Club Med Valmorel & Peisey-Vallandry
My expectations were high, and why wouldn’t they be? I’d stayed at Club Med Sahoro in Japan and had an absolutely amazing time, so when I was invited to visit the resorts at Valmorel and Peisey-Vallandry in the French Alps, why wouldn’t I expect the best?
Result: one highly satisfied and impressed travel agent, and believe me, I have travelled extensively and I’m a difficult customer to impress.
Both resorts were amazing and I find it hard to fault either one. Yes, you have to be aware that they stick to the “Club Med” formula. So, don’t expect to go to a Club Med Resort and fade into the background.
Be prepared for the Resort Manager to greet you, serve you, ask you how your skiing was and to take a genuine interest in your stay and your wellbeing. Do expect to be treated as one of the family, not merely a guest. Be prepared for your kids to fall in love with their carers at the Kids Club, and your ski instructors to take a very personal interest in your skiing and snowboard development.
If you can embrace the ethos of Club Med, then you are bound to have a great time. Add to that the modern and very comfortable rooms, with plenty of space and all the mod cons you want, simply amazing variety and quality of food, nightly entertainment and GM’s who greet you at every turn, then your dream holiday is on the boil.
I had skied in France a few times previously so I knew that I was in for a treat in the various ski domains. We were lucky to have excellent snow, even into early April and it continued to snow while we were away, so snowboarding in fresh powder was a delight. At Club Med the ski passes are included in your stay which makes it very easy to walk out the door and right onto the freshly groomed piste. Heaven! Even better at the end of the day when you literally ski to the front door to be greeted by GM’s and the Resort Manager serving hot gluhwein, hot chocolate or specialty spirits. One day we were greeted by a range of beverages and yummy cream cheese and salmon nibbles. No wonder I came home a little heavier than when I left…
Valmorel and the “Grand Domain” were amazing. Surrounded by large trees it seems you are in an enchanted forest, albeit surrounded by white as opposed to green! From the main bar area you look directly onto the piste and it just makes you itch to get out there and rip it up. From the moment I walked into the foyer and looked past the bar through the huge ceiling to floor windows out to the ski area, my feet started to itch. I couldn’t wait to unpack, get my gear into my locker and prepare for what I knew would be an amazing ski day the next day.
The resort is a bit rabbit warren like, but once you get a handle on the set-out, it was easy to get up and out in the mornings. Four large dining rooms, themed on the different seasons, ensured everyone had a seat at mealtimes, and the specialty restaurant serving the regional delicacies was just lovely.
To come in at the end of the day, pop your snowboard and gear in your locker and head up to the bar for a soothing beverage… aaahh! Follow that by a dip in the pool or soak in the outdoor spa before dinner and you just know you are in for a good night. I went to the gym a few times to relax muscles on an exercise bike and practice my own moves to loosen and stretch unused muscles and this really seemed to help with my overall condition.
Another way to ease away the aches and pains was a visit to the in house spa which offered a variety of massages and steam rooms for exactly that purpose. Personally I didn’t get time to try them out as I was up for first lift and dragging myself in at last!
Now for some statistics on the ski front. To the non-skier this is the boring bit, but for a skier or snowboarder these stats are critical, so get ready to be impressed. “Le Grande Domaine” is nestled between the Massif du Cheval Noir and the Massif de la Lauzière and is approximately 3600 hectares in area. This encompasses around 100kms of piste in Valmorel, of varying levels to suit all skiers, though it is most suitable for intermediate to advanced, there are specialty areas designed with beginners in mind. St Francois boarders Valmorel and adds an extra 65kms of groomed slopes to play on. The vertical rise from the highest point to the base of the village is 1250 meters which equates to excellent snow top to bottom.
It is one of the most beautiful ski domains and on a clear day, from the top of the Col de la Madeleine, you can see over to Mont Blanc and the borders of Switzerland and Italy. The runs are groomed to perfect corduroy and off piste offer an amazing array of slopes, schutes, mogels and schusses to impress even the most hardened snow enthusiast. You can ski down to one of the many surrounding villages, have a hot chocolate or snack, and then head back up the lift or gondola to complete your circuit. But the best thing is skiing right to your front door at the end of the day.
