"Les 3 Vallées isn't just big-it's absurdly big. The numbers alone barely capture it: 600 km (370 miles) of pistes, 5,249 feet (1,600 m) of vertical relief, Connected valleys including Courchevel, Méribel, and Val Thorens, Lift-linked access across terrain stretching farther than the eye can track. For perspective, the entire system is roughly ten times the size of Jackson Hole, Wyoming."
"Within minutes, we were navigating blind terrain together, following photos taken the day before to locate hidden tree zones. The snow was already bottomless and, better yet, untouched; chest-deep sprays in modest terrain with spaced trees perfectly shaped for flow. When the chair finally opened, we found ourselves alone, harvesting powder run after run like farmers with families to feed."
"Two days later, the storm intensified. That changes everything. Instead, the day became an exercise in patience and discipline: Even then, one test slope produced a small slide-confirmation that the snowpack was unstable. Off piste, you're completely on your own here. But where it was safe? The snow was ridiculously deep."
Les 3 Vallées stands as the largest ski area on Earth, spanning 600 kilometers of pistes across connected valleys including Courchevel, Méribel, and Val Thorens. A February 2026 trip showcased the area's exceptional scale and snow conditions. Initial light powder of 12-18 inches provided bottomless skiing in tree terrain with minimal crowds. As storms intensified, avalanche risks required careful terrain selection, but safe areas offered ridiculously deep snow. The trip highlighted the area's vastness through multi-hour explorations, including legendary terrain like the Grand Couloir, demonstrating why Les 3 Vallées cannot be fully skied in a single day.
Read at SnowBrains
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