Jun 01, 2018 / SKIING / INVESTMENT

Everything You Need to Know About Val d’Isère

You’ve probably heard of Val d’Isère if you live on this planet and are interested in skiing in any way. You wouldn’t be her if you weren’t, right?

We’ve put together this go-to guide to this incredible resort with some key info on property there, so you can start your property search journey clued up!

Location Location Location

Situated in the Savoie area of France, Val d’Isère, combined with Tignes, is a very large resort sprawled across the ski area formally known as Espace Killy (recently renamed Val d’Isère -Tignes) in the Tarentaise valley. One of the most well-known ski resorts in Europe, Val d’Isère offers high altitude and snow-sure slopes, outstanding infrastructure and facilities as well as a buzzing après-ski nightlife.

With over 200 miles of pistes catering to all abilities from the very beginners to expert powder hounds, Val d’Isère has a hot property market – not least because free land is so rare that only a small handful of new properties are built each year in the resort. This means the existing property is very desirable indeed.

Do have a read of our resort guide to Val d’Isère for all the key facts about altitude, various runs, ski passes, prices and more.

Snow Snow Snow

On top of this, Val d’Isère ski season is long, with snow guaranteed during both the Christmas and Easter holidays which not many other alpine resorts can boast. Val d’Isère now even offers summer skiing from the beginning of June to mid-July. This impacts the rental market naturally, giving you the freedom to rent out your property for more months out of the year than many other places as you can ski there virtually all year round.

The snow guarantee is firmly backed by the presence of the most sophisticated snow-making machines in Europe, which have the ability to cover an area the size of Wembley stadium in over a metre of snow in less than an hour. Impressive, right?

The Renaissance of the Resort

Val d’Isère resort is about to start a massive £170m redevelopment and building project – the largest of its kind in the French Alps for two decades. Le Coin de Val will bring new boutiques with luxury hotels, restaurants, parking and playgrounds to the resort, increasing its family friendly appeal while also preserving the old fashioned alpine village charm, which is so well-loved by tourists and residents alike.

The Solaise lift system and lodge also underwent a £11m renovation less than 2 years ago (November 2016) – and the new gondolas are super quick, can each fit 10 people and have heated seats and WIFI. Nearly all the ski slopes have WIFI coverage now too, so you can Instagram on the go!

The Food & The Après scene

The fine dining options in Val d’Isère are well-known and the fact that they are about to increase with the development of the new Coin de Val is exciting indeed. Ensuring that visitors and residents can eat well is a priority of primordial importance in most parts of France, and Val d’Isère is no exception.

You will find restaurants serving the most delectable Savoyarde cuisine and with well-stocked wine cellars and welcoming chalet style interiors (roaring fires, tactile textiles, etc). Enjoy everything from fondues, steaks and tartiflettes to Thai food and fresh pizzas in cosy candlelit corners with stunning mountain views. Check out the Culture Trip’s top 10 restaurants in Val d’Isère for some gastronomic inspiration!

The après-ski ‘scene’ is also known to be quite lively, with the resort offering many bars, cocktail lounges, pubs and night clubs all offering live entertainment to suit all tastes.

Of course, we can’t discuss the après scene without mentioning ‘La Folie Douce’ – which is as part of Val d’Isère culture as the actual skiing. La Folie Douce (loosely translated as ‘the gentle folly or the gentle madness) is a concept encompassing live entertainment, haute cuisine and accommodation. Now a chain across several ski resorts, LFD and its culture are at the very epicentre of après-ski life which you simply can’t miss when in Val d’Isère. Think outdoor parties with A list DJs, dancers and entertainers, mind-blowing cocktails and food against the dramatic backdrop of the mountains!

Aside from all this, Val d’Isère also has an extensive events calendar with everything from the April yoga festival, to car shows, bike races and summer fetes to enjoy alongside all other resort activities. There’s absolutely something for everyone.

This brings us to the next hot topic, which is of course is property!

Hot Property

Given the sheer demand for properties in this popular area, we are lucky to work with agents who cover Val d’Isère and Tignes’s hottest property spots most expertly.


We have a list of gorgeous properties in Val d’Isère, ranging from breath-taking 5-10-bedroom chalets with indoor pools to luxurious ski-in-ski-out apartments. Our list of Tignes properties is expansive and full of gems that will have you calling your mortgage advisors pretty quickly.

If you are a buyer looking to purchase your piece of Val d’Isère, you will need a healthy budget to back you if you are turning your head more towards the more luxurious and well-placed properties.

Can you picture a better place to sit and have your morning coffee and croissants?

If you want to sell your property in Val d’Isère, you are in a very special position because of how in demand properties in the area are.

We recommend you read our comprehensive guide to buying property in France, it’s really useful.

Here are a few more resources to help you navigate the French property purchase system:

Important perks to remember about Val d’Isère are:

  • Its dual seasonality (snow guarantee for so much of the year, coupled with a ton of fun summer activities across the area)
  • Upcoming new development Coin de Val and all the new delights it will bring the resort
  • High altitude, snow-sure skiing conditions
  • Proximity to Italy – 3 miles from the border!
  • 300 km of ski slopes
  • Current rental market is booming

For more information about finding an agent or property, visit us at SnowOnly.