twenty second November 2025 | Felix Milns, Val Thorens, France.
Final modified on November twenty third, 2025
PlanetSKI’s Felix Milns reviews from Val Thorens because it has its one in all its greatest opening weekends – contemporary snow, blue sky and a bunch of sights on supply. Welcome to winter people! UPDATED
Sunday twenty third November 2025
The cloud has are available in in a single day after the wall-to-wall blue sky of yesterday.
Irrespective of, that is the place to be my buddies.
Opening w/finish in Val Thorens, Sunday twenty third November. Picture © PlanetSKI
I’m up and about early as Day Two of the season will get underway in Val Thorens.
Yesterday the quantity of individuals on the slopes was really fairly overwhelming.
It was like being right here in February.
Michel, our ESF information for the morning and teacher right here for the final 25 years, defined “many many individuals come for the opening weekend now, it’s a giant celebration weekend.
“It will likely be quieter for the subsequent couple of weeks till the entire Three Valleys open”.
There was a queue of site visitors all the best way from Les Menuires from 8 am to lunchtime on Saturday, as locals massed for his or her first turns of the season.
The Grande Premiere has grow to be the official opening to the French ski season and Val Thorens has definitely grabbed the bull by the horns.
Vincent Lalanne, head of the vacationer workplace, defined why it’s changing into an integral a part of the Val Thorens’ DNA.
“ It’s actually necessary for us to open with a bang,” he stated to me on Saturday.
“This weekend we have now 18 lifts and 32 pistes open, but it surely’s not simply in regards to the snowboarding.
“It’s necessary for individuals to get the entire expertise.
“So I’ve made certain all of the bars and nightclubs on the rue de la soif (aka Thirsty Avenue) are open for the weekend.
“If there’s nobody within the disco tonight, I’ll have some sad individuals in my workplace tomorrow morning!”
Given the amount of individuals within the resort, I don’t suppose he wanted to be too involved.
Certainly, all the accommodations who’ve opened for the beginning of the season are utterly booked so I might have been extra nervous that the pumps don’t run dry on Thirsty Avenue on the opening night time.
Lalanne is rightly happy with Val’s continued maintain on the title of‘a greatest ski resort and believes it’s the combination of epic snow-sure snowboarding and the late night time celebration scene which creates such a loyal following.
As such he takes the duty of managing the celebration scene as significantly as security on piste.
There are two nurses and one physician working all through the night time and a group of as much as 20 patrolling the streets.
There’s additionally somebody within the management room keeping track of the over 200 CCTV cameras all through the resort., guaranteeing issues don’t get uncontrolled and taking care of anybody too worse for put on.
Music to the ears of any mother and father who remembers the heartbreaking tales of youngsters dying of chilly after taking a flawed flip.
Proper again to the slopes…
Extra to observe shortly…
Saturday twenty second November 2025
Very first thing on Saturday morning it’s wanting fairly darn good in Val Thorens.
A kind of ‘nice to be alive’ moments.
Locals advised me it is without doubt one of the greatest begins to a season in current reminiscence.
25,000 tickets have been offered for the weekend and it’s set to be the most well-liked ever opening of the resort.
“Wonderful situations out right here proper now so hoping it’s gonna be one of many nice opening weekends,” stated reader, Chris Moran, to PlanetSKI.
Right here’s what it regarded like because the solar rose over the encompassing peaks on this beautiful a part of the French Alps on Saturday morning.
Opening day in Val Thorens, Saturday twenty second November. Picture © PlanetSKI
Opening day in Val Thorens, Saturday twenty second November. Picture © PlanetSKI
The resort has seen plentiful snow with the ploughs out on the town and the piste bashers up on the slopes early getting ready for ‘La Grand Premiere’.
Opening day in Val Thorens, Saturday twenty second November. Picture © PlanetSKI
And the snow situations up on the slopes?
Listed below are particulars of the lifts and runs which can be open:
First cease the Ski Check Centre.
It’s primarily piste snowboarding in the intervening time as Val Thorens is rocky and it wants a lot snow for overlaying, however there’s a little little bit of the delicate stuff to dabble in.
The slopes had been pisted to perfection very first thing, however with the variety of individuals our having fun with this primary day of the season they’ve grow to be chopped up in locations.
Irrespective of.
Quickly sufficient I used to be on the high of the resort at 3,200m on the newly re-open carry Cime Caron that was out of motion all final season because of an accident forward of the season opening.
PlanetSKI solely revealed it’s season closure this time final yr as our reporter Simon Wilson was at La Grand Premiere final yr.
Val Thorens, France. Picture © PlanetSKI
Now it’s nice to see it again up and operating.
One of many model new lifts within the resort – Face Nord – can be up and operating.
Face Nord, Val Thorens. Picture © PlanetSKI
See right here for an earlier PlanetSKI article about different issues which can be new in Val Thorens for the season:
The Face Nord will show to be a little bit of a recreation changer right here.
Basically it cuts out the requirement to experience the gradual lifts.
Not solely will it enhance entry to the splendidly scenic piste all the way down to Les Orelles.
Plus it’s additionally a lot quicker to realize entry to the Val slopes throughout the north face.
I can see a number of lapping happening right here this winter.
We had began the day with a warmup run on the 30-man Peclet gondola, departing from its iconic wigwam constructing simply reverse the city.
Not one of the south dealing with slopes are open this early so it’s a case of bagging all the excessive altitude lifts and dealing your manner spherical.
And naturally, circling again to the Stay United pop-up village, if you wish to attempt a few of the newest skis or snowboards.
Opening day in Val Thorens, Saturday twenty second November. Picture © PlanetSKI
Opening day in Val Thorens, Saturday twenty second November. Picture © PlanetSKI
Time it proper at lunchtime for the stand giving out native meats and rolls for complimentary DIY picnics.
There are over 50 manufacturers right here, together with snowboard boots, helmets and eyewear.
I took out a pair of freeride Salomon QST 106 which stood up actually properly each on the chopped up afternoon pistes – who knew I might be moshing moguls in November – and a bit dabble into the sidecountry Pow.
We took a blissful sunny afternoon run down into Les Orelles earlier than lapping again as much as the highest of Cime de Caron.
It truly is so nice to see that connection correctly up and operating once more.
Opening day in Val Thorens, Saturday twenty second November. Picture © PlanetSKI
Because it’s launched simply over 10 years in the past, the Grande Premiere has grown and grown, each by way of skier numbers and normal consciousness.
All in all – what a gap day.
Time for a little bit of apres.
Again at base the DJ was spinning tunes from a transformed caravan and the native craft beers had been flowing, at a really cheap €4 per bottle.
Opening day in Val Thorens, Saturday twenty second November. Picture © PlanetSKI
Opening day in Val Thorens, Saturday twenty second November. Picture © PlanetSKI
With whoever you occur to fulfill.
Opening day in Val Thorens, Saturday twenty second November. Picture © PlanetSKI
Robust foundations for a really ValTho Saturday night time.
Time to maneuver on for some extra severe early season apres.
Opening night time in Val Thorens, Saturday twenty second November. Picture © PlanetSKI
Opening night time in Val Thorens, Saturday twenty second November. Picture © PlanetSKI
Do verify again for extra on Sunday as I replace this rolling article on one of many resorts with one of the best Opening Days.
Maybe, make that THE greatest.
As I stated earlier, at the moment is most definitely a ‘nice to be alive’ second.
The ski season beckons and what a solution to kick it off…
For full spherical up of situations around the Alps and the remainder of Europe see the newest PlanetSKI snow report:
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