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Val Thorens ski resort
Epic PassView resorts
Tier A — Prime El Niño terrain

📷 Val Thorens

Europe

Val Thorens

Closed for the season

Season ended May 3, 2026

Conditions data updated Fri, Aug 28, 09:05 AM UTC · informational only

Closed for the season — closed May 3

Weather data is still collected for informational purposes.

Last Snowfall

--

Past 24 Hours

0cm

Past 48 Hours

0cm

Past 10 Days

0cm

14-Day Forecast

1.2cm

Snow Depth

--

🎿

Powder Days

14

2026–27 season

☀️

Bluebird Days

1

2026–27 season

Updated: Aug 28, 9:05 AM•Weather at base: 2300m

Overview

Val Thorens is a ski resort in Europe, France, currently closed for the season (Season ended May 3, 2026). The 14-day ensemble forecast across seven weather models (ECMWF, GFS, GEM, JMA, ICON, Météo-France, Met Norway) calls for ~1 cm (0.4 in) of new snow. Conditions last updated 2026-08-28 09:05 UTC.

Resort Guide

Val Thorens is located in the French Alps and is the highest ski resort in Europe, offering extensive ski terrain as part of the vast Three Valleys ski area. The resort features a modern, pedestrian-friendly village atmosphere, direct ski-in/ski-out access, and a wide range of slopes suitable for all levels. Signature experiences include panoramic mountain views, a vibrant après-ski scene, and innovative amenities such as Europe’s longest toboggan run and a sports center. Val Thorens stands out for its reliable snow conditions, dynamic events calendar, and comprehensive facilities for both families and advanced skiers.

Resort Info

Summit3180m
Base2300m
Vertical880m
Lifts30
Runs68
Skiable Area372.5 acres
Average snowfall250 inches / 635 cm
CountryFrance
Visit Resort Website →Follow on Instagram →

Season dates

Season endedMay 3, 2026

Ski passes

Epic Pass

Epic Pass

View resorts →

Access tiers change by season — confirm benefits on the pass operator's site.

Top Après Ski

La Folie Douce – A legendary après-ski destination in Val Thorens, La Folie Douce is renowned for its high-energy open-air parties, live music, DJ performances, and panoramic mountain views, creating an unforgettable alpine party atmosphere recognized across the Alps.

Snow Summary

3180mECMWF Model

Updated Aug 28, 2026 at 9:05 AM

0cm
24h
1cm
Past 10d
14-Day Forecast
0
Prev10d
—
Now28
—
S29
—
S30
—
M31
—
T1
—
W2
—
T3
Past
Today
Forecast

Snowfall Forecast Maps

The Alps region

Current Conditions

Reported Fri, Aug 28, 09:05 AM UTC

Base

2300m

Temp

13.4°C

Wind

6.9km/h

Snow Depth

--

14-Day Forecast

1.2cm

Mid-Mountain

2740m

Temp

--°C

Wind

8km/h

Snow Depth

--

14-Day Forecast

1.2cm

Summit

3180m

Temp

7.7°C

Wind

6.9km/h

Snow Depth

--

14-Day Forecast

0.9cm

El Niño Outlook · Winter 2026-27

Val Thorens El Niño rank & forecast

Val Thorens ranks #103 of 488 SnowSure resorts — Tier A, +9% in strong El Niño winters.

Tier A — Prime El Niño terrain: Historically snowed much more than normal in strong El Niño winters (≥ +8% vs this resort’s own 30-year average).

#103 of 488Tier A — Prime El Niño terrain

Strong-event signal: +9% vs this resort's 30-yr avg

In the three strongest El Niño winters on record ('97-98, '15-16, '23-24), Val Thorens averaged +9% versus its own 30-year snowfall baseline. The pattern has historically been a friend here. With a record-strength event forecast for winter 2026-27, Val Thorens sits on the favorable side of the ledger. Analog winters: '97-98 -17%, '15-16 -3%, '23-24 +47%. A pattern, not a promise.

