| Val Thorens |
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GPS Co-ordinates: Longitude: 6.57041000 Address: 73440 Val Thorens 2400 Type of aire: Aire municipale webcam http://livecam.valthorens.com Val Thorens has three dedicated parking areas for MH's - these can all be booked on-line at www.valthoparc.com and cost around €20 per night or around €110 for a week. We decided on this option as we have visited Val Thorens before (staying in an apartment) and wanted the security of knowing we had somewhere definite to stay when we arrived. The parking areas are listed as P2, P3 and Parking Municipal. P2 is the highest, and almost on the 'Plein Sud' run back into town - approximately 5 minutes walk and then 2 minutes ski to the first lift. We had booked in there initially. There is a 'flot bleu' type dispenser for water / toilet emptying and hook up charge. Use of this is by a token, which are freely given out at the parking office onsite (which is staffed 24 hours). By walking up through the car park you can either catch a free shuttle bus into Val Thorens itself (drops you off at the bus station next to the sports centre), or you can walk there in about ten minutes. There is the usual abundance of shops, bars, supermarkets, ski shops / hire shops etc. throughout Val Thorens. Unfortunately, after a couple of days the flot bleu had an 'out of order' sign placed on it as the water hose was broken (a petrol pump style trigger handle had snapped off). We weighed up our options but decided buying enough bottled water was hard work and expensive so moved down the hill slightly (approximately 1 kilometre in driving terms) to P3. Once we'd got settled and sorted this actually seemed preferable. It was a slightly longer walk to the piste (about ten minutes, out of the carpark, across the road and then through the area where the Piste Basher garage is). However the Flot Bleu was much more substantial, had a proper tap that you could attach your hose to and there was also much more room (only one other MH sighted whilst we were there). Again, the reception is open 24 hours and in the main the staff were really helpful and again free and easy with the tokens. Val Thorens is the highest resort in the French Alps and is part of the Three Valleys, including Courchevel and Meribel. The skiing is the best I have encountered in 20 years of visiting most resorts in France and many in Austria. Lift passes are around €200 for a week to cover the entire Three Valleys area and can also be booked on line at www.valthorens.com Please note Val Thorens is very high and will be very cold. Report by Andrew Walters.
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