In short
Confident blue-run skiers can ski from Courchevel to Val Thorens and back in a day on a 3 Vallées pass. The official route goes from Courchevel 1850 over La Saulire, across Méribel and up to the Col de la Chambre (2,850 m), then down into Val Thorens. The link is open from 5 December 2026 to 18 April 2027. Check link closing times on the app.
Can you ski from Courchevel to Val Thorens and back in a day?
Yes, if you are a confident intermediate skier and you start early. Courchevel and Val Thorens sit at opposite ends of a chain of three valleys inside Les 3 Vallées: Courchevel, then Méribel in the middle, then the Belleville valley with Val Thorens at its head.
Les 3 Vallées publishes an official full-day itinerary from Courchevel 1850, called Saulire, Méribel, Côte Brune, Val Thorens. It rates it as easy blue runs, sometimes more demanding than its gentler routes, and recommends doing it outside the school holiday periods, when the slopes and lifts are quieter. In the other direction, the Méribel guide SeeMeribel estimates that an intermediate skier can get from Val Thorens to Courchevel in just over an hour on the most direct route. Add queues, photo stops and lunch.
The link between the valleys is open from 5 December 2026 to 18 April 2027, the dates published by the official ticket office for the 3 Vallées ski area. Val Thorens opens its own lifts earlier, with the Grande Première weekend on 21 and 22 November 2026, but you cannot ski over from Courchevel until the link opens.
Which lifts and runs take you from Courchevel to Val Thorens?
The official route climbs out of Courchevel 1850 to La Saulire, crosses the Méribel valley, goes up to the Col de la Chambre and drops into Val Thorens. The table follows the lifts and runs listed by Les 3 Vallées for its Saulire, Méribel, Côte Brune, Val Thorens itinerary, grouped into stages.
| Stage | Lifts and runs named by Les 3 Vallées | Where you end up |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Out of Courchevel | Verdons gondola, then Vizelle gondola | The Saulire ridge above Courchevel 1850 |
| 2. Into Méribel | Runs including Biche, Marmotte and Doron; Legends, Combes and Châtelet chairlifts | Across the Méribel valley towards Mottaret |
| 3. Up to the Col de la Chambre | Côte Brune lift (Méribel calls it a gondola since its replacement) | Col de la Chambre, 2,850 m |
| 4. Down to Val Thorens | Pluviomètre blue run (Péclet funitel and Tête Ronde are optional extras) | Val Thorens resort centre, 2,300 m |
Méribel Tourism confirms that from the top of Côte Brune the blue Pluviomètre run leads directly to the centre of Val Thorens. Les 3 Vallées also suggests carrying a paper piste map in case your phone battery dies.
How do you get back to Courchevel?
You climb back to the Col de la Chambre, ski down into the Méribel valley, then take the Pas du Lac gondola up to La Saulire and ski home to Courchevel 1850. According to Méribel Tourism, the return to Méribel goes via the 3 Vallées lifts from the Val Thorens side to the summit of Mont de la Chambre. Les 3 Vallées lists the Pionniers, 3 Vallées, Plan des Mains and Pas du Lac lifts on the way back, with the Lac de la Chambre and Sitelle runs, and final turns on the Creux and Altiport runs into Courchevel 1850.
When are the last lifts back to Courchevel?
There is no single published time to remember: check the closing time of each link lift on the day, on the Les 3 Vallées app or at the live page of its website, before you leave Val Thorens. Closing times vary by lift and through the season, and the SeeMeribel guide warns that they are strictly adhered to.
- Plan the night before. Les 3 Vallées advises sketching your itinerary the day before or over breakfast, so you know where you need to be to get back before the lifts close.
- Leave margin. It recommends giving yourself extra time for a fall, a break or busy slopes, which are more common in the school holidays.
- Turn back early in bad weather. In unfavourable conditions, Les 3 Vallées advises staying in your own resort's sector, since links can close.
- Know the fallback. If you miss the last link, inter-resort shuttle buses and taxis can bring you home by road. It is a long way round, so treat it as the exception.
A simple rule: fix your turn-back time in Val Thorens before you set off.
Which lift pass do you need to ski to Val Thorens?
You need a 3 Vallées pass, or a Courchevel Valley pass with a one-day 3 Vallées extension. The Courchevel Valley pass covers the Courchevel villages only. These are the 2026-2027 public adult prices published by the official ticket office in October 2026, for high season from 19 December 2026 to 9 April 2027.
| Pass | Adult price, high season | Covers Val Thorens? |
|---|---|---|
| Courchevel Valley, 1 day | 77 € | No |
| 3 Vallées extension for a Courchevel pass, 1 day | 51 € | Yes, for that day |
| 3 Vallées, 4 hours | 75.10 € | Yes |
| 3 Vallées, 1 day | 84.20 € | Yes |
The ticket office describes the 3 Vallées pass as covering seven resorts, including Courchevel, Méribel, Val Thorens and Orelle, with more than 600 km of slopes. For children's rates, family passes and low season prices, see our guide to Courchevel season dates and lift pass prices.
What is there to do in Val Thorens once you arrive?
Go up to the Cime Caron, have lunch, and keep an eye on the time. Val Thorens sits at 2,300 m and describes itself, through Les 3 Vallées, as the highest ski resort in Europe. It is semi-pedestrianised and can be crossed on foot in about twenty minutes.
