Luxury holidays in Val d'Isère

When to go

Winter in Val d’Isère is long. Sharing access to two glaciers with Tignes, it’s relatively snowsure: slopes open from December until the end of April when its shops and restaurants are in full swing. In July and August, there are fewer visitors, but summer sunshine still draws hikers, cyclists, climbers and white-water thrillseekers in search of natural highs. The shoulder seasons of late spring and autumn are when little is open and are best avoided.

Getting there

• Planes

  Chambéry airport is the closest to Val d’Isère, a two-hour drive away; Geneva, Grenoble and Lyon St Exupéry are each less than three hours away by road.

• Trains

  Eurostar operates a daytime and very convenient overnight Ski Train service during the winter. It runs on Fridays and Saturdays, stopping at Bourg St Maurice, 20 minutes from Val d’Isère (www.eurostar.com).

• Automobiles

  Roads are well signposted and maintained, although inevitably winding through mountain terrain. A winter tyre regulation, effective in the Alps, means you’re obliged to have the correct tread on your car tyres between November and March.

• Taxis

  Call Bozzetto Taxis on +33 (0)4 79 06 02 50.