Skiing from Val Thorens to Courchevel?

Hello, I am an advanced skier and this will be my first time on the Alps. I will be staying in Val Thorens.

What is the quickest way to ski from Val Thorens to Courchevel? We are planning to spend one day on another ski resort. Would you recommend Courchevel or Meribel? How long would it take on average?

Thanks in advance.

The 3-Vallees lift system is so efficient that you'll be popping in and out of Courchevel, Meribel, Les Menuires and the Maurienne area without really noticing it!

Don't limit yourself to Val Thorens - explore the whole of this massive area. It's very easy to do.

I would just caveat LOTA's reply by saying that 3 Vallees is SO big, it will still take you a while...you have to ride the lifts up, ski down into the center valley (Meribel), then ride up to the ridge on the far side, and then ski down into Courchevel. That will probably take at least 90 minutes or so depending on lift lines, so allow an early start to get back to Val Thorens. It's a great area...enjoy!

Forgot the other part of your question....if you are an advanced skier, I'd pass right through Meribel and head for Courchevel.

From Val T ski down to the Plan Sud lift, take that and then the Bouquetin lift and drop into the Meribel valley.
Take the Lac de la Chambre red (superb run) down to the Plan Des Mains lift (this avoids Ours blue which is flat in places - lots of poleing) and then Rossignol then Martre blues down to the Pas Du Lac 1&2 lift.
Drop into the Courchevel valley, choice of runs from there.
You can do it in about an hour if you keep a decent pace up.

As Lota says it's easy to get about so don't limit yourself.

The following are all musts for a week in 3Vs:
La Masse for quiet pistes and great off piste runs close to lifts.
4th Valley so picturesque.
Cime Caron highest point in area with runs to match.
Glacier fantastic run with great off piste.
St Martin great long crusey runs including Jerusalem red run.
Mont Vallon awesome long reds and off piste bits.
Grand Couloir scary entry, fantastic run.
Suisse and M blacks, brutal bumps!
Jockeys black down to Le Praz in the trees.

andyhull wrote:
4th Valley so picturesque.

Eh? 4th Valley in the 3V? :roll: :XD:

Iceman wrote:
Eh? 4th Valley in the 3V? :roll: :XD:

Been a while since I've been to Val Thorens, but it used to be a bit of a "secret". You used to have to do a bit of a cross mountain hike to get to it, but I think it is now fully linked.

The fourth valley, the Maurienne, has been lift linked from Val Thorens for some time now.