th birthday — and offering free ski passes for anyone celebrating their 40th birthday, too. The Tarentaise resort opens on 17 December for a season that will run until 15 April.

Any quadragenarian skiers heading to Valmorel at the end of this month (17-31 December) or in the spring (between 18-31 March) will be offered a six-day Le Grand Domaine ski pass worth €222 (around £188) — on production of evidence of their birthdate.

There is also a competition to win a holiday in Valmorel — visit the resort’s website and watch its 360-degree film and count the number of 40s that you see.

Valmorel was “born” in 1976, designed to blend into the landscape with wood and stone buildings, unlike the purpose-built giants of neighbouring ski resorts in the Tarentaise valley. It is the first resort reached on entering the valley, and within driving distance of the Three Valleys and with 152km of pistes. At 1,400m the village is well below the treeline, sharing a ski area between 1,200-2,550m with Doucy, Celliers and St-François-Longchamp, across the Madeleine pass.

This year, Valmorel has gone pirate crazy — with a pirate village on the piste above the village, complete with a snow and foam castle, coconut shy, slides as well as a snowpark and boardercross. There’s also a “pirate path” – a blue piste with pirate figures, raised bends, hoops, bells and themed gates.

Valmorel claims to enjoy 15% better snow cover than resorts of a similar altitude, but for its 40th year has also increased snowmaking — now 25 per cent of it pistes are covered, increasing the length of the season. More great news for families — stay after 1 April and benefit from free lift passes for children under ten years of age.

Specialist French ski operator Peak Retreats offers Valmorel in its programme. Stay at the 4* ski-in/ski-out self-catered apartments La Grange aux Fees for Easter (week commencing 1 April). Seven nights from £332pp based on five sharing a two-bedroom apartment (sleeping up to six) with return FlexiPlus Eurotunnel crossing.

Book with Peak Retreats, visit peakretreats.co.uk/valmorel

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