Squeeze in a last run, 2300m up
Transcription
Squeeze in a last run, 2300m up
the times Saturday March 1 2014 Travel 35 Skiing Squeeze in a last run, 2,300m up Europe’s highest ski resort, Val Thorens, has classy new hotels and great late-season snow, says Tom Chesshyre I n the centre of Val Thorens, skiers and snowboarders are flying down a snow chute, flinging themselves into the air, performing tricks, then collapsing onto a giant air bag. Near by, folk in sunglasses are lazing at picnic tables by a snack stall, munching on hot dogs, while listening to Daft Punk on a stereo. It’s unpretentious, lively and chilled out — so different from Courchevel 1850, just a short ski away in the Trois Vallées. Yet although Val Thorens has long been known for its youthful edge, and is popular with British university ski groups after cheap apartments, it’s now getting posher. This is because Russians with roubles to blow are getting cramped for space in Courchevel, where prices are steep even for oligarchs (ten-night stays in a suite at Hotel Le K2 can cost an eye-watering €35,000 per person). To meet this demand, some high-class, stylish hotels and restaurants are popping up among the cut-price apartments. And because Val Thorens lies at 2,300m, and is the highest resort in Europe, it’s a great bet for late-season snow. It’s no coincidence that the snazziest of the new places, the new, five-star Koh-I Nor Hotel, is at the top of Val Thorens. This is a great spot to take in the purpose-built resort; there is no traditional village but there is a stunning ring of jagged peaks. Sitting on a wooden deck sipping morning espressos, we plan our day’s skiing while looking out across the rooftops of the apartment blocks and the building site of a Club Med that’s due to open next season. We hit the slopes, which begin right by the ski room complete with “ski butlers”, of the Koh-I Nor. We zigzag down red and black runs for an hour, before stopping at the Caron Freeride Café for a hot chocolate, where a sign tells us they have the “highest free wi-fi in Europe”. Russian skiers in Lacroix jackets (about €1,000 a go), enter and order pick-me-up shots of green Chartreuse, the local liquor. Val Thorens is unpretentious, lively and chilled out; so different from Courchevel 1850 The joy of Val Thorens is that, while Courchevel 1850 could definitely be said to be a bit “up itself”, Europe’s highest resort hasn’t gone that way, probably because of its youthful side, with plenty of students, and the slightly stark, almost East European bloc, look of many of the apartments. Even at its top restaurants, there’s no snootiness. We try out the first-rate, slope-side Chalet de la Marine, which is elegant and refined yet down-toearth at the same time (with brilliant steaks, salads and noodle soups). The twoMichelin star Restaurant Jean Sulpice, with its seven-course evening meals, is also relaxed. There’s no dress code, the atmosphere is unstuffy, and the food imaginative and fun — from polenta crackers, to tender pigeon wrapped in crisp pastry, and a crazy burning chocolate bonbon. Of course, there’s always the snack bar for a hot dog or a burger to escape Val Thorens’ fancy new ways. Or there’s the Folie Douce, up on the pistes above the village. Here, Capucine, a singer from the group the Party Makers, is belting out lines above a dance track tune, while jigging about on a platform above a terrace filled with Russian millionaires rubbing shoulders with British university students drinking beers. The scene perfectly captures the atmosphere of the resort, way up on the top of Europe. CHRISTOPHE PALLOT / AGENCE ZOOM / GETTY IMAGES Need to know Tom Chesshyre was a guest of the Val Thorens Tourist Board (valthorens.com) and Ski Solutions (020-7471 7700, skisolutions.com). Where to eat Chalet de la Marine (chaletmarine.com) has two courses from about €45. Seven courses at Restaurant Jean Sulpice (jeansulpice.com) is from €125. La Fruitière restaurant at La Folie Douce (lafoliedouce.com) offers soups, burgers, salads and steaks for about €30 for a main. The five-course menu by two-starred Michelin chef Yoann Conteat at Koh-I Nor (00 33 4 79 31 00 00, hotel-kohinor.com) is from €90. Skiiing at Val Thorens and, below, one of the rooms at the resort’s Koh-I Nor Hotel Cool hotels in Val Thorens Koh-I Nor Hotel (00 33 4 79 31 00 00, hotel-kohinor.com) has 63 rooms right on the slopes. It opened in December and the decor is ostentatious, but far from traditional, with rooms with walls of reclaimed wood walls and gilded mirrors, chrome lamps, marble sinks and fancy VRAI toiletries. B&B doubles are from £330 a night. Ski Solutions offers a week’s half-board from £1,565pp, with flights. Altapura (00 33 4 57 74 74 74, altapura.fr) at the bottom of the village is also ski-in, ski-out. It’s a celeb haunt, opened in December 2011, with 88 sleek minimalist rooms. B&B doubles are from £240. Hotel Le Fitz Roy (00 33 4 79 33 01 04, hotelfitzroy.com) is a revamped four-star hotel with 58 pared-down rooms with a muted colour scheme in the heart of the resort. B&B doubles are from about £180. Le Val Thorens (00 33 4 79 33 01 04, levalthorens.com) is the sister hotel to the Fitz Roy and has 80 chic rooms. B&B doubles from £160. Hotel Tango (00 33 4 79 00 02 70, hotel-tango.eu) is in the middle of the resort. B&B doubles from £160.