Valloire Valmeinier Ski Area France
Galibier Thabor is two ski areas combined, joining Valmeinier to neighboring Valloire, in France’s Haute Maurienne mountains. The ski lift company is Galibier Thabor, but most skiers refer to this area by the town names… Valloire/Valmeinier.
The narrow switchback road up to the ski villages is on the Tour De France bike route, scenic, a little scary! Its reasonably high elevation skiing, up to 2725 meters, or 8,940′, which is so important these days skiing the Alps.
The pretty alpine village of Valloire has 2 modern gondolas taking you up to 2 separate mid-mountain regions. The French ski resort has spectacular panoramas in all directions.
Valloire Valmeinier has an abundance of exceptional terrain, long trails, 60 lifts, and extensive off-piste free-ride skiing. As always in the Alps it is highly recommended to hire a guide to explore safely and successfully. We find that the French do love to ski “hors piste” and the freeride terrain does get skied relatively quickly on powder days.
Valloire and Valmeinier has a mix of new and older lifts, and lots of aspects among the terrain connected throughout the valleys. One of Valloire summits is served by the Grand Plateau long poma lift, which is super scenic. From this high plateau at 2524-meters (8,200′), its a wonderful long run down to the valley, almost 3,500′ vertical. Or you can go explore the off-piste terrain, with a guide of course, in huge snow bowls easily accessed from the few prepared trails.
On the Valmeiner side of the ski domaine, the Gros Crey chairlift and the Sandonière chair to 2725-meters offer more exceptional views, and long ski runs back down to the newer modern village of Valmeinier 1850. There is also an historic Valmeinier village which offers a transport lift across a canyon back toward the Valloire side.
Valloire has a few great mountain chalets for ski to lunch or a coffee or aperitif. We loved L’Alp de Zélie which is modern chic (try the boite chaud – a box of hot Beaufort cheese served with meats and potatoes and bread – yum). At Edelweiss we enjoyed a more rustic traditional lunch of local fondue and French cuisine. Les Mégères is a cozy chalet with a big sun terrace serving wood-fired pizza, and Chateau Ripaille is another self-service option.
For mountain lodging, in the prettier more historic Valloire village, you can stay at Hôtel Les Mélèzes (a 3-star hotel, affordable, with nice balconies) right next to the gondola – so it fits the bill, or the more luxury 4-star Hotel Christiania in the heart of the village a short walk to the gondola in the heart of the village.
Great restaurants in Valloire village include Chez Fred and L’Hermine for authentic French crepes. Apres ski in Valloire is not wild and crazy like Alpe d’Huez or Megeve’s Folie Douce.
Valloire Valmeinier is family-friendly, with big ski schools, mascots, kiddie snowparks, and fun activities like sledding for the kids.
Ski Valloire Valmeinier on a ski safari of the Rhone Alps of France, visiting nearby Les Sybelles, Bonneval sur Arc and Val Cenis, among others in this alpine-rich region.
Galibier Thabor (aka Valloire/Valmeinier) Ski Resort Ski Stats:
Elevation: 1430 – 2725 meters, 8,940′
Vertical Drop: 1320M – 4,331′
Lifts: 30
Trails: 160km – 90 Slopes