'97-98 −17%'15-16 −4%'23-24 +47%

Signal = average snowfall in the three strongest El Niño winters since 1996 ('97-98, '15-16, '23-24) vs this resort's own 30-year ERA5 baseline. n=3 — a lean, not a law. Updated monthly against measured snowfall Dec–Mar.

Full El Niño report →

Live Conditions

Val Thorens Webcam

All Webcams

Resort Webcam

1 webcam • Click to expand

Local Reports

0 reports
SnowSure™ Forecast Range

Daily Snowfall Forecast by Model

Black line = verified SnowSure™ blend (not a simple average). Weights update weekly from measured snowfall at SNOTEL stations and resort reports.

SnowSure™ blend — verified model weighting

The black line is not a simple average. For Val Thorens (alps), we combine seven global weather models using weights learned from daily forecast verification — comparing each model's prediction to measured snowfall (SNOTEL, resort reports, ERA5).

  • 1.Horizon buckets: days 1–3, 4–7, and 8–14 each get separate weights — short-range skill differs from long-range.
  • 2.Regional calibration: weights come from verified error in this geography (Rockies, Alps, Japan, etc.), recalculated weekly.
  • 3.Ground truth only: we never grade a forecast against another model — only against measured snow.

Building verification history for this resort.

How we verify forecasts →

Hourly Forecast Detail

AM / PM / Night breakdown with wind and freezing level

NWP models refresh up to 4× daily · Last synced Aug 28, 9:05 AM

Hourly Forecast Detail
 
Today
10 / 16.6mm
Sat, Aug 29
9 / -2
Sun, Aug 30
11 / 0
Mon, Aug 31
9 / 12.1mm
Tue, Sep 1
12 / -53mm
Wed, Sep 2
7 / 00.4cm4.5mm
PeriodAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNight
Snow (cm)0000000000000000.400
Precip (mm)1.51.53.600000001.20.900.92.11.81.21.5
Temp (°C)69408231034940112162
Wind (km/h)795273262271361162
Gusts (km/h)686951203425153219234024244232233532

14-Day Snow Forecast by Model

Summit elevation (3180m)

ECMWF
0cm
GFS
1.7cm
GEM
0cm
JMA
1.2cm
ICON
0cm
Météo-Fr
0cm
SnowSure™
1.2cm

10-Day Forecast

Today

28

🌧️

9.9°

1.4°

12 km/h

Sat

29

⛅

9.1°

-2.5°

9 km/h

Sun

30

🌤️

10.8°

-0.4°

7 km/h

Mon

31

🌧️

9.3°

1.3°

8 km/h

Tue

1

🌧️

11.8°

-4.6°

9 km/h

Wed

2

🌧️

7.4°

0.2°

8 km/h

Thu

3

☁️

9.3°

-5.6°

8 km/h

Fri

4

☀️

14.2°

0.1°

6 km/h

Sat

5

☀️

16.2°

3°

7 km/h

Sun

6

☀️

17°

2.8°

10 km/h

Summit elevation (3180m) • ECMWF model

Avalanche

No bulletin for this mountain

No official warning service is mapped for this resort’s country yet (v1 covers the United States, Canada and Switzerland). A bulletin may still be published locally.

SnowSure relays the official avalanche bulletin and does not issue avalanche forecasts. Read the full bulletin at the issuer’s link and make your own terrain decisions. Not a substitute for avalanche education, equipment, or local knowledge.

Season vs Historic

Updated Fri, Aug 28, 09:05 AM UTC

0cm

Season Total

This Season to Date

—

vs 5-Year Avg

Off-season · 433cm full-season avg

—

vs 30-Year Avg

Off-season · 437cm full-season avg

433cm

5-Yr Avg by Now

The last completed season totaled ~381 cm. That's 12% below the 5-year average (433 cm). Versus the 30-year baseline: 13% below the 30-year average (437 cm).