Cime Caron, 3,200 m
Les 3 Vallées calls the Cime Caron a true symbol of Val Thorens. You reach it by the Cairn and Caron gondolas, then the Cime Caron cable car, for a 360-degree view over more than 1,000 peaks in the French, Italian and Swiss Alps. It is the highest viewpoint on this route.
Lunch at Caron 3200
At the top of the cable car, the Caron 3200 building includes a restaurant, a lounge wine bar, a panoramic rooftop and a shop. Its listing on the Orelle tourism site gives daily opening from 21 November 2026 to 2 May 2027, subject to snow and weather. Keep lunch reasonable: it eats into your return margin.
Where are the best photo stops on the route?
The summits along the route give the strongest pictures: La Saulire on the way out, the Col de la Chambre at the crossing and the Cime Caron in Val Thorens. Altitudes below are those published by Les 3 Vallées.
| Spot | Altitude | Valley | What you see | Light tip |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Saulire | 2,740 m | Ridge between Courchevel and Méribel | 360-degree view including the Grande Casse and the Vanoise glaciers | Morning on the way out; often above the cloud on grey days, according to Les 3 Vallées |
| Col de la Loze (detour) | 2,304 m | Ridge between Courchevel and Méribel | Both the Courchevel and Méribel valleys | Good for a separate morning if you take the La Tania side |
| Col de la Chambre | 2,850 m | Between Méribel and Val Thorens | The Borgne glacier and Mont Vallon | Midday, as you cross in either direction |
| Cime Caron | 3,200 m | Val Thorens, Belleville valley | More than 1,000 peaks in the French, Italian and Swiss Alps | Clear days only; the higher the sun, the less haze over the far peaks |
| Lac de la Chambre run | Below the Col de la Chambre | Méribel side | Open slopes and, from late March, marmots | Early afternoon on the way home |
For more locations closer to home, see our best photo spots in Courchevel, and for clothes that read well against snow, what to wear for ski photos.
Can a photographer follow you from Courchevel to Val Thorens?
Yes. A Riva Photography Courchevel photographer who skis can follow you across Les 3 Vallées on a full-day session. The full day is 1,970 €, all taxes included, for 8 hours and around 250 photos, and the photographer's 3 Vallées lift pass is added to the quote at the public price. You receive a first selection within 48 hours and the full gallery within 7 days.
A full day fits the shape of this trip: pictures on the Saulire in the morning, the crossing at the Col de la Chambre, lunch and portraits at the Cime Caron, then the run home. If you only want pictures in Val Thorens itself, see our page for a photographer in Val Thorens. Our ski photographer and ski photoshoot in Courchevel page explains how sessions on the slopes work. All formats are on the pricing page.
Ready to plan your day across Les 3 Vallées?
Send us a message on WhatsApp with your date, your level and the number of skiers, and we will suggest a format that fits your route. If the weather turns, a session can be moved free of charge when you ask more than 72 hours ahead. You can reach us through the contact section.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to ski from Courchevel to Val Thorens?
The SeeMeribel guide estimates that an intermediate skier can ski between Val Thorens and Courchevel in just over an hour on the most direct route. Add time for queues, photo stops and lunch, and treat it as a full day out.
Do I need a 3 Vallées pass to ski to Val Thorens from Courchevel?
Yes. The Courchevel Valley pass does not cover Val Thorens. Buy a 3 Vallées pass (84.20 € for an adult day in high season 2026-2027) or add a one-day 3 Vallées extension to a Courchevel pass (51 € for an adult).
What level do you need to ski from Courchevel to Val Thorens?
Les 3 Vallées rates its official route as easy blue runs, sometimes more demanding. You should be comfortable on blue runs all day and able to keep a steady pace.
What happens if I miss the last lift back to Courchevel?
Les 3 Vallées mentions inter-resort shuttle buses and taxis as the fallback. It is a long road trip, so check link closing times on the Les 3 Vallées app before leaving Val Thorens.
When is the Courchevel to Val Thorens ski link open in 2026-2027?
The 3 Vallées ski area, which links Courchevel, Méribel and Val Thorens, is open from 5 December 2026 to 18 April 2027, subject to snow conditions.
Planning a session in Courchevel?
Send us your dates and where you are staying. We reply on WhatsApp within the hour with an available photographer and a quote.
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Sources
Facts, times and rules in this guide come from these sources, checked in October 2026.
- Les 3 Vallées, Easy itineraries from Courchevel (Saulire, Méribel, Côte Brune, Val Thorens), checked October 2026.
- Méribel Tourism, Skiing the 3 Vallées from Méribel (Saulire, Côte Brune, Pluviomètre, return via Mont de la Chambre), checked October 2026.
- SeeMeribel, Route 7: Val Thorens to Courchevel, checked October 2026.
- Les 3 Vallées, Tips for a serene return from the slopes, checked October 2026.
- Les 3 Vallées, Slopes and lifts live, checked October 2026.
- S3V official ticket office, 3 Vallées lift pass prices 2026-2027, checked October 2026.
- S3V official ticket office, Courchevel lift pass prices 2026-2027, checked October 2026.
- Les 3 Vallées, Our 10 panoramic views, checked October 2026.
- Les 3 Vallées, Val Thorens resort, checked October 2026.
- Les 3 Vallées, The Grande Première in Val Thorens, checked October 2026.
- Orelle Tourism, Caron 3200, checked October 2026.
