French ski station voted as best in the world

A French ski station has once again been crowned the world’s best, reclaiming the title it held last year.

Val Thorens in the Savoie department regained the title at the World Ski Awards last year, beating previous winner Verbier, in Switzerland, which was declared the victor in 2021 and 2022.

The mythic French ski station is no stranger to the competition, having won the title in nine of the 12 previous years (also losing to Austrian Kitzbühel in 2015).

“This distinction rewards the collective effort of the Val Thorens teams and partners,” said Vincent Lalanne, the resort’s director, in a press release after the victory.

“We warmly thank our loyal international clientele for their support. This title commits us to continuing our quest for excellence and conviviality,” he added. International clients make up over half of the stays at the resort, reports Le Figaro.

The highest ski station in Europe, with slopes sitting at 3,200 metres above sea level, Val Thorens is one of the first in France to open, on November 23, alongside Chamonix and Tignes.

Read more: Snow arrives: opening dates of French ski resorts

Winter of good cheer 

Val Thorens is a luxury resort in the Alps, with two five-star hotels, both of which also won big at the World Ski Awards. 

The Pashmina Le Refuge hotel was named ‘best boutique ski hotel in France and the world in 2024’ and Le Fitz Roy won ‘best ski hotel in France’.

The resort is part of the The Three Valleys, a roughly 600 kilometre stretch of ski valleys including other renowned stations such as Courchevel.

New additions this year include two new ski tours (Petite and Grande Sud) as well as a new blue-run piste. 

Val Thorens will host the Ice Cross World Cup this December for the first time, followed by the Freeride World Tour for the first time in eight years. 

Read more: Eurostar to relaunch London to Alps winter ski trains