How To Ski The World's Largest Ski Resort as an American

Despite living just 20 minutes away from four world-class ski resorts in Utah, I still get excited to see what the slopes are like in other places.

There’s hardly a ski destination on Earth that’s not on my radar. Oukaïmeden, Morocco? Yes. Solbakken, Greenland? Absolutely. Tehran, Iran? If only.

And then there are the places like Les Trois Vallées (The Three Valleys), which seem to be on everyone’s list, and for good reason. Located toward France’s eastern border with Italy, Les 3 Vallées connects seven ski resorts, including the famed Courchevel, Méribel, and Val Thorens ski areas. Not only is Les Trois Vallées the world's largest ski resort, it’s also absurdly beautiful.

Largely above tree line, this region of the French Alps features a parade of snow-covered peaks and valleys as far as the eye can see, with panoramic views of Mont Blanc on clear days. It has a celebrated après-ski and dining scene, a wide range of accommodations for all types of stays, and more terrain than your vacation days can cover.

Keep reading for my guide on the best way to explore the world's largest ski resort.

The 2026 POWDER Photo Annual is here! Look for a print copy on a newsstand near you, or click here to have a copy shipped directly to your front door.

Les Trois Vallèes By the Numbers

The region receives an average of 140 inches of snowfall each year and employs more than 2,800 snowmakers to supplement natural snow from early December through late April. Of its 334 named runs, 16 percent are considered beginner, 41 percent are intermediate, 32 percent are advanced, and 11 percent are rated as expert only. Les Trois Vallées' base elevation is 4,265 feet, rising to a summit that sits at 10,597 feet. Eighty-five percent of the ski area lies above 5,900 feet, with 25 accessible summits, 10 of which are above 8,200 feet. 

A network of 161 ski lifts link the Belleville, Saint-Bon, and Les Allues valleys, delivering skiers to more than 370 miles of groomed terrain. That’s roughly the distance between San Diego and Las Vegas or New York City and Pittsburgh. I did the math. In theory, if there were no lines, and I started early, stayed late, and didn’t take any breaks, it would be possible to ski every run in a single day. 

The best part is that one ski pass covers all seven ski areas. During peak season, an adult one-day lift ticket costs €81 ($95), a 3-day pass is €245 ($288), and a 5-day pass is €409 ($480). Even better, if you have an Epic Pass, you get seven consecutive days of skiing at  Les Trois Vallées.

The Slopes of Les Trois Vallèes

We logged 73,860 vertical feet on our trip to Les Trois Vallées. We didn’t spot any members of the British royal family (known for being longtime devotees of the ski area). Still, I imagine their head-to-toe ski gear makes them hard to identify unless they’re carving turns in tiaras. 

We found the best snow at the higher elevations at Val Thorens, the best off-piste terrain at Méribel, and the best steep, cruisy groomers at Courchevel, though that naturally depends on current snow conditions. If moguls are your thing, each resort has plenty. Despite its vastness, a few choke points tested my Western U.S.-calibrated personal space bubble, but it was easy enough to navigate to more spacious lines.

Pro tip: Get on the slopes early if you want the place to yourself. We had nearly empty runs and endless stretches of corduroy every morning until around 11:00 a.m.

Les Trois Vallèes Trailside Amusements

Video: Hitting the Big Air Bag at Méribel, France. Melissa McGibbon.

It took us a few hours to ski from the top of Val Thorens to the bottom of Courchevel Village, with a few detours for trailside attractions. My favorite was the Big Air Bag at Méribel Mottaret near the Pas du Lac gondola. For €4, you can launch yourself down a steep slope, hit a ramp, sail through the sky, and land safely on a massive air bag—no need to remove your ski boots.  We just don’t have these kinds of side activities at American ski resorts, so we had to take advantage of this highly entertaining opportunity. For more thrills, there’s a zip line in Val Thorens and several popular toboggan runs.

Culinary Delights

I didn’t come for the food, but it quickly became one of the trip’s highlights. At home, I ski almost every day and rarely stop to eat. In Europe, long, lavish lunches are part of the culture. With 56 mountain restaurants, Les Trois Vallées isn’t just the world's largest ski area, it also holds the title for the most Michelin stars of any ski region, with 10 gastronomic restaurants totaling 17 stars. If you’re not taking advantage of the culinary delights here, you’re doing it wrong. 

On our second night, we dined at Alpage located inside the Hôtel Annapurna in Courchevel, where 2-star Michelin Chef Jean-Rémi Caillon makes his creations. Each of the seven courses told a story, an homage to the Savoy region, woven together like a culinary symphony. From our table, we were able to see the chef's place finishing herbs with plating tweezers, demonstrating the precision of a jeweler. Caillon graciously accommodated our dietary restrictions and unintentionally lured a fox to the window of Alpage with his wafting aromas. The fox was terrible at posing for photos.

On day three, we stopped for lunch at Maya Altitude and sat on the large terrace to take advantage of the 360-degree views and soak up the sun. Maya’s reputation for high-altitude gastronomy is well-earned. I ordered the tagliolini, prepared table-side. The chef set a hollowed-out Parmesan wheel ablaze to melt the cheese, tossed in the pasta and butter, and served it with shaved truffles. €67 for pasta might seem like a lot, but it was worth every cent. The dessert selection was a dazzling array of freshly baked tarts, meringues, ganaches, pies, mousses, and cakes. We devoured the blueberry tart.

Where to Stay at Les Trois Vallèes

We stayed at Fahrenheit 7 in Courchevel, a ski-in/ski-out hotel with a chic, retro aesthetic and thoughtful touches like in-room boot heaters, gear storage, and an on-site rental shop. The breakfast buffet at the third-floor La Cheminée bistro had freshly baked breads, barista-made lattes, and a cheese selection befitting a French alpine hotel. 

Because all of the resorts are interconnected, it's easy to visit friends staying in other villages. We loved our location for its proximity to the Aquamotion Spa, Europe’s largest aquatic center. This wellness complex offers massages and other body treatments and has fun amenities like an indoor saltwater pool heated to 90 degrees Fahrenheit, where you can quietly float your troubles away.