My only critique of Club Med Valmorel Resort is that the bar and stage/entertainment area was all in the one place. This made it difficult to relax at the bar while a show was on. Granted there was a specialty bar serving high end beverages, but this was small and not conducive to the rowdy conversations of excitable Aussies. Other lounge areas were scattered around, but these did not have bar services which meant a walk up and down the stairs or a hike to the bar.
That being said, I find it very hard to fault the resort. The low set, traditional buildings blend in nicely with the surrounds and don’t stand out or proclaim to be the “biggest, the best, the most whatever…”, as some other resorts like to proclaim. Instead it is dignified, homely, and comfortable and offers a wonderful opportunity to truly relax and enjoy the reason you are in the mountains, to ski or snowboard!
While we were at Valmorel we also toured the 5 trident chalets. Only one word comes to mind. Spectacular! The views, the accommodations, the attention to detail, the inclusions, the extra touches. Wow. For a larger family or special group, this is certainly the way to stay. Perhaps next time for me!
A short transfer away and we were in Peisey-Vallandry. I will start with the statistics here as all things I’ve previously mentioned regarding the Club Med Ethos certainly transpires here as well.
We have the ski domain that is lovingly named “Paradiski” and Paradise to any ski and snowboarder is exactly what it is. Interlinking the areas of Peisey-Vallandry, Les Arcs and La Plagne, it encompasses a vast array of terrain and truly a slope to suit everyone. It is difficult giving stats as the area is so vast but you can expect to ski approximately 425km of piste with a vertical rise over the three resorts of approximately 2050 meters and with a starting elevation of 1200 metres that means excellent snow for a long period of time.
Like Valmorel, high speed chairs ranging from doubles to sixes, rope tows, magic carpets, gondolas and cable cars transport you seamlessly around the skiable area. Unless you are there in absolute peak period, there is no waiting in lines so you can make the most of your day. Less time in lines means more time on the snow. Having an instructor or guide show you around also helps to maximise your time to ensure you get the best out of your ski holiday.
The thing I loved most snowboarding this domain was that you had trees that came in handy when it was snowing heavily, providing not only a bit of protection but also better visibility and the chance for some excellent tree skiing… Yippee! There was so much variety that even though we were unable to get to the top due to winds and low visibility, we still had plenty of terrain to play in so we definitely did not ski the same run twice in one session.
The resort at Peisey-Vallandry had similar rooms to Valmorel and all were roomy and comfortable with a great view. I was surprised at the modern furnishings and found the resort easier to get around and with a great indoor/outdoor swimming pool and large gym area it certainly had the extra amenities covered. To their benefit, the stage and entertainment area are separate which means you can have a quiet drink in the bar and lounge area without having to shout.
In both resorts afternoon snacks were served and these were excellent at Peisey-Vallandry with a large variety on offer. An open bar meant an afternoon or evening aperitif was easily at hand, and for those wanting to indulge, you could have as much as you liked. I kept it simple as snowboarding rather than a hangover took precedence for me.
Of the two, I would have to say my favourite was Peisey-Vallandry and I plan to return when the kids get a bit older. The reasons being that I loved being able to ski in the forest, especially when the weather closes in. The area is vast and you could easily ski for 7 days and not do the same run twice. Also, a major plus of Club Med is the ability to ski between the resorts and stop in for lunch. For instance, start at Peisey-Vallandry, take the cable car across to La Plagne and drop in for lunch at Club Med La Plagne, before heading back across to Peisey-Vallandry in the afternoon. How amazing!?
Overall, the French Alps remain one of my favourite ski destinations and I really would be picking hens teeth to come up with many negatives about my Club Med experience. Thankfully, everything ran smoothly and I had an absolutely amazing time. I would have to say that I am a Club Med convert!