Val Thorens Snow History

Average annual snowfall is 526cm with an average of 130 snowfall days per season. The table below shows monthly averages across 30 seasons of archive data (modeled snowpack at mid-elevation).

Average monthly snowfall history
MonthAvg SnowfallSnowfall DaysAvg Base DepthMax Base DepthBiggest Snowfall
November77.1cm17 days40cm75cm17.5cm
December92.4cm18 days98cm130cm18.9cm
January86.2cm17 days139cm169cm17.8cm
February67.7cm16 days165cm191cm15.5cm
March71.5cm18 days177cm200cm16.3cm
April53.9cm16 days162cm192cm11.9cm
May34.6cm12 days96cm147cm9cm

Source: SnowSure archive · Open-Meteo ERA5 reanalysis at mid-elevation. Depth is modeled, not resort-reported.

Season at a Glance

1 tracked season

Last completed season(2025-26)

163 days

Nov 22, 2025 → May 3, 2026

Next season(2026-27)

Opens Nov 21, 2026

Multi-season averages will appear once SnowSure has tracked more than one full season.

ENSO seasonal analog

History · not a forecast

In 10 past El Niño winters at Val Thorens, ERA5 season snowfall median was 460 cm (181 in), about 9% below this resort’s long-term median. This is a historical analog from reanalysis — not a prediction of this winter’s storm track.

Prevailing ONI

El Niño

MJJ 2026 · ANOM +1.39°C

Analog season median

460 cm

10 El Niño winters · 9% below median

All-season median

505 cm

Across 30 ERA5 seasons (2026-27)

PhaseSeasonsMedianp25–p75Recent analogs
El Niñocurrent10460 cm415 cm – 631 cm2023, 2019, 2018, 2015, 2014, 2009
La Niña12513 cm475 cm – 585 cm2022, 2021, 2020, 2017, 2011, 2010
ENSO-neutral8526 cm493 cm – 549 cm2025, 2024, 2016, 2013, 2012, 2003

Season snowfall from Open-Meteo ERA5 reanalysis (~9 km). ENSO phase from NOAA CPC Oceanic Niño Index. Relative phase differences are more trustworthy than absolute cm totals. Source: NOAA CPC Oceanic Niño Index + Open-Meteo ERA5 via SnowSure season archive.

Best Months to Visit

February

Peak Season

January

Peak Season

March

Good

December

Good

Note: Based on typical ski season patterns for this region.

Back to All Destinations

Frequently asked questions about Val Thorens

Where is Val Thorens?
Val Thorens is a ski resort in France.
How high is Val Thorens?
Val Thorens runs from a base elevation of 2,300 m (7,546 ft) to a summit of 3,180 m (10,433 ft), giving a vertical drop of 880 m (2,887 ft).
How big is Val Thorens?
Val Thorens has 921 acres (373 hectares) of skiable terrain, 68 marked runs and 30 lifts.
Which ski pass covers Val Thorens?
Val Thorens is on the Epic Pass. Access terms such as blackout dates and day limits vary by pass tier, so check the pass operator for the current season.
When is ski season at Val Thorens?
Val Thorens typically operates from November to May. Exact opening and closing dates shift each year with snowfall — check the resort's current season dates before booking.
How much snow does Val Thorens get in a typical season?
Val Thorens averages 250 inches / 635 cm of snowfall in a typical season. Any individual season can run well above or below that.
How will El Niño affect Val Thorens in winter 2026-27?
El Niño Signal Rank: #103 of 488 SnowSure resorts · Tier A · strong-event signal +9% vs its own 30-yr average. In the three strongest El Niño winters on record ('97-98, '15-16, '23-24), Val Thorens averaged +9% versus its own 30-year snowfall baseline. The pattern has historically been a friend here. With a record-strength event forecast for winter 2026-27, Val Thorens sits on the favorable side of the ledger. Analog winters: '97-98 -17%, '15-16 -3%, '23-24 +47%. A pattern, not a promise.