The French region known as Les Trois Vallées—translated in English to mean The Three Valleys—is the world’s largest ski resort. The name derives from the fact that when it was founded, it originally consisted of three valleys—Saint-Bon, Allues, and Belleville—but today, it covers a much larger area. Despite it having seven resorts, it’s possible—maybe not probable—to use a single ski pass to cover the entire area. By the numbers, the region has 370 miles of skiable land, 342 runs, and 158 ski lifts, but everybody knows all that. Here are five things you didn’t know about Les Trois Vallées.
1. It guarantees a white Christmas.
Despite climate change contributing to unpredictable weather patterns, Les Trois Vallées guarantees a five-month ski season. While the resorts rely on the natural snow development in the French Alps, the slopes are regularly topped off with artificial snow by more than 2,700 snowmakers spread throughout the region. Because operators use a combination of natural and artificial snow, it’s been open each year from December to April for the past 20 years.
2. It’s ideal for beginner skiers.
With so much space and accommodations, Les Trois Vallées is often described as ideal for beginners. While more than half of the ski runs are categorized as beginner or easy, it’s also home to some 2,000 instructors from the French Ski School, the largest ski school in the world.
3. It hasn’t always been so accommodating.
Circa 1925, the first resort in the area opened to mirror ski resorts in Austria and Switzerland. While it started as a more exclusive resort for rich or experienced skiers, developers and local governments realized the area’s potential a little more than a decade later. They continued to make plans throughout World War II to develop it further and then finally opened an expansion shortly after the war. Although the first Three Valleys ski passes were sold in 1958, it was between the 1970s and 1990s that it took shape into what we know today. What many say put it on the map was an appearance at the 1992 Winter Olympics.
4. Some parts still aren’t for everyone.
Les Trois Vallées is home to the town of Courchevel, which hosts one of the largest concentrations of luxury. It’s home to 23 five-star ranking luxury hotels, seven Michelin-star restaurants, dozens of high-end shops, and its own airport. It’s said that the area is frequented by royals and the obscenely rich.
5. And the rest is for fun.
If 54% of the slopes are for beginners, that means the remaining 46% are for advanced or expert skiers. No matter where you find yourself, the overwhelming majority of slopes start at altitudes higher than 1,800 meters. The most popular area to stay, according to travel guides and rankings, is Val Thorens. Perched at 2,300 meters, Val Thorens is the highest ski resort in all of Europe.