Evolution2 is a big black dog with saucers for eyes seemingly
devouring the very Alps themselves; it has a string of money tied to
it's tale.
The quality of instruction: ordinary.
The price: above average.
Their attitude to customer satisfaction: poor.
You have a choice, don't choose Evolution2.
Val d'Isere has something for everyone: skiing; there are plenty of wide inviting runs for beginners, all be it that runs back to the village can be demanding. There are plenty of lifts at Val d'Isere and a bubble as an alternative and the bus system around the resort is great for tired kids. Advanced skiers can be challenged on a huge number of blacks and off-piste (with gudes) and having been twice a year for the last 5+ years I am still finding new runs or new routes to take me from La Fornet over to Tignes and down to to Tignes Le Brevier. There are routes and runs that accommodate a party that includes overconfident 18 year olds to 73 year olds all able to ski over a wide area without having to go up and down the same area each day. Ski schools are all great; we have always used Exolution2 who have taken my kids from beginner to off-piste. They all speak great English and kids can stay for lunch which can be booked on an ad-hoc basis. The instructors know that it is important that the kids have fun (mine demand ski lessons.) Mountain restaurants are not cheap, if you opt for a table service restaurant but there are some that are worth the expense. Signal is a favorite of ours (table service upstairs, which you must book for as it's so popular and self service down stairs). It serves great food and has very friendly staff. Clochetons has an open fire that meat is cooked on and a fab terrace on a sunny day. Trifollet always has a great 'plat de jour' (lamb shank last time we went) and great Pizza for the kids. There are other self serve options that are cheaper. At night there are a number of restaurants to choose from - my top 3 would be Casserolle, La Luge and La Becca (at Lassinant) but there are plenty of others to choose from. Bars are numerous and, for "oldies" at the Blizzard hotel bar, David serves great cocktails in mellow surroundings. A visit to Val d'Isere is not complete without a visit to the patissier "Chevallot" on the main street for a coffee and cake or if self catering a whole tart for dessert. Expensive but worth it. As you may have gathered, I am a Val fan, I am looking forward to my next trip in March.
Poor lifts? Poorly connected? What? Amongst my friends and most off-piste written guides etc, the connections and lifts (at Val d'Isere) are widely regarded as being among the best in the Alps. The valid criticisms are for things like the lack of truly challenging steep pistes (more than made up for, in my opinion, by the easily accessible off-piste over several mountains). It can be done on a budget. Self catering accommodation is widespread and the supermarkets offer fantastic produce at a fair price for somewhere up a mountain. I've skied probably 200 days in the last 10 years and Val (Val d'Isere) is still one of my favourites; shaded by St Anton for it's party atmosphere. As for the valleys, well the slush of Meribel, the prices and the horrible Russian rudeness of Courchevel and the just plain ugliness of Val Thorens keep me away after I had learned to ski well. 3 valley skiing is like motorboating rather than sailing. You can go for long distances, get to different places, but it's not that pleasant doing so and all there is to do when you get there is come back again.
Just returned from Val d'Ripoff; luckily reasonable snow just about made up for long queues, poorly linked and generally aging and slow lifts, now have popeye arms from all the poleing that is part and parcel of this over rated and vastly over priced resort.
Also, anyone considering using Ski France LTD and their appalling View Village Club Chalet, please don't. Companies like this deserve to go out of business for the singular lack of service they provide. I have never in 20+ years of skiing heard any staff so disgruntled with their lot, but at least they were not paying for the disgusting experience of staying in this filthy dump. If you have booked already, seek your money back as this place is the pits.
Go to Canada or USA for an entirely better holiday.
Regards
This is such a great resort that I have decided to whisk my primiary aged son out of UK school & send him to the local French school so we can enjoy a whole season out here!Despite comments below the local French are friendly as long as you make a little effort to converse with them in French and smile! The skiing area is vast and offers something for all levels once you get up the mountain. I am not a great skier but Progression Ski and Snowboard school have been brilliant at boosting my confidence and improving my technique. My son also skis like a demon thanks to them. Snowberry offer the best rental service. Both of the latter are run by Brits (you can see why the French get annoyed!). If you want to ski then Val d'Isere is the place to be - just remember the world championships are on 2-15 Feb 2009 !
OK, this is not a cheap resort, but look carefully at the displayed menus first. The pizza cafes are usually the best bet. Check out the 'happy hours' this can make a big difference. Book your ski hire with snowrental.net and get 40% off-same shops, better deal.Ref the lack of 'loos' - why do you think the piste is yellow near the lift summits? Val D'Isere really needs to move into the 3rd millenium on this one and catch up with 3V and Megeve. Plan ahead, good luck.
Some really good skiing and a huge area with the link to Tignes. My only complaint was how unfreindly many of the French people are. The instructors seemed fine and offered very good tuition, but the bar and restaurant staff were genuinely rude. Also the prices in Val d'Isere are very high. Les Arcs would offer a better all round holiday at lower prices also not as far to travel from the airport or trains. I am surprised that France is such a popular destination with Brits when Austria is far more freindly with a great atmosphere and Italy is great fun for less money.
My holiday to Val d'Isere was out of this world. However, my only advice to anyone visiting this resort is to stay clear of the LE SIGNAL mountain restaurant based in Le Fornet. This restaurant was recommended to me by a chalet host who must have clearly been delusional, as the lunch I endured there was over priced and the food distinctly average! To add insult to injury the staff were extremely impolite!! Later on during the same afternoon skiing I made a toilet stop at Le Signal restaurant and was told I was not allowed to use the toilets as they were for customers only! Attempting to explain that I had eaten there earlier on failed to allow me entry and I was abruptly asked to leave and use ‘zee public toilets’. There were only ONE set of public toilets in Le Fornet and these were out of order – I was not impressed. Skiers - stay away from this awful restaurant!
Thanks snow-forecast.com. Just been to Val d'Isere; great snow considering it has not snowed for a while. I had a brill time skiing. I joined an off-piste private ski lesson with Martin Mckay Skiing >>> skimckay.com. Great instructor, I highly advise anyone going to Val to book ski lessons with Martin Mckay. GREAT RESORT!!
Jessica H.