Discover our Chalets in Orelle Val Thorens

Discover Orelle Val Thorens from your OVO Network chalet

There’s far more to Orelle - a collection of 10 Alpine hamlets in the Maurienne Valley - than meets the eye!

Thanks to two new high-speed gondolas built in 2021 - the Orelle and the Orelle-Caron - this “secret gateway to the 3 Vallées” now has a hig-speed, direct link to Val Thorens and the 600km of the 3 Vallées. You can also ski the Belleville valley (300km) as well as Orelle’s own ski area (150km). With so much to choose from, you can ski right into May.

Skiers also have the chance to ride Europe’s highest zipline, the Tyrolienne - a breathtaking 1300m zip ride from the top of Orelle’s Bouchet lift to the Val Thorens crest!

Spring, summer and autumn are a great time to reconnect with nature in Orelle Val Thorens, with great walking and biking trails as well as via ferrata, climbing, and canyoning. The village sports ground has tennis courts as well as facilities for football, basketball and handball.. 
With free parking and great access to the world’s biggest ski area at a fraction of the cost of the bigger 3 Valleys resorts, Orelle is a great choice for the budget-conscious traveller, and for those who want access to the best skiing without the hustle and bustle of the main stations.

What to do in Orelle Val Thorens in winter

With access to some of the best and highest skiing in Europe, you can expect to ski right into May when you base yourself at Orelle Val Thorens. 
With two high-speed cable cars whisking you into the heart of the huge 3 Vallées ski domaine (600km of pistes) there’s plenty of choice, and that’s before you even start on the Belleville Valley (300km) and Orelle’s own ski area (150km). So you won’t be surprised that this area caters for skiers of every level.

The Orelle cable car will take you to Val Thorens ski area in 13 minutes, and another seven minutes in the Orelle-Caron gondola will take you to the Cime Caron.

Choose between two ski passes - the Orelle Val Thorens (150km) is perfect for a short stay, but if you’re looking for more choice, go for the 3 Vallées ski pass, which covers 600km of slopes.

Cross-country skiers will find the 3 Vallées’ highest trail in Orelle. At a height of 2,350m, it leaves directly from the Orelle cable car. There’s also a boardercross slope at the crossing of the Lory and La Croix d’Antide slopes.

Other winter activities include sledging, snow-shoeing, ice-skating and the thrilling Tyrolienne zip wire. And when you’re done with all of that, take some time to relax in the Hameau des Eaux d’Orelle spa.

Orelle Val Thorens ski area

Days out

Skiing and boarding are the main activities that bring guests to Orelle Val Thorens in the winter, and in the summer, hiking, biking and climbing are the most popular. But when you stay at an OVO Network property, there is so much more to see and do. Here are some of our favourite things to do in and around Orelle Val Thorens.

Zipwire adventure

If you’re skiiing from Orelle Val Thorens, there’s a fast and thrilling way to get from the top of the Bouchet chairlift to the Val Thorens crest - take the zipwire! It will take you just 1 minute and 45 seconds to glide the 1,300m along this steel cable, and you can take your skis with you, securely strapped to your back. You’ll reach speeds of over 100kmh and enjoy the most amazing views of the mountains! The cost is 56€, and you can buy your ticket on site (ages 8 to 88!). If you’d rather not go it alone, the 1800m BEE zipwire at the top of the Moutière chairlift will take two people side by side - and it’s open in winter and summer!

Find out more here or here

Toboggan fun

Slide down the Péclet glacier on this marked sledge run, which is open to anyone over the age of five. It will take you eight minutes to get to the start on the Péclet Funitel, and 45 minutes of sheer delight to get back to the bottom on your sledge. Open from January to May, the price of 18.30€ includes one descent, a sledge and a helmet. It’s 27€ for two descents, but if you want to ride all day, it will cost you 36.60€. Children aged between five and nine can share an adult’s sledge free..

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Bouldering

A great introduction to climbing, this bouldering site at Les Essards, Orelle Val Thorens, has seven cleared blocks with flat landings and at least 70 different routes, varying from easy to difficult. Weather permitting, this is a free, year-round activity for all the family.

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Via Ferrata

This Alpine adventure is a great day out for families with older children - it combines hiking and climbing on a trail cut into the rock face. You’ll wear a helmet and be clipped to the trail at all times to ensure your safety, but you’ll still need a head for heights! You can get more information at the tourist office.

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Canyoning

A great summer day out for families with older children, canyoning is a fun way to get down a mountain using the rivers, streams and waterfalls - yes, you will get wet! An instructor will help you get across the obstacles by jumping, sliding and abseiling, and wetsuits and helmets are provided.

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Walking with huskies

Come and meet these beautiful dogs before taking them for a 90-minute walk around Orelle Val Thorens. It’s an encounter you’ll never forget! Other activities available include husky karting and sledding.

