So as suggested above, it wasn’t all plain sailing and the drama started a few days before our scheduled departure on April 17th. The volcanic ash cloud that shrouded northern Europe, shutting down all air traffic for nearly a week, threatened to force the cancellation of the entire trip. You wouldn’t have wanted to speak to any of us during that week had we been forced to swap the Three Valleys for South West London. We all love working here, but who wouldn’t opt for the skiing given the choice? The majority (everyone but me) were booked to travel out by plane but our travel organisers were forced at the last minute to switch air for road and 40 or so of the gang climbed aboard their “luxury” coaches at Gatwick, facing a heavy journey ahead. 22 hours later some weary souls disembarked the coach at Chalet Bonhomme de Neige looking about 10 years older than when I’d last seen them. I dread to think of the horrors on board that vehicle, I think that’s probably best left for a blog by someone who experienced it first-hand.

A sunny afternoon in Courchevel

Finally all safe and sound in Val Thorens, the holiday could begin in earnest. We had some great luck with the weather that week, all but a couple of days brought sunshine and although we were very close to the end of the season, the snow held up relatively well. Obviously there were slushy patches as you went lower in altitude, towards La Tania, Courchevel 1300 or Meribel for example. Overall, about 70% of the ski area was open and the majority of the lifts ran all week. We also got a late season lift pass discount.

Our chalet was the Bonhomme de Neige, a free-standing 28 person chalet that for competent skiers is just about ski in/out. The bedrooms are all fully en suite and the large lounge and dining room has a superb view over the whole of the resort and the Val Thorens ski area. We saw a few other chalets in resort but most of us thought that the Bonhomme was best of them. It wasn’t unanimous, though. Isabel and Holly, after a great deal of consideration, declared their preferences for the chalets Boule de Neige and Flocon de Neige.

Some of the gang making the most of the sunshine at the Folie Douce

Despite the  journey out, most of the team managed to hit the hill soon after arriving, showing excellent stamina and determination. After a gentle first day on the slopes, we headed over to the now legendary après ski venue La Folie Douce. Well known from previous trips to Val d’Isère, the Folie now has a little sister at the top of the Plein Sud chairlift in VT. If you’ve never been before then try and picture the scene; a huge sun-soaked decking area, a large bar at either end and a top DJ and MC making maximum use of an immense sound system. Throw in 500 or so merry holidaymakers, some dancing on the tables, and after a couple of hours the place is a rival to the best nightclubs in any resort.

This became a theme for the entire week and every day saw most, if not all of us heading to the Folie at some point from mid-afternoon onwards. By the time it shuts at 5.30pm the ski back to the chalet can be quite a challenge, especially if you’ve managed to put away 5 or 6 beers whilst bouncing along to the superb entertainment. Tuesday saw our big challenge. After everyone had found their ski legs Andy, Nick and Ross set up the Foxhunt. Dressed as farmers, we skied in teams to the farthest flung corners of the Vallée de Belleville on various tasks, all the time in pursuit of the three of them dressed in brown skin suits and fox masks! We ended up at the Folie before piling back down to town for a huge night out.

Tally Ho!

With a group this big, it’s never a realistic ambition for everyone to ski together so most mornings saw small alliances form over the breakfast tables, with different groups planning different routes through the Three Valleys. Personal highlights for me were managing to get down to Le Praz (Courchevel 1300) for a morning coffee on just about the last day of the season when the Brigues piste down from 1850 was still ski-able (although officially shut!), and one early morning expedition up La Masse. It’s a peak above Les Menuires which few visitors to the Three Valleys seem to know exists and even fewer manage to get up and actually ski. Those who do make the effort are always rewarded with some wide open pistes, acres of easily accessed off piste and a huge vertical drop. If you only ski one run next season, make it La Masse!

 Clichés come easily on ski holidays and Wednesday night, staff night off, was no different. The logistics of getting 40 people ready together and into a restaurant at the same time is too much to bear, so we split into three groups and made our way into town for a meal. What else would you do when in a Savoyard ski resort and hungry? You eat meat and cheese. That’s what you do and that’s what we did. Fondues bubbled, hot stones sizzled and Tartiflettes, well, they were just simply superb.

It was all a bit much for some by the end of the week

The final couple of days whizzed past in a flash, plenty of mileage was covered, the Folie Douce saw quite a bit more of us and by Friday night everyone was pretty well spent. News filtered through that the ash had dispersed and the flight would be leaving more or less on time. By 10pm just about everyone had retired to sleep or pack before the 5am departure. Inevitably it didn’t quite run to time but we had all departed resort by around 7am and were back in London in time for our tea that evening.

A top week in all respects. For late season skiing, it’s hard to contemplate a better destination than Val Thorens. There’s nowhere higher in Europe, so if VT has no snow, nowhere does. The resort stays open until May most seasons and mid/late April is still busy. Unlike other resorts, you don’t get the feeling of being in an end-of-season ghost town. Everything in Val Thorens carries on as normal. The accommodation is good, although I wouldn’t come here looking for luxury it’s a brilliant destination if budget is a factor. I’d never stayed here before, but after such a good week, I’ll be back!

The Interactive Resorts team stayed at chalet Bonhomme de Neige in Val Thorens. A week at the Bonhomme starts from £479pp, including flights from London Gatwick and transfers to resort. For more information on this or any of the other chalets or resorts mentioned above, please give us a call or drop us an email!