Val d'Isère To Re-open Winter runs in Summer After Huge 17-18 Season Snowfalls
Despite the huge snowfalls in the Alps at the start of this year that led to resorts like Zermatt and Val d’Isère having to go in to lock down for periods in January, very few resorts have decided to extend their ski seasons much, if at all, in the Alps.
In contrast to North America where late season snow allowed dozens of resorts including Mont Sutton, Sugarbush and Winter Park to announce extended seasons in to May, resorts in the Alps have been closing for the season even with the snow still lying 5 metres deep.
However, one exception has come to light this week. Although the winter skiing season will come to an end in just a few days’ time on Tuesday 1 May 2018 at Val d’Isère; the famous ski village in the French Alps has just announced that it will re-open a couple of its winter lifts for summer skiing on 3 June 2018, just 33 days later. This is believed to be the first time – in its 82-year history – that some of the winter pistes, just above the resort, will re-open in summer.
This year, the snow across the high-altitude resort in the French Alps has been phenomenal, with nine metres of snowfall recorded. Currently there is still more than a metre in the village and 245 cm on the higher slopes.
The pistes that will re-open – from 7 am to 12 pm – include the top of the OK World Cup downhill and the less demanding Verte (snow-conditions permitting). Skiers will reach the area by the Funival funicular from La Daille and the slopes will be served by the six-person Marmottes chair just above the Folie Douce; exactly the same as in winter.
The resort is hoping these runs and lifts will stay open for two weeks until the warmer weather prevails, at which point the Pissaillas Glacier, above Le Fornet, will come into play. Val d’Isère is one of three French resorts (along with Les 2 Alpes and Tignes) which normally open for summer glacier skiing —it just doesn’t usually open non-glacier runs in summer.
Apart from making use of the extraordinary snowpack, this gives the snow-clearing teams extra time to clear the road up to the glacier and the Col de l’Iseran, the highest paved road in Europe and summer gateway to Italy.
Although many of the hotels, chalets and apartments will not be open at this time, there are still places ready to welcome hard core skiers and snowboarders. Shared taxi services such as SnowDrone (snow-drone.com/) can transfer guests from/to Geneva airport (the usual buses will have stopped). Lift passes will cost from €28 pp per day, or €330 pp for the summer season.