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Geocaching treasure hunt

Discover the beautiful area around Orelle while having fun on a geocaching trail - the tourist office will provide the clues, which are also available online or via an app.It’s a great activity for all ages, all year round and completely free of charge.

Find out more here or here

A day in Turin

Take a coach trip to this fascinating Italian city on a day trip organised by the tourist office. You’ll have five hours in Turin, where you can explore the market in Porta Palazzo or stroll around the streets taking in beautiful Baroque buildings and perhaps stopping for a coffee at a pavement café. If you have time, visit the Egyptian museum and the palaces. On the way back, the coach stops in Susa for a relaxing or shopping break and passes through the Frejus Tunnel.You’ll need your passport or ID card. 

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Aluminium museum

You might not know it, but Orelle Val Thorens and the Maurienne Valley were once at the heart of aluminium production. This fascinating museum will tell you all there is to know about the industry, using models, games, films and artefacts. A guided tour is available in English - check the website for opening hours.

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A day at the spa

After all this activity, why not treat yourself to a day of pampering at the Hameau des Eaux d’Orelle Spa. Choose from the swimming pool, sauna, steam room, hot tub and a range of beauty treatments and massages. Bathing caps are compulsory, and can be bought on site. 

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Restaurants

Le Hameau des Eaux D’Orelle bar/restaurant

Enjoy home-cooked French and local dishes as well as pizza, burgers and pasta in a friendly setting with a view of the village. The restaurant also offers a catering service if you’d rather eat back at your chalet.

Le Hameau des Eaux d’Orelle 73140, +33 6 46 54 63 57

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Chinal Donat

This traditional mountain restaurant on the slopes is easily accessible by the Bouchet lift or on skis. With its sunny, south-facing terrace, it’s a popular lunch stop for skiers. If you’d rather sit inside you can enjoy a home-made meal next to the fire. The menu includes Savoyard specialities as well as classic French dishes and delicious desserts.

Plan Bouchet, 73140 Orelle, +33 4 79 56 53 01

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Les 4 Vallées Pub

For fairly low-key apres-ski, pop into this pub next to the ski lift for a beer and a snack or two. They can also supply bread, as long as you order it the day before.

Francoz 73140 Orelle, ​​+33 4 79 56 88 08

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Pizzeria La Scuderia

Pizzas to eat in or takeaway are the focus of the menu. Prices are reasonable and the pizzas are made on the premises. 

58 Rue General Ferrie, 73140 Saint Michel de Maurienne, +33 4 79 83 06 48

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The Frog Pub

Calling itself the highest pub in Europe, this is the place to stop for some lively apres ski. You’ll get friendly service, good food and, on certain nights, live music. It’s open for lunch and dinner, with burgers and wraps featuring heavily on the menu. 

Les Neves, Rue de Gebroulaz, 73440 Val Thorens, +33 9 53 92 06 67

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Au Mazot

There’s always a warm welcome at this small but popular restaurant in Val Thorens which prides itself on serving local specialities such as fondues, tartiflette and raclette as well as more unusual dishes such as pork with pears and chestnuts, beef tartare and caramelised pork shank. For dessert, you could choose raspberry tart, cherry and blueberry crumble or perhaps pear poached in red wine, depending on what’s in season. Book in advance, as its few tables are in big demand.

Rue de Caron 172, 73440 Val Thorens, +33 4 79 08 63 95

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Shopping in Orelle Val Thorens

You’ll find a mini market which will meet most of your daily food needs in Hameau des Eaux d’Orelle - they offer fresh food, cheese, local produce and beer, a deli and local specialities such as raclette and fondue savoyarde (order the day before). For larger supermarkets you can head to Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne or Val Thorens.

There’s a sports and souvenir shop in Orelle (Francoz), and books on the local area are available from the tourist office (Francoz).

If you’re looking for gifts or souvenirs to take home, try the pottery, Bol d’Altitude, at Lotissement le Cré du Vlé, where you can pick up beautiful unique tableware.

You’ll find a bigger selection of shops in Val Thorens, or if you are after some serious retail therapy, what about a day in Turin? You can book a day trip at the tourist office or take the train from Modane.

Transport to Orelle Val Thorens

By car

Take the A43 from the direction of Lyons, coming off at exit 29. The RD1006 will take you the remaining 6km to Orelle. 

By air

The nearest international airports to Orelle are Turin and Geneva.

By train

t’s a lot easier to get to Orelle Val Thorens by train than it is to get to some of the bigger resorts! The TGV trains from Paris stop at Saint Michel/Valloire (6km) and Modane (12km) several times a day, and taxis are available from the station to Orelle. A TGV train from Paris to Modane takes about 5hr 30.   

Taxis

Try Taxi Gros Gruart or Taxi Croin Rémy.

Where to stay in Orelle Val Thorens